You can download the September 2013 Mix right here.
Band: THE MARK INSIDE
Genres: Rock / Punk / Garage / Indie / Alternative
Related artists: Eidelon, By Divine Right, The Nature Boys, The Golden Dogs and
Drunk Woman.
Country: Whitby, CANADA
Years Active: 2000-2013
Song: "Don't Wake Daniel"
Album: "Dark Hearts Can Radiate White Light"
Year: 2013
For fans of: Rye Coalition, By Divine Right, Sloan, Nada Surf, The Beatles, Radiohead,
Nirvana, Roy, Treble Charger, Thrush Hermit, and The Holy Shroud.
THE MARK INSIDE is a band that I always thought should have been more well-known across Canada. They have pockets of fans, sure, but considering the popularity of Sloan, Arcade Fire and Treble Charger - THE MARK INSIDE has all of those bands beat, hands down.
Coming out of my high school in Whitby, Ontario, THE MARK INSIDE were the melding of 2 of our high school's better rock bands. Jeff, Gus, Geordie and Chris were the rock soundtrack to many students' Anderson C.V.I. High School career. These 4 guys stuck it out for 10 years before the drummer Geordie left band (he currently play in By Divine Right and you can watch his interview below) and Reade took over on drums. In 2013 Chris Levoir passed at the age of 31, which was 2 weeks before the band's final album was released. It sent quite the shock through my group of friends and the Canadian indie rock music scene.
I have posted a plethora of stuff, some very rare, as well as descriptions for a handful of songs. There are certainly bands that I am friends with that I like and want to promote - but these guys are in a class above that, especially with the band's high school material. Listen to audio/video stuff posted below regardless, it's superb. In case you're wondering, THE MARK INSIDE sounds like early Radiohead meets post-punk with some Sloan rock vibes.
Here are some thoughts, descriptions and links to some of my favourite bombs, starting with the best:
"Metal Monsters" is probably my favourite MARK INSIDE song, as no song is bouncier. The first minute of this song simply stellar and the final 1:20 is an extremely catchy Beach Boys tribute.
"Don't Wake Daniel" is the band's culmination of refining their sound, and is frustratingly ironic in subject matter as Chris Levoir passed away in the summer of 2013 a few weeks before 'Dark Hearts Can Radiate White Light' was officially released. Below is the video I shot of the premiere of the music video at Chris' Celebration Night 2 weeks after his passing.
"Liar" is probably the band's hardest song. Dirty post-punk meets snarling vocals and thrashing drums. One of my favourite MARK INSIDE songs.
"Buzzing" is another one of my favourites. Insect-like guitar plucking is intertwined with a rhythmic bass riff and dreamy vocals until it all builds and explodes into a spacey and aggressive instrumental onslaught. That's one of the band's greatest personality traits, they were pretty heavy for a bunch of guys who listened to Sloan, Radiohead and By Divine Right.
"Inside: These Apparent Things" - mind-boggingly written by high schoolers! This song is perfect in every way.
"Nothing to Admit" is an epic and political song that might be the most intelligent track the band wrote. Think classic rock meets post-punk.
"Everybody Talks About Everybody Else" is centered around a rolling and fuzzed-out bass riff and Levoir ranting and raving before the chorus kicks in and blows out the speakers. The band's second most aggressive song.
"The Deeper I Go" is a very aggressive rock assault with some beautiful twinkly guitar-work, strained vocals and sounds like "Off the Scope of My Dreams" 2.0.
"Sweet Little Sister" was another early hit, which had lead vocalist Chris Levoir singing about a topic repeated numerous times. Sex. Sex. Sex.
"Bottom Line" is very country with a dark, Johnny Cash feel and could be the radio-friendly cousin to "Nothing to Admit".
"Carousel", like "Metal Monsters", is a very bouncy song that repeatedly hurdles toward a thick and powerful chorus riff.
"Lady Killer" could be a Nada Surf B-side. A plodding, catchy and toe-tapping song.
"Shark Attack" is an angular, driving not unlike Drive Like Jehu or Jesus Lizard with very little vocal melody, as Chris yelps and screams over an unrelenting guitar solo.
"Can't Take Her With You When It's Over" is probably the most Beatles-sounding track the band wrote - and probably the closest thing to a pop-rock single they ever released.
"Bedframe Crawl" is the band's early staple, straight up rock. There's some great backup chanting in this song, too.
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DISCOGRAPHY
2001 - Demo cdr (download here)
2003 - The Mark Inside 3-demo cd (download here)
2004 - The Static/Crash of cd (stream the album on my youtube account)
2007 - Lucky Sevens Series 7" (download here)
2010 - False Flag 12"EP
2011 - Nothing to Admit 12"LP
2013 - Dark Hearts Can Radiate White Light 12"LP (stream/download/donate here)
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(2004) MARK INSIDE, THE - "Deeper I Go" (from 'The Static/Crash Of' cd)
(2004) MARK INSIDE, THE - "Metal Monsters" (from 'The Static/Crash Of' cd)
(2007) MARK INSIDE, THE - "Liar" (from 'Magnificent Sevens' 7")
(2011) MARK INSIDE, THE - "Bottom Line" (from 'Nothing To Admit' LP) MUSIC VIDEO
(2011) MARK INSIDE, THE - "Shots From a Broken Bottle" (from 'Nothing To Admit' LP) MUSIC VIDEO
THE MARK INSIDE out-of-print partial discography mp3 download / additional links
Demo cdr (download here)
The Mark Inside 3-demo cd (download here)
Lucky Sevens Series 7" (download here)
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Great read, thanks so much Dave!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Geoff
Twas my pleasure!!!
DeleteHey man, would you able to re-upload the demo tracks and do you know anyway to grab the Static/Crash album without having to give iTunes any money?
ReplyDelete