Marked Men – “Ghosts”

Album Reviews | Jun 21st, 2009

Image used with permission for review purposes.

cd_markedmen_ghosts1
Record Label:
Dirtnap Records
Genre: Punk
Buy on Amazon.com

Marked Men have a really cool sound: lean, gritty pop punk revved up to breakneck speed and shot through a wind tunnel. Somehow, they’re not noisy, chaotic, or angry – in fact, they’re surprisingly straight forward and melodic.

These guys do loud, lean, and fast well. Their speed and short durations (15 songs in 30 minutes!) aren’t at odds with poppiness. In fact, the strong riffs and melodic vox coupled with the high-octane rhythm section give them a very pleasing and distinct punk sound.

What I like best about Marked Men, though, is that they’re utterly unpretentious. Nothing in their delivery makes them seem like they’re trying to be rock stars or belligerent punks or cutesy pop punkers (aka pedophile creeps). Their rockitude is completely effortless.

Great stuff. Too bad the band is now on possibly permanent hiatus (the singer moved to Japan).

Bottom Line: Unpretentious mix of the Buzzcocks, the Riverdales, Exploding Hearts, and Snuff.
Notable Tracks: Fortune, My Love, Locked Up, Stay Away, Get To You, Ghosts, Blew My Head
Overall Rating:

Topics:

, , , , ,