| South Carolina is a place synonymous with country. There isn’t much else there to be quite honest. Mark Mathis knows this as a native of Rock Hill in the great confederate state of South Carolina. With an album titled We Both Was Young you can get a feel for his style and flare without ever listening to the record. Yeah, it’s pretty country, in both senses of the term. It is a very country album, yet the sounds are beautiful in their construction and simplicity.
Using jangly guitar riffs, heartbreaking pedal steel, and wispy minimal percussion fused together with his rich and soulful vocals, Mathis has constructed a style that bridges the gap from classic country to modern folk and indie rock. Nothing illustrates this better than track two, “Oh King”, as it seamlessly blends the beauty and devastation of a Pedro the Lion song with the sad ole’ song feeling of a Johnny Cash or Gram Parsons tune. Any fan of Pedro the Lion (present reviewer included) will find wondrous things about this song.
Mathis isn’t just limited to the above mentioned style. We Both Was Young unravels like a rose in bloom, showing layer after layer of musical style. “Love in The Afterlife” is more of an upbeat electronic driven tune that wouldn’t appeal to many a folk music fan. “Your Eyes” is a meaningful and inspiring song that works more in the Pedro the Lion vein. Given all of the variations in the style that Mathis makes, this is an extremely impressive album.
If you’re looking for a change of pace from your standard indie album or you’re a folk/alt-country fan looking for some fresh young blood, either path should lead you straight for Mark Mathis. These songs are genius.
~ Shane
June 26 2008 |
