Magik Markers - Boss

The word is out: The Magik Markers have switched from off-the-cuff noisemakers to producers of actual songs. That doesn’t mean that fans of the early Markers will be entirely disappointed. As the piercing feedback that starts with ‘Axis Mundi’ shows, the duo hasn’t given up the joys of racket entirely. But as the song progresses to the actual meat of the matter, it becomes clear that guitarist and vocalist Elisa Ambrosio is less concerned with terrifying her listeners than on the bands slew of CD-R’s. Pete Nolan has given up trying to beat his kit to death, settling instead for some neat rolls on his snare and floor tom. On some songs Elisa sounds like a distraught Eleanor Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces on tunes like ‘Secular Pentecost’. Ambrosio’s morbid, violent lyrics conjure up memories of Lydia Lunch (but with better singing); add the bonesaw guitars and Lunch’s collaboration with Birthday Party axeman Rowland S. Howard, ‘Shotgun Wedding’. The band still takes strange sidetrips, as the synth burbles and drifting oddity of ‘Pat Garrett’ testify – it wouldn’t be out of place on an Amon Duul album. And the ugly squalls of the closer ‘Circle’ aren’t going to appear on Top 40 radio anytime soon. Still, the Markers are definitely taking a definite stab at being beautiful. The gentle acoustic guitar and sweet vocals of ‘Bad Dream/Hartford’s Bear Suite’ would suit the most bucolic folk album. ‘Empty Bottles’ is an even greater departure, being a plain piano ballad (with a bit of glockenspiel gilding) and only the mildest stab at discord. Some hardcore fans will sulk, but ‘Boss’ is a definite success for fans of damaged rock and one of the most artistically effective and intriguing departures from an established sound in recent memory.

Track Listing:-

1 Axis Mundi
2 Body Rot
3 Last of the Lemach Line
4 Empty Bottles
5 Taste
6 Four / The Ballad of Harry Angstrom
7 Pat Garrett
8 Bad Dream / Hartford's Beat Suite
9 Circle