Mark Cronk is a guitarist, singer/songwriter from a small central Pennsylvania town called Carlisle. He began his music career in the late 1970's with a band called Appalachia. The group performed for clubs and concert halls and shared a stage with national artist such as Robert Plant and theRamones. Mark also performed as a solo act in many of the areas finer establishments. Along with his guitar teaching business, Mark is now a member of the Glass Onion. The band is heavily influences by pop music of the 1960's and regularly performs for public and private functions in Central Pa. Mark's songs are a reflection of a grown man's experiences and attitudes refreshingly expressed in a genre usually reserved for the young.
Mark's newest release "Playing Katchup" is a fabulous album that incorporates a blend of unique qualities in merging a variety of counterparts, reflecting both British and American pop influences from the 1960's and onward, with a few of the songs consisting of some emblematic tinges of some even earlier musical source points, combined with a mixture of alternative enhancements of todays mod evolutions.
The album opens with a playful intro kicking off with"It Can Wait", a cute and bubbly melodic powerpop tune that is instantly refreshing and spiritually uplifiting, followed by "Who Are You Calling Now", which is a song of similar nature consisting of distinctive vocal harmonies, catchy riffs and hooks, with the full embodiment and resonates of some of the earlier 60's Brit style pop songs.
"Let Me In" is a lovely American alternative-pop styled song, that is fetching with a smooth peaceful feeling rythmn and soft passionate heart felt lyrics , delivered in beautiful easy listening vocals and a heavenly melody, that is purely heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable. "She's The Girl", "How Many Times" and Friday Turned To Monday" are straight up pop tunes keeping up the stride. Whilst, "Rock an Roll Sunday" is a more punchier classic rock n roll party style song, that slightly reminds me of some of the earlier material from the Beach Boy's, that is quirky and fun, that puts you in a happy mood and makes you want to get up and dance. "I've Seen Your Face Before" is another 60's style pop melody, bording some of the earlier traditional fun-styled classic rock songs that have maintained a timeless popularity.
"Please Don't Ask Me Why", comes as a bit of a surprise, as it shifts from the 1960's classic pop style reminiscents, to an even earlier era with a flair of one of the earliest styles of rock n roll, which emerged in the 1950's known as rockabilly, that actually derived from a very early form of the hillbilly music of the 1940's, combined with the western swing, boogie woogie and rythmn and blues of the 1950's, mixed with American southern pop. The popularity of this style of music waned in the 1960's, but by the late 70's and early 80's made a strong revivial that has endured to the present. Uniquely, Mark has combined some of the elements of this form of music with the 60's style melodic pop, mixed with a blend of some of the more modern evolutions of todays alternative music, giving it a more urban feel for a fun and refreshing new country-pop sound.
"Irene" and "Tiny Town" encompass a form of traditonal acoustic driven folk-lore, supported with 1960's style pop harmonies. "No One Home" is a more elegant solo acoustic ballad, while "Ghost of Yesterday" falls more in time with some of the classic rock of the 70's. Bringing the album to a closure is "What It's Of", that takes us on a adventure down yet another country road of bluegrass with a trace of pop-folk-lore.
Playing Katchup is great album that brings together several different era's and musical genres, while maintaining the pop elements and feel, making this cd uniquely interesting and fully enjoyable! I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for some good solid music!
Reviewed by: Jan (editor) 11/02/09
It Can Wait Who Are You Calling Now Let Me In She's the Girl Rock and Roll Sunday I've Seen Your Face Before Please Don't Ask Me Why How Many Times Irene Friday Turned to Monday Tiny Town Ghosts of Yesterday No One Home What It's of Betty's Basement Band
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