In their latest album, titled simply Gravity, Paul Mark & the Van Dorens prove that they’ve yet to lose their touch in a dozen of tracks drawing as much from the discographies of Tom Waits and Warren Zevon as they do contemporary life. Right out of the gate in “Gravity is Failing,” Mark makes it clear that he isn’t interested in playing formulaic piano rock on this album. With provocative lyricism and stirring instrumental faceting around every twist and turn, Gravity is a record that is almost guaranteed to win your favor after a single listen this summer.
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There’s a really raw feel to the instrumentation in “Forever,” “Heart Full of Soul,” “I Spin When You Grin” and “You Can Take It with You,” but I think this was essential to build off of an implied contrast with Mark’s vocal delivery. Duality is a central component in any powerful singer/songwriter release, and though he’s working with the Van Dorens, there’s never any doubt as to whether or not this is Paul Mark’s show exclusively. He’s got too commanding a presence, and moreover, too versatile a skillset in this LP for anything else to be the case.
Gravity is one of the more lyrically expressive records Paul Mark & the Van Dorens have released together, and to some extent, I think it exhibits just how much further an act can get when they put everything on the line with their fans. This crew has nothing to hide, and whether the narrative is coming directly from our leading man’s voice or via the instrumental textures that forge a backdrop for him in any of the tracks here (save for “Coronation”), it’s arriving in the arms of listeners without any sort of external filtration to come between artists and audience.
There’s not a lot of urgency to the rhythm in “O T B,” “Con Man VIP” or “Waiting Round for You,” but I don’t think there needs to be given the adept manipulation of tension found in each of these three songs. For the most part, Gravity presents us with a lot of multidimensionality that just isn’t that common in American pop music anymore, and though it’s not necessarily the most experimental LP you’re going to come across in the underground this month, it’s certainly one of the more forward-thinking to come from a source as seasoned as Paul Mark & the Van Dorens are.
Once again, Paul Mark and his band demonstrate an ability to compete with the best artists in their class in Gravity, which is definitely a must-listen for anyone who has a taste for brooding piano-based commentary. 2020 has been an interesting year for music of all genres, but for those of us who like to keep up with the indie beat, players like Paul Mark & the Van Dorens are delivering the goods where a lot of mainstream artists have fallen short. Gravity is a terrific show of strength for this group, and with any luck, not the last offering of its kind to come from this deeply talented band.
Troy Johnston