It wouldn't be fair for me to complain about winter. I like skiing (alpine and Nordic), skating and snowshoeing. But I'm not immune to the periodic mini-depressions resulting from short days and cold rain. However, as an experienced winter person, I have an antidote - bright, clear, upbeat pop music. And it really doesn't surprise me at all that very often the source of such music is a band from a Nordic country. Today's medicinal recommendation is A Thousand Half-Truths, by Norway's Making Marks. With gentle, affecting vocals, memorable melodies and broad instrumentation, this album delivers a healthy dose of sunshine to nearly all users in our test audience. The only known side effects are good moods, humming, additional energy and evangelical fervor in recommending the album. If a wide grin persists for more that 24 hours, see your dentist for teeth whitening.
The male/female vocals and jangling guitars are standard in this genre, but Making Marks takes a step toward the head of the class with their delicious hooks and their adventuresome use of banjos, ukuleles, harmonica and glockenspiel, providing for a rich listening experience. There is a bit of Belle & Sebastian, but a sheen of county-inflected folk, as well. Survive winter - experience Making Marks.
Making Marks is based in Oslo, and is comprised of Ola Innset (guitar/vocals), Nina Bo (vocals/keys), Marie Sneve (bass) and Jorgen Nordby (drums). A Thousand Half-Truths is out now on Fika Recordings.
Website
Fika Recordings page for album
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