John Mark Alston - This Is a Call from Nowhere

​John Mark Alston

This Is a Call from Nowhere
​self-released; 2020

3.7 out of 5

By My Nguyen

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, John Mark Alston is an artist who is currently writing and recording in Brooklyn, New York. His teens and 20s were spent playing in rock and punk bands in Alabama, but eventually he decided he felt more at home singing his original creations. This Is a Call from Nowhere is the first taste to his solo endeavors.

​The eight-track album dabbles in psychedelia, jazz and new-wave, but admittedly at its core, it is a rock n’ roll album. And Alston doesn’t fool around when it comes to his flavor of rock. Though he does play around with different ideas, he never settles on what he thinks rock music should sound like. The album art very much depicts this ideology for never settling for less with the image of a man on a motorcycle barreling down a highway. According to the artist: “I wanted the album to have that feel, of being constantly in motion, of having a steady progressive pace; I wanted it to be a great driving album. I hope you enjoy it.” Very much like the image of the man on the motorcycle, Alston’s music is dynamic, focused and driven.

This Is a Call from Nowhere gets started with “Porsche 1971,” where moody bass lines lean into a rhythms-heavy sound. As the sound of synthetic strings offer up a bit of ambience, Alston’s vocals come in drenched in reverb. The guitars roll forth with sparse riffs. The sound is very stripped-down, though you can definitely detect the expansive rock notes permeating the track. The album moves forward with the title track, where shimmering guitars and a driving backbeat on drums is introduced. Alston’s vocals are etched with more reverberation, giving his voice an echo-y and cavernous appeal. The guitar riffs lead into a bluesy vibe. The sounds are once again sparse through simply rendered riffs and rhythms. More synths shift overhead on this number. Percussions and a drumming beat liven up the atmosphere on “The Crack-Up.” Next, the sound of noodling on the guitar brings to life a bluesy sound as Alston executes a spoken word piece. The meandering then dives into a more dynamic sound coming from the vocal harmonies.

On “If…” pensive numerating on the guitar awash in mumbling vocals gives off an emo-inspired vibe. The vocals come across as a monotonous drone that does not let up. The guitar riffs continue throughout the gamut of this song as well as highlighting a lively feel coming from the percussions and synths.  A driven sound coming from the guitars offers an acoustic take to “Waiting’ For A Sign.” The sound leans into a more country-bent vibe as the guitar riffs and rhythms denote from the genre. Alston’s vocals are sung in a soft manner barely above a whisper so that it made it hard to catch what he is saying. A countdown jumpstarts the revved sounds on “Baboon Heart.” Alston’s vocals really recall a Beck vibe. It was something about his affection that really drives that home. A dramatic drumming beat paves the way on “Reach Out, Touch Me.” Somber-sounding bass lines add to the groove. The vocals come across as subdued and once more I had to strain in order to discern the lyrics. The mood overall was very mellow and lulling. The vibe overall embraces a very warm feel, which I think is an apt way to close the album. 

Alston makes headway with This Is a Call from Nowhere that contains a classic rock vibe while also incorporating his own embellishments. Rolling forth with a heavy synth-based sound, distorted guitar riffs and ambiguous vocals, the artist showcases a sound inspired by Serge Gainsbourg and Beck.

​Though the album does dance around genres, Alston mostly delivers straightforward rock music meant for die-hard fans. The record sees Alston carrying the torch for bands from the ‘60s/’70s era and well into the ‘90s as well. This is a solid start and I expect more exciting things to come from this artist.

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