Mark Hervey is a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York who has just released his first solo album About Time after an already long and diverse career. In fact you can see the years in his face, as his album cover contrasts one young and one more recent photo of himself.
Hervey was a member of the ‘80s band The Gomers, and worked in the studio with Steve Marker (Garbage) and the legendary Butch Vig. He migrated to New York in 1991, moving into music composition for TV and movies as well as video editing. He calls his premiere solo work “A true album experience from start to finish,” mixing rock, blues, folk, country and soul. Growing up in the conservative Midwest, Hervey was first influenced by church hymns alongside the ‘70s rock he was hearing on the radio. His artistic forebears include Tom Waits, Joe Strummer, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Bill Withers and even Prince. Most recording for these songs took place in Hervey’s apartment using Logic Pro on his iMac, with Hervey singing and playing guitars, bass, keyboards and Logic drums. Hervey’s guest drummers were recorded in both a kitchen and a basement in Brooklyn. Hervey mastered the album himself using iZotope Ozone 9 with Hervey's friend Leo Sidran (a Grammy and Oscar winning producer) acting as a consultant on the final mixes. “Make It Last” is a song dedicated to a partner that has “nothing to do with what’s past, and not about tomorrow” but instead about making the present moment last as long as possible. Hervey establishes his sound as primarily roomy acoustic guitars. He’s got an earnest, slightly hoarse but friendly singing voice, while adding overdubbed harmonies and whistling. The overall sound, especially with headphones, is both live-room intimate and studio-slick. The keyboards are spare and almost subliminal, though what I at first thought was a synth turns out to be Biff Moyer’s violin (a neat trick!). “A Brief History” features guest drummer Josh Berger and is harder rocking but still acoustic-based, with a similar vocal scheme to track one. The chorus chants of “Love will carry me on” is a timely reminder of the late David Crosby from the Crosby-Nash song “Carry Me.” Hervey’s brief history is very similar to mine, it turns out: A WW2 Father, Vietnam, Let It Be and the Dukes of Hazzard. It ends appropriately with the words: “Love is all you need.” “Your Sweet Lies” has drummer David Berger (related to Josh? Probably!) and has an upbeat Americana swagger with backing vocals that do indeed conjure Prince at his most flamboyant. I also like the chunky driving acoustic guitars and the killer electric guitar breaks. After three fairly upbeat tracks, “Forgotten Days” slows way down for a gentle, folky tribute to a lost (but deeply felt) soul where Hervey is joined by Laura Brown (recording in Santiago, Chile) on lovely backing vocals. “Straight Line” quickly changes things up with a squonky electric guitar riff that leads into a minor key clap-and-hum-along song, where the fuzz chords reinforce the raw sexual needs revealed within. Jimmy Najjar takes a wailing but short guest guitar solo. Next up is “Fragile,” a Sting cover that does not appear on the Bandcamp page. Biff Moyer again leads the way with his distinctive violin runs, backed by Hervey’s acoustics and David Berger’s drums. I don’t know this tune, but encountering it for the first time I can definitely hear Sting within, while still fitting nicely with Hervey’s own songs. There’s a great middle section where the acoustic instruments have a kind of romping playdate with the violin. “Don’t Pass Me By” is not a cover of Ringo’s tune, but is instead a yearning country-ish love song again graced by Moyer’s violin and the final drum contribution from Josh Berger. Shimmering mandolin is courtesy of guest Jamie Stams. “It Will Come” is a quick left turn into bubble popping, finger snapping funk. Laura Brown adds insinuating background coos while David Berger provides the solid bottom in his last appearance. This is a slinky, sideways jam that provides great contrast to the other tracks. “By My Side” is a synth-and vocal-drenched ode to romantic hopes and dreams, adding an almost spiritual feel to the collection. An accordion-like patch gives the song an Italian flavor as well. “Rainbow” seems to feature a call-and-response between Hervey and his child (uncredited, so I’m guessing), with a rocking Zappa-like chorus. Even discounting the device of using a kid’s voice as a vocal, this is one of the most fun songs. “Dennis Quaid” is an Irish traditional-style tune (thanks again, Biff Moyer on violin) in which Hervey calls out an absent Dennis Quaid much like Bowie and others begged Bob Dylan to come back during his long absence. Andy Olson adds to the pub-like background voices while Graham Willoughby plays the part of “Fact Checker.” “The Benediction” appropriately ends the show with a kind of secular blessing, where Love is said to be the best religion of all. Hervey stylistically comes full circle, with mostly acoustic guitars and stacked backing vocals, including guest Vicky Finney. Hervey has absolutely succeeded in his quest to make a collection of songs within a wide array of genres while still hanging together as a cohesive whole. Even better, the songs are great. Check him out!
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