Search - Mark D :: The Silent Treatment

A strong first album

drumb | milwaukee, wi United States | 10/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The solo debut of famed bassist/producer Mark D. (Duetrom) finds him drawing strongly upon his former days of playing bass in the experimental sludge rock outfit The Melvins. Any Melvins fan will immediately pick up on the unmistakable dense riffage from Stoner Witch, weird pop from Stag, and Spacey Prog sounds from Honky that litter Mark D.'s solo record. The Silent Treatment is certainly not just a Melvins rip off however, using the sounds Mark Duetrom explored in the Melvins and taking them in a new direction, such as incorporating elements of modern heavy-melodic stoner rock to create a sound that fits snuggly between Queens of the Stone Age and Atomic Bitchwax. In fact, the relation of Kyuss to Queens of the Stone Age is a perfect parallel to Mark D.'s musical relationship to the Melvins, both bands obviously borrowed many of the same elements from their previous groups but used that as a base for exploration into their own respective musical territories. Perhaps the most important element of The Silent Treatment that is also always evident in Melvins work is that of constant diversity. Mark D. makes up for the somewhat empty sound created by most solo albums by using it to explore the many facets of his musical interests and capture the listener's interest again and again with ever-changing styles. Duetrom proves he can take on anything from the fuzz laden guitar sledgehammer of tracks like "Chihuahua" and "Van Diemen's Land" to the soft, enchantingly pretty "A Catastrophe" and "Your Necklace". He even throws in some indie pop on "Candlelight and Wisteria" and a song titled "Gateau D'Amour" that sounds like it's straight off of a Beatles album. Mark D.'s immense diversity is made even more amazing by the fact that every note on this album, with the exception of the drums, is played and sung by him, showing that he is much more than simply a bassist. Although in my opinion Mark D.'s solo work does not yet measure up to the music of his former band The Melvins, The Silent Treatment does create a very interesting and intriguing album that is definitely by all means a strong debut. A good choice to compliment any Melvins or Queens of the Stone Age collection, this album is well worth a few thoughtful listens. I'm looking forward to the release of his next solo album."