Search - Mark Islam :: The Recent Past

GOOD DEBUT -- MAYBE A LITTLE LESS TWANG NEXT TIME

A. Butterfield | 11/24/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am generally not a fan of either country or folk music. Yet, I like THE RECENT PAST, probably because it's neither. Its strength is Mark's astute songwriting. Like Carole King, he is a competent & engaging vocalist, although on some of the more boppy tracks, he sometimes sounds a little forced & strained, although not painfully so. Stand-outs are "Just One Paycheck Away" and "Beat-Up El Camino" and "Linda" for his intimate vocals as well as for his his masterful songwriting. "Get Used To It" is daringly confrontational and anthemic, with its driving rhythm track. This is not a straight-ahead country album (at least not in the mainstream sense), but he does at times get a little too twangy for my own personal tastes."

Solid songwriting

A. Butterfield | UK | 04/25/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's obvious from this album that Mark Islam is a very good songwriter. The songs on The Recent Past are real, grownup songs from a proper songwriter.I think Mark is more of a songwriter than a performer. His voice is not unappealing, but there's just something (which is hard to put my finger on) that leaves you with the feeling that while he's a good singer, he's not a great one. Perhaps it's the stage musical background that gives his voice a certain quality.Standout track for me is "Peace on Earth", a song that really works. "Get Used To It", Islam's uncompromising "gay anthem" is also satisfying and affirming. Pity, in a way, that this is the only identifiably "gay" song on the album. "El Camino" is pretty good too, in an Art Garfunkel kind of way.Musically, this album is fairly safe stuff: acoustic guitars and a competent backing band. I felt that it could have been more "characterful" though. In fact, my biggest criticism of the album is that it lacks that final degree of uniqueness that would make me give it 4 stars.But, it's an interesting taste of things to come. I look forward to the next album."