Former Beastie Boy collaborator, Money Mark, offers sentimental pop with musical depth and clever lyrics.
Songs about breakups, loneliness and broken hearts do not feature too prominently in rap music, nor do acoustic guitars and harmonicas feature in the typical alternatives. Brand New By Tomorrow, released by Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, has Money Mark lamenting lost love over warm and tender instrumentals. But, while others may turn this combination into moody blend, Mark manages to find humor and an upbeat spirit.
The album opens with "Color of Blue," a song that turns the despair of a perished relationship into unavoidable life experience. There's pain, but also a bright future ahead. Even in a song called "Everyday I Die A Little," Money Mark finds balance in sadness and potential. This duality characterizes the remaining 10 tracks of the album, culminating with the title track, an acoustic number that simply reminds that a broken heart can easily be repaired.
Brand New By Tomorrow may find Money Mark straying from his typically funky and experimental sound, but does so with a wonderfully pleasing result. A surprising twist on melancholy subject matter, the album is a wonderful listen and a great reminder that music can capture the often confusing nature of life's relational ups and downs.
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