So, I pop in this four-song EP by Mark DeRose and band, a follow-up to his excellent full-length CD “tales from the Sandcastle Kingdom.” I’m listening to the first song—“Breathing Life”—and I’m thinking to myself, “Good tune,” but then about 50 seconds in the chorus hits and, WOW! Suddenly the record lifts into another gear and the rest of the CD lives up to that first chorus. The only problem I can find with it is that when it was over, I wanted more.

On “…Sandcastle Kingdom” DeRose demonstrated his stylistic versatility, but this EP is much more unified sonically, which may have to do with the band: Jason Baab, Dan Brenner and Ben Eberts (who sound excellent, by the way!). What the two CDs have in common is the consistently high quality of the songwriting and the expressiveness of Mark’s vocals. The sound reminds me of the first Gin Blossoms CD (but more lyrically upbeat) or maybe Counting Crows (but with better songwriting).

If you are looking for a great CD to listen to in your convertible with the top down, you’ve found it! And, if you’re like me, you’ll probably let the whole thing repeat two or three times before you are done.

Hear to Listen—Mark DeRose Band (2009)

This is the first full-length release from the Mark DeRose Band, following their self-titled EP. Although I’m not usually big on live records, the EP left me wanting to hear more from this group and they do not disappoint.  Kicking off with what might be my favorite Mark DeRose tune, “4 and 5,” the band puts their stamp on material every era of DeRose’s recording career. In addition to three of the four songs from the EP, they play material from his solo debut “tales from the Sandcastle Kingdom,” and even from his stint as a member of Ernest Goodlife Band. There is also a song I hadn’t heard before—“All It Ever Takes.” The members of the band (Mark DeRose, Jay Baab, Ben Eberts and Dan Brenner) takes the material and mold it into a unified whole that sounds as if the songs had been written especially to play with this group of guys. Even the lone cover, Mark Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis,” fits right into the mix of DeRose’s fine originals.  The guest musicians featured in this performance play very well throughout—especially on the tunes where Mike Washkevich takes over the drums, allowing Dan Brenner to play percussion. However, my only complaint is that the saxophone seemed like an uneasy fit. This is no disparagement on the player, who is obviously able and talented. But it just felt out of place in the overall sound and groove that the band creates here. This is just my opinion and others could legitimately disagree with me on this point.  Overall, listening to this CD left me feeling happy and content. I’m looking forward to hearing a full-length studio CD of new songs from this talented songwriter and his excellent band.~BR