It wasn’t too long ago when Stephen King declared that Marah “is probably the best rock band in America that nobody knows†after their 2005 record “If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry.†The band has seen changes in their lineup and sound since that comment was made and “Life is a Problem” reflects that. Serge Bielanko has since left and both the guitar and songwriting yang of Marah is long gone. In its place is Christine Smith’s inspired piano playing. Dave Bielanko’s songs still certainly push boundaries but the new band seems more comfortable in a singer/songwriter friendly lounge or house-party than a rock club.
That’s not to diminish the band’s new direction even slightly. “Life is a Problem†comes across as a transition album. The clear highlights come in the acoustic songs that sound like Marah’s new-found live act. Although I rarely like full-song vocal duets, “Within the Spirit Sagging†marks the most natural sound on this record. Dave and Christine sing together with dovetailing harmonies and the song has a buildup from an acoustic duet into a rousing bass guitar romp. It’s a track that seems to transition between the previous records into something new.
As in previous albums, the rock tracks have a light-hearted feel to them. The percussion on “Valley Farm Song†and “Put ‘Em in the Graveyard†sound like a studio concoction (not like the live sounding rougher-on-the-edges beauty of previous albums). The songs are well-crafted and sound like they’d rock with the best on previous records. But these songs only make up half of the album.
Songs like “Highwater†and “ . . . (Keep Going)†signal a bit of a new stylistic direction. Dave pulls out the banjo and plays it with a three-finger style (on “Highwaterâ€) and sings almost solo on “Keep Going.†Those two tunes and “Tramp Art†have a slower dirge-like feel. Each one has a slow build. They each seem like they’re getting there, moving somewhere new- somewhere totally different than the old band.
I love the band and I love the banjo. This album is somewhere in between. It feels like a breakup record with themselves. The old Marah and the new Marah have a very different feel but the new one has a direction on this record. This shows the proof: Marah has been to rock bottom and they are on the way out.
Photos by Suzanne Davis
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.