Maybe all you need to know about Marina Rocks is that when she turned 12 her mom gave her a Marshall stack instead of clothes or toys. Add to that she was brought up in Austin and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out she was going to be a musician. That passion she developed for music early in life is readily apparent in her latest album, Austin To Houston.
The CD starts out with Joy Ride. It has kind of a world music beat lending a happy feel to a belief that we’re all better off, especially with man’s best friend along, if we just hop in the car occasionally for a joy ride. Cray, Cray has more of an indie rock sound in a number about the state of affairs in the world, and how when even “crazy’s gone crazy, that’s how you know something’s wrong.” Marina does a nice cover of Townes Van Zandt’s Nothin‘, with her guitar work amplifying the feelings of loneliness and solitude.
One of the most compelling songs on the record is Shine. It features the legendary Lloyd Maines on pedal steel giving a little twang to a rock and roll tune about a poor little rich girl who doesn’t appreciate her talents. And in a commentary to all of us Marina notes “we’re all rich if we just look within.” She recently returned from a European tour where she captured a lot of travelogue footage that she turned into a video for the song. We pleased to premiere that video of Shine here. Enjoy!
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.