Wild Ride by Mark Carson

Reviews of Wild Ride

This is an interesting album containing a variety of musical stylings and some excellent vocal tracks. The first track, "Dangerous Game," features a big band sound via a brass section and some fine keyboard work. Not to mention the amazing crooning from Mark Carson would be a major oversite indeed. The up-tempo work on the following track, "Reaching For The Sun," will leave the listener wondering where they've heard this song before, but no need to search the memory banks because this is an original song. The pop nature of the melody just makes the song sound amicable. It has a lovely melody, the vocals are ace and it does have that familiar feel that makes it so charismatic.

"Make Me An Offer" may be one of the top reasons to pick up the album. If the search is for some great a cappella this tune will definitely fill the void. The song is done in a doo wop style with Mark Carson doing the high parts. Toward the end of the song the melody turns into a gospel?esque vocal jam session. The title track, "Wild Ride," has a country pop sound. The musicians do an excellent job of complimenting Mark Carson's vocals with very precise accentuations that give a full sound. The melody again has the familiarity that many will feel attracted to.

"Can't Hold On" is just too close to the Billy Joel sound for Mark Carson to deny an influence. The electric lead guitar solo by Greg Bosse is some of the hottest guitar work on the album and is well worth the attention. On "Jammed Tight," Mark Carson turns up the funk and puts in a nice display of soulful vocals. The guitar work on this tune is done by Ed Vigueira and runs a tight race for first place with Greg Bosse's previous work on the album. The top song displaying the true variety included on the album is, "Norman and His Mother." On this song Mark Carson turns a sharp corner into a world where Frank Zappa was a well known resident. To call it strange would be putting it mildly, to say unique would be close, but many will call it pure genius.

So if it's variety one yearns, then the "Wild Ride" is waiting for all to climb aboard. This is one ride that will elevate the audio senses time after time and never lose it's appeal.

---Larry Belanger, Downeast Record and CD Review

....good fun....(The Cd) starts out with a curveball--the torchy "Dangerous Game"--and then maneuvers expertly through the rest of the territory, mostly jazzy pop in the Todd Rundgren mold...Fortunately for us, he's good most of the time....

---Robert Fontenot Offbeat Magazine

....What I heard was a strong undertow of powerful

song writing and great vocals....On his CD, Carson belts out a couple of nice rock ballads, including "Dangerous Game," and "Wild Ride," the title track. He also adds a catchy vocal number, "Make Me An Offer," that surprises the listener with quirky styling and killer vocal harmonies....

---Gary Dauphine, Zyde.com

Mark Carson: Biography

Mark Carson has been involved in the New Orleans music scene for many years. He was lead singer and principle songwriter for the successful New Orleans-based pop group The Murmurs, who played regionally, released an album, won the Jazz Search Contest in New Orleans, and performed at the Jazz and Heritage Festival. He is the principle songwriter, lead singer and acoustic guitarist for his own acoustic-based pop/rock group the Mark Carson Band, and has performed solo at the Frank Brown International Songwriting Festival as well as New Orleans institutions Tipitina's and Carrolton Station.

He has also played with many outstanding writers and musicians, including sharing a stage with Edwin McCain at Carrolton Station, as well as developing a rewarding collaboration with Caffeine Music co-founder Jim McCormick. Mark has sung many styles, including pop, rock, funk, r&b, country, folk, and jazz, and that versatility is reflected in the original songs. Mark is presently writing material for a second album project entitled Running Out of Steam and plans to release a live CD within the next few months.

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