Marcus Eaton

MarcusEaton.com Profile Feel the Gravity, pull me towards you and you towards me, until we are one. If it weren't such a poignant lyric with undying truth, it would serve as the theme behind the magnetism of Marcus Eaton and his fans. For the last two years, a relentless touring schedule and amazing music have made Marcus Eaton a household name within the Pacific Northwest music scene. This notoriety has grown to an international level thanks to an open policy on taping and trading live shows.

Marcus, the son of a musician, is from the small town of Pocatello, Idaho. Here, his acute appreciation of nature and its inhabitants became an important part of the makeup that is Marcus Eaton. He learned to play guitar at 9 years old and at the age of 15 wrote his first complete song, entitled Carousel. From there the creative juices started to flow and he has written many albums worth of original material as of early 2005.

The band Marcus Eaton and The Lobby formed in 1997. Their first real success came in 2002 when Unihibited Records (MCA/Univeral) singed ME&L to their first recording contract. Shortly after, they released The Day the World Awoke to regional and national acclaim. Songs such as Back From The Beginning, Top of the World, Blue and Grey, and Gravity where instantly embraced the bands anxiosly awaiting audience. The Latin flavored God's Favor, with its classical intro and intricate six-eight rhythm, has gained solid appreication on XM Satellite Radio where it is in constant roation.

It was not until fans heard the song Fiona, however, that the name Marcus Eaton was placed in the company of artists who have reached the pinnacle of songwriting. Fiona, which highlights the talents of his guitar virtuoso, is centered around a man
and his crush for a woman that seems unattainable. The story takes a quick turn towards the end of the listener is taken to a place where love transpires and conquers all. This song features a style of guitar playing known as finger tapping and is a consistent fan favorite at shows.

Marcus Eaton is one of those rare talents that graces us with an unashamed view of the world from his eyes. Love, life, and humility are topics of interest for all his listeners, and Marcus takes these qualities to another level with his wearing-his-emotions-on-his-sleeve style of songwriting. A voice is essential in communicating the message of a song, and Marcus has not missed a beat with his free range of vocal bliss that makes each listener shiver with excitement at what is yet to come.

Currently, Marcus Eaton can be found in his hometown of Boise, Idaho, perfecting the skills which brought him to this stage in his career. He is charting his own bright path for his future in music and leaving the door wide open for those wish to follow. His life, words and songs will ignite the masses of the world though a connecting spirit and intoxicating breath. Gravity is this connection. It is the gravity that pulls me towards you and you towards me, until we are one.

Article about Marcus' new studio solo album, Story of Now
Marcus Eaton is ambitious in a way musicians ought to be.

He spent 40 days laying down tracks at The Tonic Room in Boise. Drummers flew in from out of state. A Vocals coach coaxed his singing to new heights. Eaton experimented with exotic insturments. Eventually, a Grammy-nominated engineer mastered the songs.

The gorgeous-sounding result, which Eaton is pre-selling at his Web site prior to a larger distribution, solidifes this 26-year-old as a singer, songwriter and guitarist to be reckoned with on a national scale.

Eaton's third album begs for high-end speakers. Or at least $100 headphones. Intricate acoustic guitar melodies, hip-pocket bass and subtle percussion enrich the sonics. Waves of electric guitar balance the strum of the cathartic opening track "Candle To The Sun." Sitar blossoms on multiple songs, lushly permeating the textured love ballad "Four Seasons Turn To Rain."

Backed by crack musicians including Garrett Sayers (bass, The Motet), Derico Watson (drums, Victor Wooten Band) and Kyle Aho (piano). Eaton blissfully annihilates anything he did with his former band, The Lobby. This music will appeal to fans of Dave Matthews, Howie Day or John Mayer. But compared with those musicians, Eaton is unapologetically challenging. Most songs are five minutes or longer. Bone-snapping time signatures are the norm; verses of Latin-influenced "Burn It Down" are performed in 13/8.

There is no obvious, lightweight radio single. Yet "Disposable" is anything but: It's a Police-like rocker with a chorus that lingers and lyrics that cut. (Throw your words around as if they were weapons/Look out, one of them may ricochet!" Eaton vents with a silky snarl.) Comparing Eaton to Sting may seem like a stretch. But, Eaton possesses a similarly smooth, open-armed quality. He transforms math-rock into approachable adult pop.

"Standing Still" glides like Seal's transcendent moments. It displays Eaton's multiple guitar personalities, as well as his vocal development. An increasingly commanding singer, Eaton showcases a soulful falsetto on the love-addidcted funk track "Drug." Romance and relationships are common themes, but Eaton also tackles politics: "With a leader who cannot lead/Take control of yourselves/That's when you'll succeed," he sings on the title track, which dissipates into a psychedelic guitar coda.

Eaton's intensity can become exhausting. Dude is heavy. By the time you reach the seven-minute finale, "End This War," you're craving a bit of pop fluff to rest your head on. But realize that "Story of Now" is a subplot in Eaton's career...an early subplot. With a self-produced gem like this to build upon, future Eaton chapters could border on master works.