Mark Holley - Before The Dawn

Hear The Track Here

Out of the myriad of Mark's over at MP3 Unsigned I seem to have agthered the acquaintance of a couple, one of which is the Mark Holley we have before us right now. 2006 was peppered with fine tracks from this artist gaining him a string of recommended's from yours truly, even though - being honest - I haven't heard anything from this artist yet that really set me alight. Mind you, there's always time for that, and when dealing with a musician like Mark Holley it really is only a question of time. If I had to choose right now which of his works I preferred, I'd go for his collabs with another Mark - Mark Alexander.

And then there is Before The Dawn. Although if you read what's going on with this track it sounds somewhat as if it were a 'work in progress' but there is no way it's gonna sound like that. Mark talks about adding things to it but after all THIS is the basis of anything, if this track doesn't work then nothing on top will either. That's the beauty of listening to something from an artist who knows what he's doing because Before The Dawn is a very listenable (and complex) track that works perfectly well on its own, thank you very much. That's got a great deal to do with Mark Holley's production nous which is on great form on this clear-as-a-bell track.

As I grew into the track the central guitar figure started to play more and more in my mind; it is after all the backbone of the track. It's amazing though the different directions Mark takes the track in, with musical references from Jethro Tull(?) through to Bruce Springsteen rearing their heads. There's a musical intelligence about the track that marks it out - at least for me - as being of special character. Yes, I would be helped with a great vocal on it, but hey if the tune beneath the warbling isn't fit for purpose, nothing is going to save it. Before The Dawn needs no such assistance; it's a very competent, entertaining instrumental with a lot to say for itself - as it stands right now.

Recommended Rock instrumental.