The Watermarks

"The Watermarks have mastered the art of the well written, hook laden hit song."
David Sadof - KLOL, KTBZ, KFNC - KLOL, KTBZ, KFNC

"One of the best bands in town is the Watermarks, a group that does big, lush, layered pop, but without the usual perkiness that often accompanies big, lush, layered pop. There's a dark, electronic undercurrent..." - Houston Chronicle

"The Watermarks are tailor-made to outfit any party with their blend of unadulterated vigor, scorching six-strings, grooving basslines, and thumping beats. Their cover of Prince’s “When You Were Mine” is sure to be hit with audiences. The Watermarks could easily charm crowds at rock shows as well. Tracks like “I Used To Be Your Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Shut Down” are as noisy as they are glistening, and balance the synth output perfectly with fuzzy and distorted guitars." - Austinist

"sounds like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's chocolate got in LCD Soundsystem's peanut butter" - Houston Press

"The Watermarks are now elected to fill the void inexcusably left by New Order, Killing Joke and Jesus And Mary Chain. The EP or rather a virtual mini album..Thoughts Like Bombs..will stir the most ardent Indie lover. The Watermarks have unearthed Alternative Rock you can dance to." - mojophenia.com

"Heavy synths layer the songs, which though catchy at times also veer toward the same dark rawness of Joy Division/New Order. Don’t mistake my comparisons for imitations though, as The Watermarks have an original spirit of their own." - Big Diction Austin

“I love your music...” - Producer/mixer, She Wants Revenge, Beck, BRMC, Duran Duran

"There's also a 'wall of sound' production approach with heavily distorted guitars. All very good. We love the song... " - Computer Music Magazine

"Find yourself stumbling upon a masterpiece that drives you to shake everyone you know until they wake up and see what they're missing...The Watermarks are definitely a band to be watched" - undercontrol.org.uk

When the new millennium arrived, like almost everything else, music advanced some. A few went above and beyond, others tread warmer waters. But there were those that went all Jackson Pollock on sound, bleeding influences from countless genres into one concoction of unique audio. Houston’s own The Watermarks are one of those bands.

With their new EP, Thoughts Like Bombs, which is currently circulating around cyberspace for free, the sounds and title match perfectly. The band literally sounds like a cascade of artillery. In the first 30 seconds of the opener, “Fast Song”, the music’s intensity feels like a catastrophic explosion. The chaotic drums and distorted guitars increase your heart rate and when the vocals chime in, you know you are being sucked into a musical warzone. It’s the kind of music that sparks your imagination and places you in some sort of thriller or intense chase scene. If this hits the right hands, the boys should expect a call from Tony Scott.

The EP continues to weave through influences. At the midpoint is the happy-go-lucky “Only Rains on You”. Here’s a song that proves the band has enough pop sensibilities to write fun and catchy tunes that are easy to enjoy. Then there’s the last track, a punk/pop/electro crossbreed from the great beyond entitled, “No Answer”. This closer delivers a melodic punch, full of sincerity and longing, creating a truly nostalgic ending to the EP.

The Watermarks are successfully able to maintain a sound that combines elements from post-punk, hard techno, and new wave, all resulting in what sounds like one of Tony Wilson’s Factory bands on steroids. It’s working, too. Already the band’s seen some glory days, picking up shows at the House of Blues or Houston’s Free Press Summer Festival and seeing their song, “I Used To Be Your Rock and Roll”, on MTV’s Styl’d.

At the end of the day, however, they’re just a few smart folks who want to rock and make their mark in the music industry, no matter what scale it may be. Vocalist and guitarist Cesar Inserny says it best: “We’re just a group of friends making songs we like. Passion is the glue that holds us together.” And really, that’s what it’s all about, people. - consequenceofsound.net