Joe Marson
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Overall sound: Alternative Rock with country and blues inspirations.
sounds like: Ben Harper and Jimi Hendrix, can you do that? yes you can!
Goddmnit Julia:
The first song, and probably the track with the widest footprint at radio is Goddamnit Julia . It starts out with a soulful acoustic guitar backed up by a faint drumbeat. With musical inspiration taken from soulful blues-rock, Goddamnit Julia takes listeners inside Marson’s mind as he reflects on actions he wishes he took with his love interest, Julia. As the song progresses, the acoustics and drumbeat become stronger as Marson explores a wide vocal range to express his frustration. Towards the end, emotions take over as “Goddamnit Julia/ I should have kissed you” is sung with rugged frustration, as if holding back tears.
Levon (Leave The Band):
The second track, Levon (Leave The Band) shows Marson in a new, hopeful light. Paired together, a slow paced electric guitar and drumbeat introduce this country based tune as Marson sings about finding hope in music. Ending in true country fashion, powerful “hums” and “Ohs” are sung repeatedly until all comes to a close.
No One:
Originally performed by Alicia Keys, this fourth track takes a funky raaga twist to the r&b tune. Beginning with just a soulful voice, drums, guitars, and bass’ come in as the tempo picks up speed, complimenting his tone of voice and initiating this funky raaga cover.
Post Cards From Siren City:
The fifth track, Post Cards From Siren City, begins with a loud drum and soft electric guitar. As the song progresses, all instruments take a backseat to the prominent drum beat that gives this song its mysterious feel. Throughout Post Cards From Siren City, Marson sings about how has been searching for answers and is tired of looking in this dead end town. As his vocal range stays the same throughout, towards the end “I’ve searched the world” is sung loudly, and prolonged to show his willingness and frustration.
Float With It:
The last track, Float With It, is the most rock inspired track out of all the previous. And perhaps my second favorite ! With loud, edgy, electric guitars and a powerful drumbeat Float With It gives listeners a prime example of what true rock and roll music sounds like. As Marson sings quickly and aggressively all instruments are played loudly, as if competing with each other. However, the guitar shredding and drum beating compliment not only each other but also, Marson’s edgy tone.
My Suggested Tracks:
Float With It
Goddamnit Julia
- Tinderbox Music
Overall sound: Alternative Rock with country and blues inspirations.
sounds like: Ben Harper and Jimi Hendrix, can you do that? yes you can!
Goddmnit Julia:
The first song, and probably the track with the widest footprint at radio is Goddamnit Julia . It starts out with a soulful acoustic guitar backed up by a faint drumbeat. With musical inspiration taken from soulful blues-rock, Goddamnit Julia takes listeners inside Marson’s mind as he reflects on actions he wishes he took with his love interest, Julia. As the song progresses, the acoustics and drumbeat become stronger as Marson explores a wide vocal range to express his frustration. Towards the end, emotions take over as “Goddamnit Julia/ I should have kissed you” is sung with rugged frustration, as if holding back tears.
Levon (Leave The Band):
The second track, Levon (Leave The Band) shows Marson in a new, hopeful light. Paired together, a slow paced electric guitar and drumbeat introduce this country based tune as Marson sings about finding hope in music. Ending in true country fashion, powerful “hums” and “Ohs” are sung repeatedly until all comes to a close.
No One:
Originally performed by Alicia Keys, this fourth track takes a funky raaga twist to the r&b tune. Beginning with just a soulful voice, drums, guitars, and bass’ come in as the tempo picks up speed, complimenting his tone of voice and initiating this funky raaga cover.
Post Cards From Siren City:
The fifth track, Post Cards From Siren City, begins with a loud drum and soft electric guitar. As the song progresses, all instruments take a backseat to the prominent drum beat that gives this song its mysterious feel. Throughout Post Cards From Siren City, Marson sings about how has been searching for answers and is tired of looking in this dead end town. As his vocal range stays the same throughout, towards the end “I’ve searched the world” is sung loudly, and prolonged to show his willingness and frustration.
Float With It:
The last track, Float With It, is the most rock inspired track out of all the previous. And perhaps my second favorite ! With loud, edgy, electric guitars and a powerful drumbeat Float With It gives listeners a prime example of what true rock and roll music sounds like. As Marson sings quickly and aggressively all instruments are played loudly, as if competing with each other. However, the guitar shredding and drum beating compliment not only each other but also, Marson’s edgy tone.
My Suggested Tracks:
Float With It
Goddamnit Julia
- Tinderbox Music
"He takes an amazing range of influences with the stuff that he does. He's got an amazing voice and I think you'll love his songs as well."
Matt Pinfield, host of 120 minutes, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member - RXP
San Diego-based singer/songwriter Joe Marson has made both the geographic and musical rounds to broaden his horizons and perfect his craft. Oregon, Boston, New York and Arizona are on his past itinerary, as are hip-hop, jazz, folk, bluegrass and gospel. Back home, Marson has settled fully into an Americana sound that draws strength from all the influences Marson has immersed himself in. Marson recently released his debut album, Joe Marson.
Marson opens with "Postcards From Siren City"; an interesting exploration of running away from home. The song is well-written and enjoyable. Marson is a bit off the beaten track here, and the diversion is welcome. "Mindf#ckedd" is a bluesy rock number that finds Marson singing with the attitude and sound of a young Billy Joel. It's an entertaining but dark tune you're likely to hit replay on several times over. "What I'm Sayin'" is a highly entertaining blues-based tune in pure singer/songwriter pastiche. Marson scores points with his cover of Cat Stevens' "Trouble"; a pensive performance that will appeal to fans of Stevens while putting his own stamp on it. "White Boy Blues" sounds like it may have been recovered live in-studio in one take. It's just Marson and his guitar and works very well, showing off Marson's voice in excellent light. Marson closes with a cover of Alicia Keys' "No One", a mildly soul rendition done with a reggae beat. It's a solid tune, and Marson does it justice.
Joe Marson has talent. His is a voice people will pay to listen to and he's more than just competent with a guitar in his hand. Marson shows flashes of real songwriting ability on his self-titled debut. There are rough spots along the way, but more often than not Marson comes out ahead. The occasional vocal similarities to Billy Joel and the Hendrix-style riffs that Marson sprinkles throughout his songs may make it easier for Marson to transition to an older demographic of fans as well. As a whole, Joe Marson is a solid effort.
- Wildy's World
San Diego-based singer/songwriter Joe Marson has made both the geographic and musical rounds to broaden his horizons and perfect his craft. Oregon, Boston, New York and Arizona are on his past itinerary, as are hip-hop, jazz, folk, bluegrass and gospel. Back home, Marson has settled fully into an Americana sound that draws strength from all the influences Marson has immersed himself in. Marson recently released his debut album, Joe Marson.
Marson opens with "Postcards From Siren City"; an interesting exploration of running away from home. The song is well-written and enjoyable. Marson is a bit off the beaten track here, and the diversion is welcome. "Mindf#ckedd" is a bluesy rock number that finds Marson singing with the attitude and sound of a young Billy Joel. It's an entertaining but dark tune you're likely to hit replay on several times over. "What I'm Sayin'" is a highly entertaining blues-based tune in pure singer/songwriter pastiche. Marson scores points with his cover of Cat Stevens' "Trouble"; a pensive performance that will appeal to fans of Stevens while putting his own stamp on it. "White Boy Blues" sounds like it may have been recovered live in-studio in one take. It's just Marson and his guitar and works very well, showing off Marson's voice in excellent light. Marson closes with a cover of Alicia Keys' "No One", a mildly soul rendition done with a reggae beat. It's a solid tune, and Marson does it justice.
Joe Marson has talent. His is a voice people will pay to listen to and he's more than just competent with a guitar in his hand. Marson shows flashes of real songwriting ability on his self-titled debut. There are rough spots along the way, but more often than not Marson comes out ahead. The occasional vocal similarities to Billy Joel and the Hendrix-style riffs that Marson sprinkles throughout his songs may make it easier for Marson to transition to an older demographic of fans as well. As a whole, Joe Marson is a solid effort.
- Wildy's World
Discography
Joe Marson EP
Faking Genius
Post Cards From Siren City
Someday Soon EP
Photos
Bio
BIO:
Putting the perfect stamp on his colorful and infectious Post Cards From Siren City—the name of his eclectic full length debut album—Joe Marson came up with an unforgettable formula to convey his wide range of style and influences.
Step 1: Blend key ingredients on high: the art of Red Hot Chili Peppers, the grace of Jeff Buckley, the soul of Ben Harper and the craft of Jimi Hendrix. Step 2 urges listeners to notice how the mixture takes the form of a unique, soulful singer/songwriter. Step 3 is obvious to anyone in his growing fan base who has seen him perform on his recent East Coast and West Coast tours: Serve at high volume. Combining clever turns of phrase and hard earned wisdom with crisp melodies and lyrical guitar playing, the multi-talented 26 year old New York based performer spins a colorful tale about his solo musical journey.
As he tells it, this was a time of rich exploration which found him playing hip hop in Oregon, jazz with Berklee students in Boston (aka “Siren City”), folk songs in his hometown of San Diego and blue grass and gospel in Arizona before splitting his time between the charming weirdness of Austin and the multi-cultural boroughs of New York City, where he’s headlined at Arlene’s Grocery and The Bitter End, among other hotspots. The narrative prior to that begins pretty innocently, with Marson walking into a music store at age 13 and asking someone nearby to help him learn the chords to “Under the Bridge.” He got the bug, started a rock band in high school (Faking Genius) and harbored the usual dreams of becoming a professional artist and musician.
Behind the “lite version” of Marson’s journey to becoming a powerful up and coming singer-songwriter is an intensely dark six year period—from ages 17 to 23—where he was diagnosed with treatment resistant depression (TRD), a term used in clinical psychiatry to describe cases of major depressive disorder that do not respond to adequate course of at least five anti-depressants. Joe went through thirty.
Marson was living with his aunt and uncle in Tucson, thinking methodically about ways to end his life, when he finally—and miraculously, though he uses the term more scientifically than spiritually—stumbled upon a medication that worked for him. Within a year, he went from living in a veritable stupor (which included six hours a day staring at the TV) to moving back to San Diego and launching his long delayed music career. Prior to that, he was always running and always seeking a cure—a process he chronicles in songs like the title track “Post Cards From Siren City,” about his abruptly quitting the University of Oregon and heading to Boston in hopes of fixing himself.
“I’ll never forget the moment when I knew that something was finally working,” Marson says. “I was driving in the desert near Tucson, and all of a sudden I was looking at the horizon and all these thoughts and ideas about starting a new band and playing music again starting bubbling up inside me. I felt this inner warmth that I hadn't felt in a long time.” Marson captures a sense of this musical salvation in the heartfelt song “Levon (Leave The Band),” whose title was inspired by The Band’s legendary drummer Levon Helm: “Lost, hell, I’ve been lost, but I found the lighthouse/No not the cross, and/Love, well I’ve been loved/The warm embrace of music/has felt like heaven up above.”
Other songs which capture some of the emotions he felt during this time are “Requiem for the Space Invader” (whose title is a pun on the alienation Marson felt from the world during his years in darkness) and “Goddamit Julia,” a lively acoustic tune (and the album’s first single) painting a romanticized version of a relationship he had during his time in Boston.
After spending some time back in his hometown of San Diego, Marson moved to Austin to figure out his musical direction and played a lot of bars before realizing that, contrary to popular belief, the opportunities for original independent artists were limited. Realizing a change of scenery and venues would help propel his career forward, he moved up to Brooklyn late in 2011 and is now thriving like never before.
In addition to several high profile gigs in NYC, he has in recent months booked his own successful tours on the East Coast (playing everywhere from New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington DC, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) and out West, where a recent jaunt took him to the legendary Lestat’s in San Diego before heading towards Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
“When I perform live, I have the opportunity to experience my songs in a different way from when I wrote them because of the way I see them communicate with and touching people,” Marson says. “It’s easy to get distracted with the logistics of building a career and practicing music, and forget the simple impact a song can have and the synergy it can create with the audience."www.JoeMarson.com
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