Mark DeCerbo & Four Eyes

August 2005
Talk about a long time releasing the followup to your debut!  How about 14 years!   But the best news of all about Mark's jangly, hook-filled, Zip debut is that it's as chock full of Beatles/Crowded House/Squeeze-isms (as in McCartney/Neil Finn/Tilbrook) as his stellar debut!  His excellent, out-of-print, 1991 Bizarre/Straight Records' "Baby's Not In The Mood" is well worth seeking out (we do get used copies in from time to time) - you won't be disappointed!  All we can say is welcome back Mark!  Please don't make us wait as long for your next release!   If you're a fan of the aforementioned greats you're gonna love this!   GREAT!!!!
- KOOL KAT MUSIC KATALOG

August 2005
Mark De Cerbo has been around the San Diego music scene for decades. He's got a story to tell and there's going to be a compilation here soon from Wizzard In Vinyl that will tell the story of Four Eye's skinny tie power pop days of the late 70's/early 80's. But "Sweet On The Vine" is new material from De Cerbo and band and it's, thankfully, not a lot different than what the older material sounds like. This is classic, pitch perfect power pop, the kind that we love, goes down smooth with a smile and points us to want to share with others. It's not just that the music is bright and catchy, the sound of a top pop tunesmith working at full strength; it's that the songs themselves are often lark. "He has been described as being part of that elite fraternity of popmeisters whose ranks include Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard, Eric Carmen, Nick Lowe and Glenn Tilbrook. They dont just write songs, they craft them; they mold them into neat little packages that find their way into your ear and take up permanent residence. San Diego Magazine. Yes, indeed, there`s plenty of Squeeze here(more Glen than Chris) and the writer is on the right path but you can add lots of Michael Penn, too. Also, he reminds us of Idle Jets/Pat Buchanan in that these are sophisticated, carefully crafted, extremely well produced songs that have had a lot of thought put into them to yield the delights here. There's an intimate feel to all this gorgeous material and it's never in a rush to get to that catchy chorus. This one that will reward and grow extreme pleasure, rest assured. Big Time Extremely Highly Recommended!
- NOT LAME RECORDING COMPANY

ICE MAGAZINE
www.icemagazine.com
ICE #220 July
thursday july 28, 2005

Greetings!

As you may have noticed, we here at ICE occasionally like to turn the spotlight away from the usual well-publicized fare and onto some interesting music that may have fallen through the industry’s cracks. Much deserving of this attention is San Diego-based artists Mark DeCerbo & Four Eyes. Their latest, Sweet on the Vine, ripens and drops into stores on August 9 courtesy of Zip Records, and offers listeners a lesson in finely-tuned, modern pop crafted with DIY appeal and wide-eyed, crystal-clear production.

While the Beatles are the first and most obvious touchstone, the DeCerbo-fronted band also references the sounds of such ultra-catchy acts as XTC, Squeeze and Soundtrack of Our Lives. The smart and sunny SoCal hooks of tunes like "Green Grass Girls" and "Artless, Heartless" combine lush vocal harmonies, intricately intertwined guitars and rock-solid rhythm section performances for a sound that leans toward classic rock but sparkles with a contemporary edge.

The enhanced CD’s 12 basic tracks are also bolstered by three bonus tunes: "Emily" and "Cool with Me," which were recorded with assistance from fellow artists Popgems, plus a live video performance of the non-album track "I Need to Have My Baby," as directed by David Peck.

The fruits of the Vine:
• "Neophyte in Flight"
• "Artless, Heartless"
• "Hollow Love"
• "Green Grass Girls"
• "Add Water"
• "Little Cloud"
• "Every Whisper from You"
• "Above It All"
• "Love Unclassified"
• "Breathe"
• "Goin’ Places"
• "Omissions"

Bonus tracks:
• "Emily"
• "Cool with Me"
• "I Need to Have My Baby" (live video)

 Join us tomorrow for more music news!
Greg Camphire
New Release Editor - ICE MAGAZINE

DeCerbo (who used to record for MCA and Bizarre/Straight) brings back some of the enjoyment of hearing Squeeze on the major airwaves 25 years ago instead of the usual mindless radio goo goo. At his best, as on "Neophyte In Flight," "Artless, Heartless" and "Goin' Places," the bespectacled singe/songwriter is like a neo-Difford & Tillbrook, with a touch of My Aim Is True Elvis Costello, turning out insistent, layered, strummy power-pop that still works so well. Some of the remaining songs are a little too mannered and streamlined, bringing the energy level down. But, those who still sing along with "Tempted" will be tempted by this material and line like "I ain't no Kissinger when I'm kissin' her/I am no diplomat and that is that/ Artless, heartless." (www.ziprecords.com) - Big Takeover #164

Mark DeCerbo
& Four Eyes
Sweet On The Vine
Zip Records
Longtime pop fans might recognize Mark DeCerbo’s name from his 1991 Rhino recording, Baby’s Not In The Mood, an elegant disc of tunes very reminiscent of late ‘80s Squeeze. On Sweet On The Vine, DeCerbo’s debut release on Zip Records,he joins forces with his longtime cohorts Four Eyes, combining the styles of both entities; earlier influences are still there, but with more bite. To be sure, “Every Whisper From You” and “Goin’ Places” pick up where Baby’s Not In The Mood left off, but others like “Neophyte In Flight,” “Little Cloud,” and “Omission” are definitely more rockin’. “Hollow Love” provides some rather eerie moments, while the country-tinged “Love Unclassified” might remind you of Paul McCartney’s forays into similar territory. The album also contains two bonus tracks, which may very well be remnants from early Four Eyes days; “Emily” is a nice Mersey-esque tune, and “Cool With Me” combines those Squeeze-isms with Lou Christie-styled vocal interplay. Sweet On The Vine proves that DeCerbo still has songwriting chops, which fans of the more tasteful side of pop should not be without. -DAVID BASH - November - December 2005