Hopefully you’ve all caught a glimpse of Chicago’s own Evasive Backflip by now, if not from one of our “Midwest Action Presents” shows than hopefully from one of their many other gigs around town. Their brand of erratic, high-energy rock is damn refreshing and a rare treat live.
Bassist/Guitarist/Vocalist Marcus Drake is sharing his first solo endeavor with us today and we’re extremely excited to premiere it!
The aptly titled opening track “Beginning of the End” is a driving funk tune that almost sounds like it should be on a lost Zappa album. The song takes you on an overtly sexual ride that breaks down the act of copulation into short lyrical bursts. “Filling up / Pouring out / Slipping in / Sliding out / Hold it in / Figure 8 / Just the tip / Just relate / I am lost / In the depths of your sea”.
“Primate Fails The Space Mission” is a more light-hearted affair filled with high-pitched vocal harmonies and floaty guitars that eventually build to an upbeat climax filled with xylophone and erratic guitar work.
The album rides this chill vibe for another tune entitled “Selachimorpha, Take Me Under”. A quick something search will tell you that Selachimorpha is the scientific name for a shark. The song holds true to it’s oceanic title and paints an image of being lost at sea but not phased by the gravity of the situation. “Fear means not a thing / When your ship is sinking low / You know the body’s through / The brain is sure to follow”
Things get weirder with the minute long burst of energy that is “My Wife Is Going To Kill You”. The dramatic organs and angular guitar work mirror the apparent danger of the story that is unfolding.
“Forever Snared” serves as a nice interlude midway through the album. The ethereal vocals don’t really make up any distinguishable words but combined with some quiet synth lines they create a dreamy soundscape that’s easy to get lost in.
The minimalist sound of “Newsie Blues Pt. 2” helps balance out some of the albums more erratic moments. Simple guitar and bass lines are backed by a slow but steady drum beat as the story of a down-on-his-luck paper boy unfolds.
“Losing The Point” is a little more what I’m used to hearing from Jamarcus. The bright, catchy guitars and what sounds like a banjo solo directly juxtaposes the lyrics. “Praying in the backseat of this rotten car / 4 days left alone inside my empty mind / They’re blowing themselves”. Things get a bit more tense towards the end as the drums and guitars speed up and become more unnerving.
The title track frames the album out nicely. It’s stylistically very similar to the opening track and builds to a crazy progressive synth and drum jam that eventually devolves yet again into a quiet piano outro.
These 8 tracks span a wide range of genres, from Funk to Pop & Jazz influences and just about everything in between. Just as Evasive Backflip’s deep catalog of influences makes them a unique group, this album succeeds in being diverse but still maintains a sense of cohesion. It’s short and sweet, and both a great addition to the extended Evasive Backflip catalog and an incredible introduction to the solo work of Jamarcus.
The album is available from Grandpa Bay Recordings and is streaming via bandcamp. A small quantity of cassette tapes and CD’s are up for sale for only $5. The Limited Edition CD will include 2 bonus Jamarcus albums, but hurry up and order one because there aren’t may to go around!
Check out more from Jamarcus, Evasive Backflip and the rest of the Grandpa Bay family below!
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