The Deal: Front man Mark Kano of the former Greensboro-based alt-pop rock band Athenaeum releases debut solo album.
The Good: While it’s not Athenaeum, it’s not drastically different in sound. Songs on the album are a little more lovey-dovey (“Telling You I love You,” “Baby I’m Your Man”) at times, and there’s a lot less relationship brooding, which made up much of the lyrical content on Athenaeum albums. But fans of the defunct Athenaeum – which reforms here and there for shows – will find this album worthy of a few listens. The CD is full of catchy tunes like “Walking On Broadway,” and “I’m Still Waiting.” Highlights also include “Sad Songs,” an upbeat groove and “Mr. Dog Catcher,” a song soft in sound, like a child’s lullaby.
The Bad: The album only contains eight songs.
The Verdict: Support local music and add this well-crafted CD to your collection. You can get it from www.markkano.com, www.cdfreedom.com or at iTunes. Also, be sure to check out Mark Kano’s performance at The Evening Muse on May 29.
This article appears in May 19-26, 2009.
