Fresh Track: Mark Erelli “Blindsided”

You know those artists who release a great first record and then have enormous trouble following it up with anything as interesting? Yeah, that’s not Mark Erelli. Mark has consistently expanded his sound while also not chasing whatever wave seems to be cresting at any given moment. The result is a catalogue of depth and heart.

That is still true on his new songs from his forthcoming record, Blindsided. There’s a little more umph in these songs than in the past but there’s no less honesty. “A Little Kindness” was released a few weeks ago and it echoes what a lot of us are feeling these days.

The Bluegrass Situation premiered the video for “Blindsided” earlier this week and we just want to amplify this great song.

How can you resist singing along to the chorus? You can’t, so don’t try–just turn it up and belt it out, my friend. This song grooves–I love the start with James Rohr on piano and Zack Hickman on bass just bringing us right in. And Zack and Celia Woodsmith’s harmonies are so good. I love that this song has so many great moments of tension and release. It builds to the chorus, pauses, and hits. That’s not revolutionary, of course, but god damn it feels good. And I think that’s part of what Mark has kept building over the course of his career–that deeper sense of how to communicate something in lyrics and in music with clarity and feeling.

As an aside, one of my favorite parts of this music video is after the song is over and you hear maybe Zack singing the harmony part and everybody just cracking up. They’re having a blast together, and that’s part what music is–community, togetherness, a look between friends that makes you fall over laughing and no one gets.

Hey, Mark is playing at Portland House of Music on February 28–get out there, Portland! Sing along. It’ll feel good. Mark has a slew of tour dates in New England through March, including Club Passim and the Narrows Center. Check dates here and get to a show!

Photo Credit: Joe Navas