Joe, Marc's Brother
Around the Year With Joe, Marc's Brother

www.joemarcsbrother.com

My introduction to Joe, Marc's Brother was track #7 on the Yellow Pills Vol. 4 comp from back in 1997. What immediately struck me then were the vocals. Lulled to complacency by the notion that pop singers had to have a clear, sparkling, even voice, I was not prepared for the rough and slightly gravelly, and indeed, virile sounds of Joe Pisapia. In fact, I finally pinpointed that he sounded a lot like Eliot Lurie, who sang one of my favorite one-hit-wonderful songs, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl.) This is certainly NOT to say that anything by Joe, Marc's Brother actually sounds like The Looking Glass, but I needed to root my instant like for them to something, and why not a pleasant memory from childhood?

I eventually picked up The Debut of Joe, Marc's Brother, a nice, rockin' record with plenty of songs about girls. It's an easy listen, helped no doubt by the harmonies and guitar playing of David Mead. Rumors and reviews of live shows featuring string quartets and orchestral flourishes barely prepared me for the 2000 release, Around the Year With Joe, Marc's Brother.

Opening with the declaration "Ready to Change," Joe, Marc's Brother cover several genres at once, from the propulsive, jazzy guitar beat to the growling pop harmonies of the refrain. This track is an excellent set-up for a cd that challenges my personal definition of pop music. Moving into "Stand By Your Lie" which does indeed feature a background of strings, the surprises keep coming. Joe Pisapia has a voice some people seem to have trouble getting into, which surprises me to no end as he sings in the ever-popular tradition of more emotive/ vocalists like Dave Lowery or John Wesley Harding. It's instantly recognizable, stand apart from the crowd stuff.

Did I mention Brad Jones co-produced Around the Year With (along with Robin Eaton?) All the trademarks of Mr. Jones' work are evident here: ringing guitars, perfectly balanced harmonies, quieter moments balanced with huge crescendos. "Hide Away" is a simple acoustic number that evokes images of longing and hope. What at first appear to be regular love songs develop into songs about the human condition in general and maybe a life in specific. I've probably listened to this record in excess of 50 times since I acquired it a week ago, and I'm always hearing something new. Track 13, "A Hate Story" seems very simple with its message of tolerance and actually, it reminds me of those "Schoolhouse Rock" ditties that you can never get out of your head. Finding the truths of the universe in a breakfast of soggy corn flakes is yet another revelation Joe Pisapia needs to share with us in "Spinning On An Axis" and somehow, it all makes sense.

I worried when I started doing these reviews, that I wouldn't find a cd worthy of the "pick to click" spot every month. I envisioned myself padding reviews of mediocre records with words like "okay," "proficient," and "doesn't quite suck." Instead, I've almost been overwhelmed with the quality of pop releases in the past year. Joe, Marc's Brother is added close to the top of my list for 2000, it's pop with more to it than meets the eye.

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