In his new single “Louisiana Voodoo” alongside Tony Joe White, The Netherlands’ own The Mark flirts with the softer side of Americana while increasing the depth of his harmonies, making use of the skillful guitarist he’s accompanied by for far more than a master of the backdrop. The Mark has a voice that could do a lot all by itself, even without any of the bells and whistle you’re going to uncover when listening to even a fraction of “Louisiana Voodoo” this month, but he isn’t made to stretch himself thin as a vocalist here at all – quite the opposite actually. He’s able to let his hair down and allow for the groove to do a lot of the heavy lifting for him, which in turn allows for both his singing and the mild shredding White does to shine like the rare diamonds their contributions really are.
URL: https://themark2.bandzoogle.com/
Tony Joe White wasn’t a guitarist I was listening to before getting into this song, but considering the show he puts on here, I’m surprised he hasn’t attained an even greater reputation across the industry in general. He’s got a delicate way about his playing that doesn’t negate any of the muscularity he can throw around whenever he wants to – such as in the climactic chorus of “Louisiana Voodoo” – and while it challenges The Mark to keep up with the pace of his play on more than a couple of occasions, neither player overstates their presence more than they should.
Now for the real bread and butter of this song – The Mark’s vocal. Though the beat seems to demand a lot more gusto out of him as he approaches the chorus, he lays off the gas and puts his melody on cruise control, thus creating an atmospheric, almost intentionally lazy lust within his harmony that just begs for us to embrace its chill vibe. He’s so indulgent with his voice, and yet I’m inclined to stay in the most cathartic of moments in this single just to hear him passively marry rhythm and rhyme together in one perfect union. Poppy but not saccharine, this could be just the song to win him a following on American radio much as he’s already earned in his native country.
If this is just a sneak preview of what The Mark’s first proper full-length is going to sound like, I don’t think he’s going to have a tough time sustaining his present momentum throughout the rest of the 2020s at all. “Louisiana Voodoo” is a collaboration, but it’s focused on the potential of its star singer more than it is his connective attitude when brought to work with someone who shares his love of the music. I want to hear what he can do with more of this Americana-tinged content before the year is out, but even if he waits as long as he did after “Back Home to You” to record a follow-up, you can bet I won’t be missing it for anything.
Claire Uebelacker