MARKONEE - review added 28th October 2009
Album Review: See The Thunder (2009)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and party atmospheres
Italian band Markonee - Stefano Peresson on guitars and keys, Carlo Bevilacqua on guitars, Luigi Frati on bass, Ivano Zanotti on drums and Gabriele Gozzi on lead vocals
- recorded their first album in 2006. The Spirit of Radio was a concept album based around the invention of radio by Gugliemo Marconi; hence the (suspiciously spelt) band name.
New album See the Thunder follows that debut with a more self-confident gait. Beau Hill (Alice Cooper, Ratt, Winger, Signal, Eric Clapton, etc) sat behind the desk on the album and you can certainly hear the quality he brought to the project. This is a crisp bright release with a clarity that many other bands could do to emulate.
The sound is a young, modern and party-orientated take on the vibe of the late 1980's. It's hard rock but not quite as you know it. It's refreshing to hear someone going down their own path and not simply following the crowd. Markonee have definitely produced something with bags of originality here. Obviously, originality by itself doesn't guarantee brilliance, but it's a bloody good start!
'Way 2 Go' is an express train of a song with a crazily cool charm. I love the way it never pauses for breath. 'Woman & Whisky' does what it says on the tin. It's an anthem for those who live the rock 'n' roll dream. It isn't perfect but it is jolly good fun. 'See The Thunder' rocks in a big, over the top, glam-licious way. Again it's a few notches short of absolute brilliance but it's hard not to be draw in by the sheer enthusiasm. 'Shores Of Another Sea' is similarly poised too. 'The Big K' is more subtle and introduces an understated bluesy background. It still rocks but it's more smoky-bar than spandex-clad arena.
'The Cross Between The Lines' heads back into fun, fast, contagious territory. I dare you not to tap along. 'Brand New Day' is a sort of pumping ballad I guess. The heavy rhythms dominate more than the beautiful harmonies, but it remains an attractive, powerful track. 'Back On Me' sounds like a teenage take on middle of the road rock, in a good way. 'Cherry Blossom' is a pop-laden ballad that doesn't do a great deal for me. Final track 'I Believe In Father Christmas' sounds like it should be mad and, to honest, it is. It's also rather good.
This is a seriously cool album, but it's not actually that brilliant. There's a certain something missing from See The Thunder - maybe long-term appeal. These guys are going to be great live and, for a short sharp hit of riotous pleasure, the album does deliver. However, I can't see myself playing it in 10 years time, probably not even in 10 days.
Check out... Markonee live if you get chance.
Track List:
1. Way 2 Go
2. Woman & Whisky
3. See The Thunder
4. Shores Of Another Sea
5. The Big K
6. The Cross Between The Lines
7. Brand New Day
8. Back On Me
9. Cherry Blossom
10. I Believe In Father Christmas
Label: Escape Music
Artist's website(s): Markonee , MySpace
