Call Upon The Author

Kris Drever’s Mark The Hard Earth is a charming, folksy record that just has that much needed injection of variety. It’s not an attention seeking kind of album like most other records floating about, in fact it integrates easily into the background, not tangling the mind up in complicated instrumentals or key changes.
However because it is such an easy listen there are really only two songs that stand out and make the ears perk up, and as such it’s a shame to say that these tracks are the only two things that make the album worth listening to.
First of all there’s Allegory to describe it in one word it would be amazing. But one word is never enough. The excellent acoustic guitar sets a fast pace that Drever’s dulcet vocals successfully counter-balances. The female backing vocals add another dimension to the song as they merge seamlessly with Drever’s. Allegory is by far the best track on the album, the one that has to be listened to. The guitar never falters and neither does his voice.
Then there is The Banks Of The Nile, calmer than Allegory. This is perhaps one of the more complicated of the songs, lyrically speaking. It requires a bit of attention to follow the story but it is worth the investment. Again the guitar is faultless, the vocals are brilliant and the lyrics paint a wonderfully vivid picture.
Mark The Hard Earth is a nice album, good music for a lazy afternoon, yet be careful with it. Drever may have varied the tracks and there may be two outstanding songs, but that doesn’t stop the uncomfortable sense of tedium from settling in after a while.