Review: Magik Markers – Balf Quarry
Magik Markers – Balf Quarry (2009) [Drag City] // Grade: B
Yesterday we looked at Sonic Youth’s latest album, today it’s the latest in a long line of devotees. Bands taking influence from Sonic Youth is nothing new… it’s like being influenced by The Beatles, almost unavoidable at this point. But those bands who are truly able to expand on the groundwork laid forth by Sonic Youth of blurring the lines between the Experimental, Avante-Garde and commercial are far and few between… Magik Marker’s are definitely treading down that path.
It’s taken Magik Markers a while to get from No Wave meets Free Jazz guitar noodling to actual recognizable songs. the first step in that direction came with 2007′s Boss which was a quite jarring departure towards structure, Balf Quarry further expands on teh foundation Boss established. While hearkening back to the sort of dreamlike and discordant urgency of Sonic Youth’s EVOL, Balf Quarry is also full of the sort of off kilter and quirky indie rock takes on traditional “Rock” (think Pavement). Those two elements while in contrast from one another also strike up a harmony that not only makes for a pleasant listen that’s altogether foreign yet reassuringly familiar.
