The Mark Roberts Project – Which Way The Wind Is Blowing

Let’s be honest, before even starting a music career, every artist or band imagines what sonic direction they would like to explore. Everyone has some music outlet serving as a main source of inspiration or, at least, as a guide through the songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing process. And while some artists and bands use that inspiration as a starting point, many of them also exploit that source to the max, eventually ending up as those bland, repetitive, predictable acts. If you paid close attention to what’s happening on the contemporary music scene, you probably noticed many music outlets deliver excellent recordings, but the music might sound like you have experienced it before. They possess everything except the ideas, and in so many cases, those acts often remain forgotten or abandoned by their listeners. Thankfully, there are singer-songwriters like Mark Roberts whose music immediately shines with unique, fresh, innovative, exciting ideas and musicianship, standing out from anything you could stumble upon on the modern music scene. With his music outlet, The Mark Roberts Project, he breaks all the rules and shapeshifts the boundaries of several styles at once, without even sounding predictable, repetitive, or bland. “Which Way The Wind Is Blowing,” a debut full-length album released on May 5th via all streaming platforms, exemplifies his tremendous dedication to the craft, producing, arranging, recording, composing, and writing abilities. With twelve exceptional compositions, he experiments with various music genres, approaches, techniques, directions, and other qualities that make all the greatest songs what they are. Perhaps “Which Way The Wind Is Blowing” dominantly shines with a pop-rock sound, as the artist poured all the fundamental qualities of this genre into each song, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon some of the finest properties borrowed from alternative, indie rock, hard rock, classic rock, yacht rock, contemporary pop, and many more. He uses all these additional sonic ingredients as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details to elevate this comprehensive collection of songs to new heights while simultaneously remaining loyal to the primary sonic direction. Although “Which Way The Wind Is Blowing” shines with qualities that meet all the trends in modern music production, you’ll also hear how the artist cleverly implemented a subtle touch of nostalgia, making these songs suitable for longtime pop-rock fans and newbies to the genre.

This epic sonic journey commences with a title track, a perfect introductory piece that gradually pushes listeners into Mark Robert’s lush sonic universe. The catchy, memorable, engaging, luxurious sound of synths, paired with string sections, intricate basslines, and steady beats, will immediately grab your attention and force you to take a deep dive into this material. “Different Worlds” expands Mark Roberts’ sound into a contemporary alternative rock direction. The well-accentuated, groovy, energetic rhythmic patterns perfectly pair with lush, detailed, reverby, almost reverby guitar works, while Robert’s soulful vocal performance brings more than necessary emotion and complexity to an already intricate song structure. “I’m A Lone Wolf” goes even deeper in rock universe by including some of the finest properties of eighties hard rock music. The tight riffs, intricate rhythm section, and soulful vocals will immediately wrap around your listening apparatus and refuse to let go long after the last notes and beats fade away. The way Mark Roberts blended contemporary production with eighties sound goes beyond comprehension. And then he takes a deep dive into a fine blend of sophisti-pop, rhythm and blues, eighties pop, and yacht pop with “Put The Lust Back Into Us,” a marvelous love ballad that carries some of the finest synth works and beats you’ll hear in a while. It serves as a perfect break from all those catchy, heavy riffs, which certainly continue on “Getting Off The Exit 12,” another proper hard rock banger, empowered with some of the finest elements of late sixties garage rock and seventies punk rock. Also, this composition carries some power pop vocal arrangements that perfectly suit those hypnotic, abrasive, raw guitar riffs. “They Can’t Stop Us Tomorrow” leans towards an Americana-inspired indie folk ambiance, with the thoughtfully assembled interplays between acoustic chord progressions and lush, tastefully distorted slide guitar accentuations. It’s one of those songs that stand out from the remainder with its unique atmosphere.

It also serves as a perfect transitional song into even calmer “Are You Ready For Forever,” another calm, soothing, relaxing, ethereal sophisti-pop love ballad where beautiful vocal harmonies, lush synths, and catchy chord progressions reign supreme. If you craved some old school rock ‘n roll ballads, then “Your Old House” will be right up your alley. This song carries everything you ever needed from a carefully blended composition that stacks only the finest elements borrowed from rock and pop music. The jangly, angular chord progressions and riffs, retro keys, steady beats, and anthemic vocal harmonies are just some of the qualities this song carries along the way. And with the set of ballads such as “Automatic Pilot,” “Cry Me An Ocean,” “Better Friend,” and “Songs Like Lennon’s,” The Mark Roberts Project closes this epic sonic journey and forces a listener to embark on this epic sonic journey once again. Each composition carries its unique ambiance, making this listening experience such an emotional rollercoaster that tackles all the senses. With “Which Way The Wind Is Blowing,” Mark Robert proves that pop rock music, when done right, can still sound fresh, unique, innovative, diverse, and exciting, like the first time you’ve heard this music genre on the radio. Each one of these songs demonstrates his tremendous writing, composing, arranging, and producing abilities, dedication to the craft, brilliant ideas, and outstanding musicianship. If you crave pop rock music performed straight from the heart and with as much soul, passion, sincerity, emotion, and power, then “Which Way The Wind Is Blowing” will be right up your alley. Do not miss it!