Mardo brings back classic rock
If you thought bands similar to Van Halen, Led Zeppelin and The Doors are stuck in the past, never to resurface again – think again.
Mardo and their new self-titled debut album make the world of tie-dyed shirts, bellbottomed jeans and big puffy long hair come to life with a 2005 flare.
Mardo is a three-person band headed up by the dynamic Aron and Robert Mardo, who are brothers from a small farm town in central California. Their sound cannot be described by comparing them to any bands found in the current music scene. The only way to really describe their sound would be to use bands from the past.
A majority of the group’s musical influence came from listening to their parents’ old vinyl records. So, if you, too, grew up with the sounds from bands like: the Kinks, Cream, Hank Williams, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Doors or The Rocky Horror Picture Show, then this might be the band that you have stayed up countless nights waiting for.
In many instances, bands are classified solely by the singer’s particular genre. If the singer is a country singer, then the entire band would be classified as country music. A recent example of this would be Big N Rich’s “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” The chords and rhythms underlying this song could easily pass for alternative rock if they only switched singers. The same thing goes for many current rock bands – all they need to become country music is a redneck that loves singing about his horse, lady and/or favorite kind of beer. Guaranteed hit with that one.
But, if you tried using a similar method to classify Mardo’s new album, the band would fit best somewhere in the late 70s or early 80s rock genre. The vocals are higher pitched with a more intense rock sound than most bands in the current scene. Each song on their one-track album sheds a glimpse of their broad range of musical influences. Some songs echo the Beatles’ later work, while others fit the Rush or Van Halen groove, with the high vocals and screaming guitar solos.
For a band as unique as this, it is no wonder that Mardo is getting the attention that they are. As a result of their growing popularity, Mardo is currently touring with the King’s visiting nearly 32 cities from New Hampshire to California. They will be hitting Salt Lake City on the Nov. 26 and Boise, Idaho, on Nov. 27.
If you’ve been waiting for new sound to entertain your ears that doesn’t scream “crappy music,” then make sure and check out Mardo’s new album.
For more information about Mardo and their album, visit their Web sites at “http://mardomusic.com” http://mardomusic.com or go and see them live with the Kings at Club Ego’s on Nov. 26 at 668 South State Street, Salt Lake City.
Josh Law is a junior in International studies. Any comments or concerns can be sent to jlaw@cc.usu.edu.