EP Review: Marlene Oak - Silver Moon

We often lose perspective when we talk about music. For those of us who listen to a lot of rock and metal, the mythos of a band begins to take over, and somehow we get lost in the weeds talking about amps and riffs, solos and technique. At the heart of music is songwriting, and the building block of everything we listen to are singer/songwriters. Sometimes we look down at them for how simple the music can be, how it lacks the big sounds and layers of ornaments that we get from ensembles. But when you really think about it, there's the old adage that any good song can be played on just an acoustic guitar, or piano, and a vocal; that if you need anything else for the song to work, it's not actually a good song.

Marlene Oak is an up and coming singer/songwriter who brings to mind Norah Jones. "Come Home" kicks off the EP with softly distorted guitars strumming a few chords, while her voice is given the spotlight. Her instrument has a breathy quality to it that makes her music sound melancholy, no matter the subject. It's a tone I happen to be quite fond of. And whereas Norah Jones seldom rises to crescendo, this song builds to a stronger hook where Marlene uses the power in her voice to drive the message home. It's still laid-back and relaxed, but it's also engaging, and a very lovely way to introduce herself.

"Silver Moon" follows, and is more of a blues song, mixed with some horns out of a spaghetti western soundtrack. It's an interesting addition to the track, and it does give some needed color to what would otherwise be a very somber ballad. That is contrasted with "Everyone", which is the most upbeat and 'pop' song here. Trade the guitar for a piano, and it wouldn't have been out of place when artists like Cobie Callait were popular. It's a lovely sunny day type of song, but there is an issue where the vocal recording is slightly distorted, which makes her delivery a bit difficult to understand. I'm a bit of a stickler on enunciating.

"In The Evening" could be an old torch ballad, both because of the timeless sense of the composition, but also in the recording, which bristles like an old vinyl record. It almost sounds like Marlene's voice is too much for the groove to hold, which isn't something we're used to hearing anymore from music that isn't a wall of noise. There's more than one way to be a throwback, we must remember. The EP then finishes with "Gone", once again keeping the pace a gentle trot. We leave as we came.

When all is said and done, here's where I stand with this EP; it's good music, and a promising start from an appealing new voice, but it also has a few flaws. I would like to hear her voice more clearly through the production, because it's a shame to do anything to cover it up. I would also like the music to be a hair more vibrant. These are all good songs, but I fear an entire album that is mostly her balladic side would be too easily construed as boring. Mixing in a few more upbeat moments could go a long way. That said, there is a lot of promise here. Marlene Oak is a name to keep an eye on.