Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind Written by Holly Estrella del Dia, Roots Highway Music Critic from www.rootshighway.com
During the early 16th Century, those who were talented in many different areas were called Renaissance Men. Though little of today’s generations know this term, it could easily be applied to a select few multi-talented musicians (such as Lenny Kravitz and Joe Buck). However, a man who is perhaps even more deserving of such a title is Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, Mark Lane, whose jaw-dropping debut Golden State of Mind makes him easily one of today’s most exciting newcomers to the Americana genre.
Phenomenally, Lane himself takes the responsibility of doing everything on the album pretty much himself - including production (though long-time friend Jason Falkner helps out on a few tracks). From the sunny sound of the Beach Boys on the opener “Girl with the Clouds” to the classic pop of “Drivin’ Braille” to the yearning melancholy ballad that is “Lorelei” and the growl of “Enough to go Around” that closely resembles Tom Waits, Lane shows that his talents are as varied as the roots of Americana itself. While some debuts can suffer from covering too wide of a range by the artist spreading themselves too thin in some areas, Lane’s genuine instrumental expertise and emotional vocals are more than enough to straddle the borders of genres authentically.
Tying the musical diversity together are Lane’s witty lyrics that cover love/infatuation, aspirations for fame, and classy rambunctious rebellions (“Taste for Champagne”). A style that is as unique as Lane’s musical prowess, it could best be described as a mix between those of John Wesley, Jack Johnson, and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks... and such a combination leaves Lane in nothing but good company. Never sacrifi cing poetry for the sake of melody, Lane offers listeners a fl avor that is truly unique and refreshing.
While times are constantly changing and the term “Renaissance Man” is now most commonly associated with Leonardo da Vinci, from the scope of Lane’s debut, it is obvious he has a long career ahead of him. Though some may say much of his style has come a little less than “Fifty Years too Late”, if you have been awaiting contemporary fl avored classics mixed with new age poetic lyrics, Lane is defi nitely “the one you waited for” and it is pretty much guaranteed that we’ll all see his “name in lights” in due time. Grade: A- Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind by Clay Steakley | from www.performingsongwriter.com
Tinted with the jewel tones of George Harrison and Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, but wellinformed by contemporary pop masters like Michael Penn and Lloyd Cole, Mark Lane’s music is sheer aural pleasure.
On his debut, Golden State of Mind, Lane conjures classic soul (“The One You Waited For”), the Band (“Fifty Years Too Late,” “Taste for Champagne”) and tons of Beatlesfueled pop beauty (“Attention Span,” “Ring My Bell”), while still sounding fully original.
Lane’s songs are solidly crafted but easygoing, and they absolutely luxuriate in sun- drenched California sounds, from Brian Wilson to Gram Parsons. Lane deftly handles a startling number of instrumental duties, including drums, guitar, piano and keys. Guest appearances from D.J. Bonebrake, Chris Joyner and Lane’s collaborator Jason Falkner (Jellyfi sh) round out the breezy, summery sound.
It’s a surefi re hit for any pop fan and should translate to fans of straightforward rock and Americana alike. Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind from www.milesofmusic.com
In the fi rst two tracks, Mark Lane proves himself to be a “do-it-yourselfer” along the lines of Emitt Rhodes, McCartney or Jason Falkner. Drums, bass, keys, guitars and doubletracked vocals, all layered with an appreciation for the classic masters - Beach Boys, Beatles, etc. By track three, in steps Falkner, who plays on, and co-produces, 4 of the 13 tracks on this terrifi c debut. It was actually Falkner who helped kick start the project but had to leave due to touring commitments. Lane, left to his own devices, met the challenge and produced the wonderful Golden State Of Mind, which refl ects the cheery post-Beatle pop of ‘70s California (hence the title). Two obscure references for the “reminds one of” section include English ‘70s popsters Pilot, whose non-”Magic” tracks are great too, and Mark Radice, who, merely in his teens on his 1972 debut, had a similar vocal tone, lilting melodic sense and fl air for the orchestral. Some notable guests here include D.J. Bonebrake (X, Superstring), Mike Bolger (Brazzaville) and Chris Joyner (Soul Asylum, Freewheelers). (Orange Deuce Re- cords) Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind by Connell Burton McDaniel | from synthesis.net
Some people fail to understand the importance of assigning things properly fi tting names. Mark Lane is not one of those people. His new album is titled Golden State of Mind and suitably so, since sonically it is quite reminiscent of the music coming out of Cali- fornia during the ‘60s. Lane, formerly of the Hoodwinks, is the disc’s mastermind, playing and producing (with a little help from Jason Falkner) just about everything he has written here. Most of the songs shamble by at a comfortable mid-tempo pace. The title track is sup- ported by a sustained organ that blends beautifully with the harmonizing “ooooooowhaaaaa” background vocals. On “Attention Span,” the music strays geographically with a swinging Dixieland sound, courtesy of a trumpet, sax and piano. This CD should’ve been released in June. It would make a nice, lazy summer soundtrack. Mark Lane, Golden State of Mind (Orange Deuce) by Jason MacNeil | from popmatters.com
Infl uenced by The Beach Boys and The Beatles, especially on “The Chance”, Lane opens with “Girl With the Clouds”, a tune that recalls Tom Petty circa Wildfl owers. Lane, who does most of the instrumentation himself, keeps the fl ow with more of a pop rock effort on the fi ne “Drivin’ Braille”. Lane, who is currently working on a follow up to this record, seems to slow it down with “The One You Waited For” that brings to mind Josh Rouse or Jason Mraz. Lane also brings a lot of dreamy, late Elliott Smith remnants to the record, particularly on the ambling “Fifty Years Too Late”. One surprise highlight is the cheesy organ solo that kicks off “Taste For Champagne”, a slightly raunchy bar pop tune... Generally, there is enough quality material to make it an enjoyable listen, particularly on the lounge-lizard-like “Enough to Go Around” or somber “Ring My Bell”. Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind (4 & 1/2 stars) by Dennis Scanland | from www.musicemissions.com
Golden State of Mind is the debut album for Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Mark Lane. It is a very strong debut with a variety of styles experienced throughout. Lane does pretty much everything himself on Golden State of Mind including production. This normally can lead to disaster when you have one person doing everything but Mark is a different case. He is genuinely talented and is capable of doing it all himself. It was actually his friend, Jason Falkner (Jellyfi sh) who asked to produce a couple of Lane’s songs that got him into the studio in the fi rst place. You will hear Falkner helping out on four tracks. When these tracks were laid down, Mark decided to set up his own studio in Echo Park and recorded the rest of this album. The sound that Mark is going for is all over the place. The album opens up with a Jayhawk’s styled track called “Girl With The Clouds” but then gets right into a great classic pop sound with “Drivin’ Braille”, one of the album’s highlights. “The One You Waited For” has a bit of a Jack Johnson feel with it’s shuffl e, even though Mark sings it with a blue-eyed soul voice. My favorite line comes in “Taste for Champagne”: ‘You know I got a budget for beer/I got a taste for champagne’. It’s one of the coolest tracks on this impressive debut. If you see this anywhere, be sure and check it out. Head over to Mark’s website for more information or CD Baby to buy the disc. It’s worth the effort. Mark Lane @ The Mint by Oscar Jordan from Music Connection magazine www.musicconnection.com
Material: Mark Lane is one of those rare and gifted individuals who understands how to draw from the best musical infl uences and turn them inside out to express his own unique voice. Though an unabashed late-period Beatles meets The Band, meets Brian Wilson vibe is predominant in his songs, Lane is no copycat. Songs such as “Girl With The Clouds”, “The Chance”, and “Her” ring honest and true with a welcoming blend of melodic pop hooks, old- school rock vibes and genuine passion.
Musicianship: Lane’s band is solid, unpretentious, deliciously old-school and tight. Each member performs at the service of the songs without fl ash. Drummer Luke Adams conjures up the lost art of the solid backbeat with great skill and ample groove. Keyboardist Chris Joyner is the melodic secret sauce providing classic arpeggiated lines and inspired soloing, while guitarist Jinsoo Lim crafts resplendent mini-compositions in perfect context. Singer/ bassist Mark Lane pulls double duty playing melodic McCartneyesque bass lines, while soaring on top with impassioned vocals.
Performance: The band’s stage persona was laid-back, personable, and without affectation. The songs are the shining lights of this band with Lane playing the unassuming and likeable role of liaison between the audience and the material. The onstage camaraderie and sense of humor conveyed the message that this group’s performance wasn’t so much an event as it was a gathering of friends, onstage and off.
Summary: Mark Lane is an incredible songwriter and a spirited performer. He’s a creative love-child spawned from a time when rock music was artistic, earthy, sincere, and stuck to your ribs. His catchy, clever, and heartfelt compositions, while sporadically reminiscent of compositions of the early Seventies, evolve beyond their infl uences to produce a fresh, original and organic sound. This artist is at the very top of the food chain. Mark Lane “Golden State of Mind” 2003 © David Kleiner | from www.minor7th.com
“Golden State of Mind” hearkens back to the heady days of the 60’s and the creativity of artists like the Beatles and Brian Wilson. They produced layers of sound that belied the limits of the available recording technology. “Golden State of Mind” is largely a homespun, self-produced affair, with Lane playing a variety of instruments, as well as writing, recording, arranging and producing. And, though there are highs and lows, all thirteen songs burst with ideas both referential and reverent. You’ll hear touches of Lennon, Harrison (almost every guitar lead), Brian Wilson, and even a dash of Motown. The album is highlighted by two standout tunes “Enough to Go Around” and “The One You Waited For” and a sense of fun and discovery that means a good time is guaranteed for all. From www.cdbaby.com
The kind of album that can evoke an involuntary gasp or shriek of “hooray!” With a brilliant jangle reminiscent of the Beatles, melodies as catchy as Billy Joel, mixed in with lightly swaying rock as well as tinges of Wilco, Mark Lane’s album calls for a closer listen. No rookie to the game of making music that drives home the sheer enjoyment of music, Mark’s professional approach, production and skill for developing a polished project, top to bottom, makes Golden State of Mind an exceptional disc. Mark Lane - “Golden State of Mind” ISWM INDIE PICK OF THE MONTH - (review)... from www.independentsongwriter.com
THE CD: When a songwriter writes their own songs, plays almost all the instruments on their album, and has the time and talent to produce their own CD, it’s hard not to beam with pride. Such a feat, especially when it’s an awesome CD, is a moment to savor for any reviewer. We live for moments like this when a songwriter is in total control of their story. Mark Lane is “Da Man.”
WHY IT WAS SELECTED: It’s hard not to pick up the tambourine (I did while I was listening to track 3), and just join in the musical party. It’s music that feels so good...too good...that you don’t want it to end, ever. Thank God for “replay” buttons.
SUMMARY: Haven’t heard music this delicious since the 70s, when singer/songwriters ran their own show. Randy Newman, the Eagles, Barry White....this is the class of songwriter Mark Lane belongs to. He should not be here among us mortals. Serious studio session, LA Times | January 9, 2003
The making of Mark Lane’s debut album, “Golden State of Mind,” came with an intermission. The fi rst portion was recorded in friend Jason Falkner’s L.A. home studio. But Falkner’s other commitments, including a gig as a touring member of Air, removed him from the project, so Lane went to work in the basement of his Echo Park house. “For the better part of six or seven months, it was hammers, nails, drywall and tool belts,” Lane says. “I bought gear and decided to try to fi nish it myself.” Turns out, the handyman can. Lane’s tunes range from folk- and bluegrass-fl avored ballads to classic pop ditties -- his “Taste of Champagne,” for instance, would fi t neatly into Randy Newman’s songbook. “I got very into the idea of creating lush orchestral settings; I wanted to sound like a band,” says Lane, whose work features guest turns by X’s D.J. Bonebrake, among other L.A. musicians. “It was kind of a liberating experience.” Of course, building and equipping a studio meant another kind of liberation. “It was a pretty substantial investment,” says Lane, who has been playing bass in Falkner’s band and has a solo outing scheduled Jan. 25 at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. “It certainly set my fi nances free.” Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind by Eric Olsen | from blogcritics.org, also published on cleveland.com
The CDs pass before me in a hazy procession of jewel cases. I listen to as many as I can and keep the ones I haven’t heard yet in hopeful piles. They talk among themselves when I’m not around or not paying attention - I fear they plot insurrection for my negligence.
Mark Lane’s Golden State of Mind, indie all the way, made absolutely no impression when I got it about a month ago, just another thin dude with an acoustic guitar - next!. But then I got a call about it from a publicist, and I can usually tell when I am getting the “this is my job” pitch and when the person is genuinely enthused - this seemed real.
Lane recorded, produced, arranged, sang and played most of the instruments himself, which typically leads to a lo-tech vibe, and which is either charming or just plain crappy. Golden State of Mind is way beyond “charming” into “quintessential recapitulation of much that is great about SoCal pop-rock” territory.
Lane formed the Hoodwinks after high school. They played around L.A. regularly and demoed for Virgin, Elektra and Zoo before releasing Feel Too Good on their own in ‘96.
As virtually all bands do, the Hoodwinks disbanded and Lane retreated into songwriting and developing himself as a multi-instrumentalist. Eventually Lane recorded four songs at musician-friend Jason Falkner’s (Jellyfi sh and Air’s touring band) home studio, before building his own studio in his Echo Park home.
The result is brilliant. A solo strummed acoustic guitar opens “Girl With the Clouds” - here we go with the lo-fi - which then suddenly blooms into a pastel landscape of whirling Wurlitzer, chiming electric guitar, chipper background oohs and aahs, and a Lennon-esque vocal that fi nds the ideal balance between the poignant and whimsical halves of living for dreams.
“Drivin’ Braille” is another sharp melody and arrangement, of which Brian Wilson himself would be proud. “The One You Waited For” sounds like something sweet off an Andrew Gold album - orchestral pop-rock with verve and a slight edge.
“Name In Lights” is my favorite “I’m gonna be a star someday” song since the Raspberries “Overnight Sensation,” the dreams of “Girl With the Clouds” made real.
Though the music is more bright pop-rock, there is real backbone behind Lane’s claims - you believe he has the perseverance to make it. By now the talent is a given. (Continued on following page) (Continued from previous page)
On “50 Years Too Late,” D.J. Bonebrake (X) and Chris Joyner (Soul Asylum) join Lane on vibes and accordion respectively for a restive stroll down an old L.A. alley where Chuck Prophet meets Nick Cave at twilight, the edge in Lane’s voice nudges toward Everlast territory, absolutely exceptional.... “Enough to Go Around” strolls with a fi rm backbeat and killer chorus through similar terrain, making note that even in SoCal abundance might be a zero-sum game. The title track is a sunny light to this shadow.
Once again I learn the hard way to take nothing for granted: listen to everything you can, you never know when you’ll fi nd something as great as this.
Unfortunately, Golden State of Mind is not available through Amazon, but you can pick it up through CD Baby here. Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind EDITOR’S PICK by - J-Sin | from smother.net
I appreciate anyone that can play more than one instrument. In Mark Lane’s case, it’s almost a dozen though, which is worthy of more than just my respect. And the fact that he can sing and write lyrics with the best of them, shows that “artists” like Britney Spears or Justin Timberlake (okay, I just wanted to somehow incorporate their names into this review) have no talent, seeing as how they play and write nothing but just cash their royalty checks. Well, Mark Lane may never sell as many albums as the aforementioned duo of suck, but who cares... He can write classic rock and pop songs with his eyes closed, and have you humming along faster than you can forget what last year’s big song was. Mark Lane - Golden State of Mind (self-released) cent.com
Lane’s favorite Beatle was George, and his favorite producer just might be Mike Campbell. There’s this slightly off-kilter feel to the songs themselves, and the sound is full without getting that excessive “ringing” quality. A perfect kick-back album. From intelligentpop.com Mark Lane, Golden State of Mind
Lane’s interesting and extremely intelligent record is deliberately retro-sounding. It’s immediately recognizable as Beatles-esque (especially the George Harrison and John Lennon tunes), with some of the post-Beatles infl uences of Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra. But as the title implies, it’s also coated with the distinct sounds of 1960s- and 70s-era West Coast rock: a little Beach Boys, a little Tom Petty.
Lane clearly knows what he wants this record to sound like, and its production is one of the most focused in our top 20 in terms of going for a sound and getting it. There’s lots of great-sounding harmonic distortion (not just in the guitars).
The lyrics are terrifi c almost the entire time. Lane is extremely clever, maybe too self-consciously so. But if you pay close attention to the slightly undermixed vocal, you’re constantly impressed with the fertility of Lanes imagination and his ability to turn an unexpected phrase.
Probably a good way to describe Golden State, ultimately, is that it’s a party album for smart people. It’s mainly upbeat. It’s full of deliberate, well composed melody; chord progressions are sophisticated, and with its festive spirit, you could proudly play it loud at a well-lubricated gathering of your most intellectual friends, and they’d ask you with great interest who was on. But it’s not entirely clear whether this description is all compliment and no criticism.
This is because, accompanying the festive atmosphere is a detached quality that left at least one of our reviewers wanting more emotional commitment from Lane. It sometimes sounds a little like Lane is play-acting: hes having fun pretending to care about the subject matter of his songs. For example, in the album’s closest thing to a stab at sentimentality, the pleasant, quiet, acoustic-guitar-and-violin-adorned Loralei, Lane doesnt sound like he’s personally swept away by the girl; rather, he sounds like he’s singing an old favorite about a guy who’s swept away by a girl. It’s almost hauntingly gorgeous...but Lane himself does not sound haunted.
Several writing and production choices contribute to this detached quality. For example, perhaps a majority of the lead vocals are doubled (sung twice), a neat effect but one which can distance the listener from the singer’s raw sentiment by hiding vocal nuance.
One of our reviewers pointed out that Lane’s songs were, like ELO’s, full of dominant-seventh and half-diminished chords, which had always struck him as cold-sounding. Lane features these colors more than almost any writer weve ever heard. Maybe this caused our reviewer to perceive detachment. But importantly, it is also an indicator of Lane’s powerful sense of style, and that’s to be praised liberally. (Continued on following page) (Continued from previous page)
We shouldn’t make too much of perceived detachment. The writing on the album is relentlessly clever, as are the terrifi c production choices. Song 1, “The Girl With the Clouds in Her Eyes” is 50% Beatles, 50% Beach Boys, and is good enough to have been on an album by either of those bands. (Sacrilege? Too bad! It’s that good!) It’s one of the most memorable songs weve encountered in our searches. The poor man’s romp Taste for Champagne, in which Lane fi nds just about every way in the world to rhyme with the phrase “You know Ive got a budget for beer, Ive got a taste for champagne” is an absolute hoot! “Champagne” has classic written all over it, and could become a beloved Margaritaville for people who cant bring themselves to like Jimmy Buffet (such as this author).
Mark Lane seems like a brilliant guy, and, playing most of the inventive parts here, clearly a great musician. If you like your albums just a little bit dry of overt sentimentality; if you like thick, layered, retro-sounding production; if you like ELO and George Harrison; then youre going to love this album right out of the box. If, on the other hand, you want artists to connect more sentimentally with their material, if mountains move for you when Sting sings “Fragile” or when Bono sings “One,” then you’ll be left with immeasurable respect for Lane, but wanting more.