Chris Mardini
Polar Bear, 2021
8/10
A New York City artist who plays like a seasoned vet on this debut album, Chris Mardini hovers around alt-rock, classic rock, indie-rock and even hip-hop on this very eclectic and highly accomplished version of bedroom-pop.
Mardini places “I’ll Try” in the lead off position, where a cautious form of psychedelia enters the calmer moments versus loud bouts of alt-rock flavor, and “Skin Tight” continues the creativity with a very modern approach of soulful, intimate songwriting that benefits from punchy drumming as the setting gets a bit dreamy, too.
“Sleepless” occupies the middle spot, and showcases Mardini’s expressive pipes as a stylish version of indie-rock presents itself, while “Herd” utilizes synthetic drumming and moments of hip-hop as the beat driven track illustrates much diversity.
Moving towards the end, “Shadows” finds a calm place to reside, where a slick execution could easily land on the FM dial, and “Lost” exits the listen with a bare, poetic beginning that builds into a emotive and anthemic rocker that finishes the listen much too soon.
Amazingly, Mardini recorded this album at just 19 years old, although you’d never know it by the quality of the songs. An excellent introduction, this youngster’s got a bright future ahead of him in music, and I doubt you’ll disagree after spending any time with these timeless songs.
Travels well with: Dennis Lloyd- Some Days; Quinn Sullivan- Wide Awake