Mark Etheredge - Change Coming

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Mark Etheredge –Change Coming
2012, Vipaka RecordsMark Etheredge is one of a long line of computer software/programmingprofessionals to harbor dreams of an alternate career in music.  Unlike many, Etheredge walked away from thesafety and security of his nine-to-five into his dream, full-time gig writing,recording and performing music. Etheredge’s debut album, ChangeComing, plays with the smoothness of adult pop performers as Steely Dan,Boz Scaggs and Rodd Rundgren.  Etheredge sprinkleshis twelve original songs with often witty lyrics as he explores real feelings,real people and real life.

Change Coming openswith “Living In The R.T.”, a song decrying the spread of modern technology andthe digital lifestyle.  The song iscatchy with a mild dose of funk in the baseline, although the vocals are toolow in the mix.  Etheredge nails a 1970’sAM radio soul/pop sound here, and keeps it going for “Tuk Tuk Driver”, a catchylittle number about falling in love.  Thesong is actually quite catchy in spite of some occasionally awkward lyricalconstructs.  Diving into regret over arelationship he walked away from, Etheredge explores what might have been with“I Would”.  Etheredge struggles a bitwith pitch as he takes his voice up an octave for the chorus.  The song is generally well-written, althoughthe lyrical turns are a bit ill-kempt at times. Innuendo and thinly veiled intentions are the order of theday on “Hot Tub”, all wrapped up in a deliciously catchy pop arrangement thatblends jazz and soul into the mix.  Etheredgegoes for humor here, missing the mark but skating along on the strength of thekiller arrangement.  Etheredge aims for asecond chance at love with an old flame, under the premise that this time shemight be “The One”.  Even an impartiallistener will be unmoved by the wishy-washy approach here.  Etheredge gets his mojo on for “The OtherMan”, a slinky, funky number that tries to usurp the love who is alreadydevoted elsewhere.  This is the bestsongwriting of the album thus far; hook driven and with a cogent lyrical flow.

“Pimp You Out For Love” starts out sounding like a compactrocker, but breaks into some serious pop/boogie for the chorus.  As good as the arrangement is, the lyricstake a rather pedestrian run at setting up a friend that eschews rhyme schemesand even poetic sense.  “Dear Buddy” istroubled relationship song written from a man to his cat.  Etheredge makes a vaguely subtle attempt toconceal the subject of the song at first, opting for a slow, sliding revealthat’s not without humor.  It’s a cutesong that will hit home amongst cat lovers. The straight-forward piano-driven adult pop arrangement is a goodmatch.  “Room To Room” is full of puresinger/songwriter pastiche.  Thisportrait of a woman getting ready to downsize her home after forty years hasthe potential to be touching, but rather than expanding on the story Etheredgesimply repeats it.  It’s all done to asolid piano arrangement with string a cello solo in the bridge, but therepetitive nature of the lyrics makes it a hard sell.“Lessons” is a melancholy treatise on humanity’s tendency tohave to learn the same lessons over and over again.  Etheredge gives an affecting performance thistime around, sounding as if he’s singing from the heart.  The songwriting here is solid as well, fromlyrics to arrangement and back.  “A BitOf Kindness” exhorts the power of a being good to each other to make a betterworld.  Funk and jazz-infused pop make upthe musical palette for the most vibrant and memorable song on the album.  “Change Coming” is a stiffly awkward popdeclaration about rising above mediocrity. The message is admirable, but Etheredge pairs it with a generic poppiano arrangement that is less than inspiring.

Mark Etheredge works the heart and humor strings on Change Coming, sometimes affecting sweetand/or funny moments, and sometimes tripping on awkward combinations.  The album is a solid introduction to anartist who is still learning his craft as a lyricist, but shows a surprisingability at crafting accessible and complete musical arrangements that seem readyfor adult contemporary radio.  Change Coming bodes well for Etheridge’sfuture as a rock composer, and offers opportunities for poetic growth.Rating:  3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.marketheredge.com.