Frank Marzano: Press

Utter charming DIY power pop is what makes you root for Frank Marzano. The Edinboro, PA transplant has all the right influences (The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Klaatu) "bands with a real emphasis on songwriting." he says. The songs have sunny, cheerful melodies and the arrangements are top notch as well - best compared to Chris Breetveld (The Breetles). Opening with the Merseybeat of "A Girl named Sam" it jangles away and should put a smile on your face. Marzano's vocals work best here, his slightly nasal delivery resembles Mike Love a bit, so it takes getting used to. The album is a hodge-podge of Beatlesque pop-rock, ballads, doo-wop, and folk, tackling such diverse subjects as romance, city life, divorce and single motherhood. The lyrics are fun and often full of dry humor - in fact, he most often sings in an earnest first person narrative. He tries to pick up a single mom in "Hot Mama" mentioning all the selling points including "I'm patient with kids." Another highlight is the descriptive of "Bleecker Street" complete with idealized "homeless who discreetly ask for change." All the instrumentation is quality too, from Phil Popotnik's sax solo to Frank's own guitar breaks. But it's got it's flaws, too. One can fault the length of many songs, for example "Hard To Get" is over four minutes and wears out it's welcome after two. The ending piano epic "Matthew/Neurotica" clocks in at over eight minutes. Other tunes are just creepy ("She Does Math"). But when it gets it right like in "My Christmas Wish" - it's a breath of fresh air and Frank's honest sweetness comes through. This is a guy that just loves this kind of music and it shows - he played at The Baggot Inn in NYC and mentioned "If I'm capable of playing Carnegie Hall, then I want to do that. If the best I can do is a street corner in Edinboro, PA, then I'll do that, too." He certainly has talent. Fans of innocent sweet pop will overlook the lack of self editing here and revel in the quality melodies and musicianship.

I would like to begin discussion of this disc with a note of useless but nevertheless proper patriotism. From the time of Rain Parade with Matt Piucci (or better still, the Beau Brummels with Sal Valentino), how much have Italians contributed to guitar pop? Overall, intelligence seems to be disappearing from melodic rock; one can even see the vacuousness of pop music in this country.

Our Frank, however, is American, born in Chicago (probably to Abruzzese parents) and writes the kind of songs that bring tears to one’s eyes. Independence (in the true meaning of the word) clashes with the “indie” label stuck on to today’s neo-MTV rock and rollers (who do not even have different haircuts). But where does this Italian-American come from, who looks like he could be a character out of a John Fante novel?

In the early ‘80’s, Our Guy was already playing and composing. During that time he formed the band Childhood’s End, which until 1991 played at various locales throughout Illinois. Then he relocated to Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and began to assemble material for his first solo effort, FOUL WEATHER FRIEND, released in 1999. Eight years later, here is the worthy successor, BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME (the CD we are reviewing). The incubation period for Frank’s albums is always particularly long (recording began in 2001), and yet the result is damnably simple.

This is because Our Guy is a perfectionist; there is not a bridge out of place, nor a superfluous fragment of melody. “A Girl Named Sam” reminds me of Gene Clark (if Gene Clark were a serene person), and all 15 tracks feel the propulsive thrust of Liverpool. There is a Southern ballad (“Ladies’ Night”), and unrestrained rock and roll (“Let’s Get Married in Vegas”). Above all, Frank has a profound love for the kind of sunshine-pop of Klaatu (present in massive amounts in the tracks “Hard to Get” and “Making Up for Lost Time”), and of Brian Wilson (by himself in “To Both of Us” and with the rest of the Beach Boys in “She’s at the Beach”). A very enjoyable disc, full of real-life stories told with a touch of irony; “Hot Mama”, for example, deals with hurt feelings and the joy of becoming a father. Banal, certainly, but absolutely true.

To understand the essence of this person (who plays every instrument on this disc), I conclude this review with a statement of his that renders the idea well: “My objective is to take my music as far as it will go. If I’m capable of playing Carnegie Hall, then I want to do that. If the best I can do is a street corner in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, then I’m happy to do that.”

Daniel Johnston, Robert Pollard and Edinboro’s Frank Marzano have more in common than might be apparent at first glance. What links them is an idiosyncratic understanding of the pop music of the 1960s. Like his more well known peers, Marzano takes the energy, verve and youthful obsession with topics like love, and, well, love mostly, and filters them through a unique psyche and voice to create something that’s not an homage, but a unique understanding of the genre itself.

It’s Marzano’s voice that attracts the most attention on his latest album, But Enough About Me, a follow up to his first album, 1999’s Foul Weather Friend. High, reedy like a tenor saxophone using the strain to push from note to note in the goofy tragic tale of a DUI “Making Up for Lost Time” one moment and then using it as nasally as Kermit on the paean to the “old” (read edgy rather than touristy) West Village “Bleecker Street”, it’s not a voice you’ll immediately open up to, but in a world made flat by Auto-Tune there’s something to be said for a voice that sounds different.

Singer, songwriter, performer, and Edinboro University math teacher all in one.

That is Frank Marzano’s outstanding resume.

In the past eight years Marzano has captured the musical hearts of northwest Pennsylvania audiences with his Beatles and Beach Boys-inspired pop-rock pieces.

Marzano has had a passion for singing and songwriting since he was 14 ears old.

“I was really into baseball when I was younger, but then they went on strike when I was 14, so I decided to start listening to music and getting into that.

“At my confirmation my grandfather gave me $50 and I went out and bought three albums with it: the Beatles’ Red Album and Blue Album, and the Beach Boys’ Endless Summer.”

Marzano did not have extensive musical training; he mainly taught himself how to play guitar and sing.

“The only real training that I ever had was at the University of Illinois as an undergraduate and I studied the classical guitar. Other than that I have had no training in this field.”

He wanted to pursue music, but his parents wanted him to go into a field in which he could support himself.

Marzano remembers his father telling him, “Math, science, engineering - that’s how you get ahead in life. Not the Beatles.”

Marzano moved to Edinboro from Illinois to teach in 1995. While he taught, he also played gigs around Erie and Ohio.

Marzano started looking into recording his music after he had heartfelt receptions at many shows, but finding the right studio to record in was always an issue.

“You have to find the right studio that matches your style and really listens to what you want to come out of your CD.

“That’s why when I found Tom Hitt at Cycling Troll in Fairview, I knew he was the right one to produce my CD.”

For the next five years, he collaborated with Hitt on his album, and in 2006, But Enough About Me was produced, his follow-up CD to Foul Weather Friend.

Marzano now enjoys playing local and out-of state shows.

One of his favorite places to play is the Main Perk in Girard.

“People actually listen to the music and you don’t have to drown out conversation as you would in a bar. I really get a great response from the people there.”

Upcoming shows include the Artists Cup Café in Meadville (March 10), and Eclectic Etceteras Coffeehouse in Edinboro (April 13).

For more information on Marzano’s shows or if you would like to listen to selections from any of his CD’s, visit frankmarzano.com.

This guys voice is very original and he seems to have his own style of singing.

Good vocals and harmonies ... a weird bit of panache that will thrill the nerdrock set! Good job!

You sound like Teenage Head; remember those guys from the 70s? (Canadian power pop band.) Some Monkees sound there too with the harmonies.

Puts me in mind of being on vacation and out dancing.

I don't remember the band's name in the movie "That thing you do", but whoever they are, you sound like them. That's not a bad thing. I like the retro sound.

alarmingly wimpy, pleasantly colorful and "naive"...
A cool mixed bag. Lots of colors, lots of open space within the arrangement. Reminds me a little of the little-known band The Shoes, who in my opinion were one of the great melody-pop bands of all time. Great collection of hooks. I love this shit.

I like the way that you blend all the parts. You sound like a fifty's sort of vibe thing going.

Cheeky, jangly acoustic pop ... Byrds, Beatles with some 12-string California rock vibe thrown in for good measure. Well produced.

Very cool. Sound like early Weezer & early Beach Boys

Sounds like the Byrds - very fresh sounding and light. It's a bit in the vein of Fountains of Wayne. Clean sound. Good job. I like it. Innocent stuff.

A little Beach Boys, but modern. Maybe The Rembrandts and Simon & Garfunkel are sources of inspiration.

I really like the changes.
McCartney used to write songs like this.

Very classic sound. The lyrics are cool. I like the backing vocals... very strong.

Hard to catagorize but fun.
Definitely original, not like anything else I've heard lately. Catchy and fun.

Groovy Baby... GREAT FALSETTO VOICE!! Backup vocals are very well-placed and performed. Bring back the 50's!!!

Solid playing. I caught a Beach Boys vocal thing which made this old guy feel good. Nice job!