Mack, the Coffee Man is a three piece indie rock band from Lancaster PA, who have been around for about the past 5 1/2 years.. This new album is interesting in that its a split LP with, well, themselves. Their original intention was to release two separate EP's, that were recorded at two separate studios, with two somewhat different sounds. We are glad that they decided to put both EP's onto one full length LP, because what you have is a beautiful album that does not bore you with the same old thing. The first half of the album is entitled "Light Pours Through", and was recorded with Jay Sorrentino at his Churchbox studio. The second half is entitled "The Sun Has Been Cut Out of the Sky" and was recorded with Galen Kraybill at Lebanon Valley College Studio A.
What Mack, the Coffee Man has created here is a completely original rock album with influences ranging from pop, and emo, to folk, and post modern. Their music is a reflection of the bands feelings, thoughts and emotions. Many of Keith Wilson's(guitarist/singer) lyrics are based on personal experiences. There are songs of praise, songs of hope, and songs of heartache. They have truly created their own sound here, that would be very hard to duplicate. Technically, they are true musicians that integrate unorthodox timings, great melodies, jangly guitars and true emotion into their songs. Wilson's voice is original, sincere and full of emotion, which only adds to the message of his lyrics. Drummer, Jeremy Bentley helps to hold the complexity of the music together while bassist Jeff Royer adds depth to the songs. Brilliant back-up vocals are added by both Bentley and Royer.
Highlights of the CD include, "Every Human Here", which Wilson describes as a song about how we live life always on the run, and how we sometimes need to just stop and slow down. "Years" is another beautiful song, in which the tempo continues to slowly build and then just seems to explode towards the end. If you like "Years" on the CD, wait until you see Mack, the Coffee Man play this song live. We have seen them perform many times, and the crowd just seems to stand there in awe as the band tears it up during the closing minutes of the song ala Nirvana/Modest Mouse style. Another favorite of ours was "ninety-eight" which is kind of a political commentary on the High School violence that occurred in 1998. One part of the song goes, "The rules have changed. 1998. What will you do now, Judge? The killers are 7 and 8 years old. Can you say murder son? Do you know what cold blood means? God help us stand." Its kind of interesting that Wilson wrote this song before the Columbine incident.
If you are looking for a CD that is sincere, has great songwriting and kind of fits into the whole "rock/emo/indie rock" genre, yet at the same time doesn't bore you with the same old sound, then this CD is for you.
A
Other coverage for this album
Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Treble BandopplerI have not written a review in a couple months, because I have been too busy being a hot-shot music writer and Super-Editor, thinking I'm too big and bad to write reviews. But yesterday I was brutally reminded of why I got started in this whole music writing jazz. Mack, The Coffee man! O man, I remember the love, it's all coming back to me. The music, the passion, the artistry, the humility, the…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by TimCreative, but just not as catchy as it could be. My guess is that the next record these guys do will be great. This is still worth buying. C+Decapolis 1999Reviewed by ConradVery creative. Great mixture of artsyness, melody and emotion. Highly highly emotional and deep. Some parts are amazingly emotional. Can I fit the word emotional in here again? Yes I can, emotional. BDecapolis 1999Reviewed by dmkOne of the last remaining gems of the early Lancaster scene, Mack brings their live show talents to the studio with a passionate collection of songs that have enough raw energy to fuel a rocket. They blast off with concert favorites and lots of brand new stuff. While it may take forever for a Mack disc to be released, it is definitely worth the wait. If you are looking for a comparison to another…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Justin W. JonesMack, The Coffee Man must be drinking de-caf. This album lacks all the jitters, on the edge, biting-your-fingernails hyperactivity that normally comes from caffeine. Instead, when you hear them, you are listening to a relaxed indie rock album with a touch of emo -- stirred, not shaken. The result is a good album. I have heard of this band before because they have played with other great indie…Similar sounding releases
1998DumpsterSee Through Me
2002EeFor 100 We Try Harder
Annie QuickBigger
1996The BonhoeffersThanks to Jen
1996Fluffy / PhantasmicFluffy vs. Phantasmic
2004AveoBattery
