|
Marty Lloyd
Marigold
By Andy Argyrakis
Armed with an acoustic guitar, an inquisitive croon,
and a mix between autobiographical and narrative styled lyricism,
the Chicago-bred L.A. transplant Marty Lloyd is the antithesis to
all of the corporately-crafted pop music that has been infiltrating
the mainstream over the last few years. On his first solo offering
Marigold, Marty Lloyd showcases his uncanny ability to construct
clever anthems overflowing with sentiment and sensibility - a gift
that may very well deem him the savior of today's generation of
musical sinners.
"I write songs to move people and to touch them.
If I'm able to be even minutely inspirational to them, then that's
the successful side to this type of career." Such a humble approach,
laden with deeply rooted integrity, are at the forefront of Lloyd's
latest artistic rendering, Marigold, marking his first endeavor
since co-fronting the Freddy Jones Band. The eclectic jam-based
outfit first took Chicago by storm in the early 90's with their
infectious live performances, which eventually lead to a multi-album
record deal with Capricorn and work with acclaimed producer Justin
Niebank (Eric Clapton, John Hiatt). Whether on the road with The
H.O.R.D.E. Festival, touring with groups like Blues Traveler and
Dave Matthews Band, or having the Lloyd-penned gems "In a Daydream"
and "One World" on the radio, the Freddy Jones Band's success affronted
this modern day troubadour with a first rate music industry education.
"Even though I'd technically be considered a new
artist, I've been around the block before so I know what I'm getting
myself into this time," laughs Lloyd. "Having my own name on this
album makes it all the more exciting and it's really been quite
liberating. Recording a solo project is a much more of a 'cut to
the chase' kind of process that allows you to only have to account
for your own creative license."
Indeed the Marigold sessions took place solely
on Lloyd's terms without other official band members to run things
by or the looming shadow of a record label's A&R rep adding pressure
to please. Instead, Lloyd simply set up partial shop in his Chicago
home studio, re-enlisted the production efforts of Niebank (subsequently
laying down additional tracks in Niebank's Nashville based studio)
while also calling upon FJB alumnus Rob Bonaccorsi and Shawn Colvin
player Michael Rhodes for instrumental accompaniment. "I went about
the process completely reversed this time," chuckles Lloyd, who
finished the entire project before shopping it around. "I didn't
just want to give a label some demos and then have them tell me
how they wanted the record to sound. I wanted it to sound homespun
and have a label be happy with the exact way I recorded it."
By the time the finished product was completed in
early 2002, it only took Lloyd a few months to reach the ears of
Razor & Tie executives thanks to Niebank, who was already connected
with the label after producing The Clarks' latest album. Razor &
Tie quickly fell in love with the organic undertaking, releasing
it under Lloyd's exact specifications right down to the original
instrumentation, production, and sequencing.
The result is an 11-track collection spanning a
range of influences, from classic acts like The Rolling Stones and
Bob Dylan, to current trendsetters David Gray, Ryan Adams, and Wilco.
Like the muses on this revered list, Lloyd weaves an imagery filled
web across rootsy acoustic soundscapes, starting with the album's
declaratory opening track "Justified." With a message of personal
empowerment and validation for a major life decision, the liberating
composition sets the tone for the record, with Lloyd carrying his
own torch of independence. Immediately following is the melodic
jangle of "American Dream," during which he analyzes the pursuit
of a utopian societal existence. "I wrote that song while FJB was
still going, and since it didn't make in on any of those records,
it became the benchmark for the new batch," Lloyd recalls. "It's
kind of a romantic tragedy about naivete where I'm sarcastically
looking at characters from some of the crazy stories I've read in
the newspaper or envisioned from a movie." "American Dream" was
featured alongside tracks from John Mayer & Howie Day on the 8th
edition of indie label AWARE's cutting edge compilations.
Additional standouts include the sonic delicacy
of "Where We Started From," the free flowing chord progression of
"Love, Josephine," and the glowing jubilation found on the album's
finale "Dancing Here With You." However, it's the soul-searching
introspection of "Sinking Like a Stone" that truly makes the record
sparkle. "I talk about the need for people to come together," reveals
Lloyd. "It's a very spiritual song because there's really more to
our existence to just existing. We're not alone in this life."
As Lloyd packs his bags to hit the road in support
of the project, he assures fans that he won't be alone during such
live presentations. Although the touring group's lineup may have
the tendency to rotate, it just might feature some friendly faces
from his Freddy Jones Band days. However, Lloyd insists his plans
are to take the solo experience to its fullest potential rather
than revel in the past. "I feel smarter now about setting short
term, attainable goals for myself than I did in the group where
we focused on long term plans," concludes Lloyd. "When you do that,
it somewhat clouds your vision of the immediate future, which for
me right now is to just simply get these songs out to as many people
as will listen and hopefully impact them in some positive way."
#
# #
|
