The Marked Men - "Ghosts"

By Kevin Toomey
Rating: 5/5
Dirtnap Records LP/CD
1/27/2009

All right, I know this review’s about two years too late, but the Marked Men is playing two shows soon and I love this record, so deal with it. "Ghosts" was the first record I’d heard by the Marked Men, and it’s probably the best, too (might be a tie with "Fix My Brain").
I don’t know where to begin describing their sound, so I’ll take a hint from the first song, “All In Your Head” and just jump right in. This band epitomizes the term, “break-neck pace;” how they manage to be so melodic and have so many hooks all while playing faster than Bad Brains is beyond me. THE HOOKS!!! These guys have more hooks than The Exploding Hearts on a fishing trip. I absolutely love the interplay between major and minor chords. I know they only have two guitar players, but each time I listen to songs like "Ditch," "I Must Be Dead" or "Get to You," I swear I can hear something new that I’ve never heard before. How two dudes can create such poppy, yet intricate sounds while playing so fast is something I personally can’t wait to see for the first time when the Marked Men take the stage at Empty Bottle May 28 (they'll also be playing May 29). If you haven’t heard the Marked Men, "Ghosts" is a great place to start. If you already own "Ghosts," go put it on “One More Time.”