hey marco! - Give Love

Hey Marco!

Give Love
self-released; 2014

4.0 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Matt Jensen

The debut album Give Love from Hey Marco! has been a long time a comin’. The band has been playing for years in Michigan and apparently the bandleader Mark Jackson has played over 2000 live performances. He has appeared on shows such as Regis and Kelly and also played at places like the Geffen Theatre. The band has been around since 2007 and is currently comprised of Mark Jackson (keyboard/vocals/arranger), Chase Jackson (guitars), Jake Krull (bass), Peter Muszkiewicz (drums/percussion), Nathan Potts (vocals) and Julie Johnson (vocals).

I personally don’t think their description of the album on their Bandcamp page does the album justice. They describe the album as pop/jazz hybrid but the album clearly infuses style such as funk, soul, gospel and R&B as well. The band not only infuses all these style but they do it damn well. You can bear comparison to bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder, D'Angelo and Maroon 5.

The album contains eleven songs and not one of them should be skipped over. “Glory” is the opener, which melds rock, soul and funk. The song delivers from so many angles. I was feeling the groove and love of the music from all the instruments but those horns were absolutely essential. On top of that the chorus is addictive. The vocalist sings, “The only thing that matters is the lovely clitter clatter / Clanging underneath our seats, never heard a sound so sweet / We’re all in this together love and happiness forever / Everywhere we’ll tell the story bout the / Trip we made to Glory.”

I really liked the first song but the ‘70s flair they implement on “Your Smile” was what did me in. The female vocals are fantastic. If you need a boost of energy and you aren't near a Starbucks this song will suffice. 

Remember I mentioned the D’Angelo earlier well you get some of that on “Magic Wand” and “Coke and Lime Back.” These songs are exactly what you want to hear at a lounge with lava lamps and dim lighting. Both the songs have a smooth, chill vibe as if you just took a toke.

All things considered Give Love more than delivers. As the saying goes, it’s better late than never so let’s be thankful that Give Love finally arrived.

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