by Kris Handel
The Consistent Brutal Bullshit Gong, though not technically the first Market record, is the first with a fairly steady band as accompaniment for the moniker of the very versatile Nate Mendolsohn. He has a few other releases of mostly rough and scratchy lo-fi type sketches under his belt as Market, however on this record there is an ever shifting psychedelic hue with a touch of folk influenced honesty. Mendolsohn's songs become fully fleshed out with help from the likes of Stephen Becker, Katie Von Schleicher, Natasha Thweatt and Duncan Standish, providing ample counterparts to the slightly twisted arrangements and harmonies that hit some truly high peaks along the way. Market speaks to the anxieties of modern day interactions and push for ways to improve on the little things in life while acknowledging disenchantment on multiple levels.
"Looking Back on the Spanish Civil War" tackles ones own image and what can be perceived as personal faults in relationships with a biting self-deprication and ringing guitar hook as Mendolsohn's vocals sway and drift ever so melodically. The songwriting here is Market at their finest, dripping with sarcasm and observations that are crushing yet incisive. Adam Brisbin interjects some echoey fills and Von Schleicher's backing vocals drift alongside Mendolsohn. "Watergate" deals in disenchantment with leadership and the inner-workings of things that are ultimately out of ones control in the big picture of life. Mendelsohn spins a tale of connection through difficult moments which leads to a deeper intimacy and determination that at its core strives for forward movement.
"Old" is a crooked, fast pace, twangfest full of reflections on the process of art and working through the churn of changing emotions clashing with creating something that is of the moment. This song has a twinge of similarity with some of the more inward looking songs of someone like a Lou Barlow and/or Elliiot Smith with rolling drums that connect with bubbling bass from Becker and sprightly vocals from Thweatt. "26 (Therapy)" is a jangly piece with Mendolsohn singing towards the top of his range about mental health over a thick layer of keyboards and stuttering rhythm section. The tempo shifts and little interjections of deep guitar work pierce the cloudiness as he takes a deep dive into self-reflection and working towards personal and emotional growth.
Market have produced a record of great depth that takes a deep look inward as well as working through how to get along via interactions with the ever changing outside world. Mendolsohn and company do a great job of painting a broad musical palate of feelings with splashes of psychedelia and blasts of classic pop interpretations. There is a grittiness on this record and Mendolsohn ruminates on aging, grieving, and getting through moments of heightened anxieties and discontentment. This is an album of movement in so many ways that tackles its issues head on and with refreshing perspective, casting a slightly slanted yet alluring spell on its audience.