MARAH (BAND)

'Marah' is an American rock band that formed in the early 1990s and is closely associated with the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York. The band is known for its intense live performances, classic rock production style, and association with authors Nick Hornby and Sarah Vowell and musicians Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle.

Contents

History

''If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry'' and ''A Christmas Kind of Town''

''Angels of Destruction''

Discography

Albums

EPs

DVDs

Compilations

External links

History

Marah was formed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Bielanko, bass guitarist Danny Metz and drummer Ronnie Vance in 1993. Singer/songwriter/guitarist and harmonica player Serge Bielanko, Dave's older brother, joined the band in 1995. The group featured Mummers Parade influenced banjos combined with standard rock music instruments to create a highly eclectic Roots Rock sound.
The quartet recorded two albums together: Let's Cut The Crap & Hook Up Later on Tonight, released on Black Dog Records in 1998, and Kids in Philly, released on Steve Earle's now-defunct E-Squared Records in 2000. Both critically acclaimed CD's were recorded and produced by the band and recording engineer/producer Paul Smith above an auto repair garage in south Philadelphia.
Metz and Vance left the band in 2000, and were replaced by Mick Bader on drums and Joe Hooven on bass. Augmented by Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on lap steel, this version of the group toured extensively to support Kids in Philly. Marah performed a song from that CD, "Point Breeze" on ''The Late Show with Conan O'Brien'' in 2000. Bader and Hooven left Marah in 2001 and were replaced by Jon Kois (drums) and Jamie Mahon (bass) of Philadelphia psychedelic rock band The Three For Tens.
The Bielankos, with Kois and Mahon, left for Wales in late 2001 to record their third CD, Float Away With the Friday Night Gods with former Oasis producer Owen Morris and featuring Bruce Springsteen on vocals and guitar on the title track. It was released on Artemis Records in 2002. This release spurred controversy amongst the band's early supporters due to its decidedly Britpop sound.
In 2003, Marah returned to the auto garage and recorded their fourth record, 20,000 Streets Under the Sky. The CD was released on Yep Rock records in 2004. The band toured to support this album with Jon Wurster (of Indie Rock-stalwarts Superchunk) on drums, Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on Lap steel guitar, and Kirk Henderson on bass and keyboards.

''If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry'' and ''A Christmas Kind of Town''

In 2005, the band entered The Magic Shop recording studio in New York City to record their fifth album with the help of Henderson and two new members, Adam Garbinski and Dave Peterson. The result, ''If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry'' ''(IYDLYC)'', was hailed by critics as a return to form for the band. Stephen King, writing in Entertainment Weekly, hailed IYDLYC as the best record of 2005.

''If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry'' is an apt enough title, when you consider that this is probably the best rock band in America that nobody knows. Am I being an elitist here, trying to one-up my audience? Nope. Marah is great in the scat, bop, and jive way Springsteen was great on The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. One listen to songs like ''The Closer'' and ''Fat Boy'' on this amazing record and I think you'll agree. These guys are either the American U2 or close enough for government work.

The release of ''IYDLYC'' was complemented by the recording and release of a Christmas album, ''A Christmas Kind of Town'', on October 18, 2005. The band, solidified as a three-guitar quintet, embarked on a year-long tour of the US and Europe to support the two albums. Highlights of the tour included Serge Bielanko's intense renditions of "Dishwasher's Dream" off of IYDLYC, as well as occasional performances of "Reservation Girl," an original song that has never been officially released by the band.
In addition to the release of ''A Christmas Kind of Town'', the band, along with keyboardist and vocalist Christine Smith, recorded the music for lyrics written by This American Life contributor Sarah Vowell entitled "Christmas at Valley Forge." The song, along with other selections from ''A Christmas Kind of Town'', was aired on the show's holiday special in December 2005.
Marah played at the Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 16, 2006. Performance highlights included a rousing introduction by St. Louis, Missouri scenester/character Beatle Bob and a cover of The Who's "Baba O'Riley." Marah later played the Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 15, 2006, delivering a spirited set in which both Dave and Serge Bielanko jumped over the crowd barriers and into the audience. The audio of this show was released on iTunes on November 7, 2006.
On September 21, 2006, the band released a DVD of a concert in Mataro, Spain (which was originally recorded and circulated as a fan bootleg) entitled ''Sooner or Later in Spain.''

''Angels of Destruction''

Marah, with Christine Smith now a full time member, entered Nashville's 16 Ton Recording Studios in August 2006 to record songs for a new record. In April 2007, the group recorded and mixed additional songs at Brooklyn, New York's Excello Recording. In June, Marah announced that the new record, ''Angels of Destruction'', would be released on January 8, 2008. ''Angels of Destruction'' will be proceeded by 6-song 10" EP entitled ''Can't Take It with You'' which will be released in October 2007 and a Christmas EP called ''Counting the Days'' to be released in November 2007.

Discography

Albums

★ 1998: ''Let's Cut The Crap & Hook Up Later on Tonight'' (Black Dog - 1998 / Phidelity - released in 2004)

★ 2000: ''Kids in Philly'' (E-Squared/Artemis)

★ 2002: ''Float Away With the Friday Night Gods'' (E-Squared/Artemis)

★ 2004: ''20,000 Streets Under the Sky'' (US: Yep Roc/Europe: Munich)

★ 2004: '' (Phidelity)

★ 2005: ''Float Away Deconstructed'' (Phidelity)

★ 2005: ''If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry'' (US: Yep Roc/Europe: Munich)

★ 2005: ''A Christmas Kind of Town'' (Yep Roc)

★ 2008: ''Angels of Destruction'' (US: Yep Roc/Europe: Munich)

EPs

★ 2007: ''Can't Take It with You'' (Yep Roc)

★ 2007: ''Counting the Days'' (Yep Roc)

DVDs

★ 2006: ''Sooner or Later in Spain'' (Yep Roc)

Compilations

★ 1997: ''Season's Greetings Philadelphia'' (Record Cellar)

★ 1998: ''Camp Black Dog Presents: Rock & Roll Summer Camp '98'' (Black Dog)

★ 1999: ''No Electric Guitars'' (Record Cellar)

★ 1999: ''Put Your Tongue to the Rail: The Philly Comp for Catholic Children (Songs of the Jim Caroll Band)'' (Genus)

External links

★ Official site

★

★ A cartoon biography of Marah

★ Concert videos