Notes
Being every bit as enthralling as it is entertaining, Marbin's third release is a genre-defying masterpiece. On the heels of last year's critically-hailed effort, Breaking The Cycle (their second album, and first for MoonJune Records), the group has delivered the sort of album that you just can't stop listening to -- like a profound conversation with a stranger in the middle of the night, like falling in love at first sight, or like a great book that you can't seem to put down and you never want to end. While it's predecessor provided solid evidence of the comprehensive breadth of styles and textures in their arsenal, Last Chapter of Dreaming documents an intrepid leap forward for this young, vibrant band. With it's unique blend of inventive, balls-to-the-wall rock, unpretentious, from-the-heart jazz, and emotionally-charged blues (and even a hint of bittersweet, melodic Eastern European folk), this fabulous effort serves notice, in no uncertain terms, that Marbin are a band that has clearly arrived. This album will rock your socks off. It can make you weep, or it can whisk you away on a cloud. Last Chapter has it all -- and does it all, with conviction -- all the while displaying dazzling group chemistry, with some stunning interplay, sensitive deliveries, and a remarkably innovative flair. It's songs are engaging. The performances are riveting. Dani Rabin's guitar work is decidedly world-class; his tones are monstrous. He serves up a generous portion of just-baked fresh, authentic, authoritative rock statements, emerging as an important new fusion guitar voice in the process. Danny Markovitch provides the perfect compliment, with his velvety-smooth lines, superbly-articulated tones and acute dynamic sensibilities. The band has never sounded more cohesive, maintaining a playful, energized feel -- with drummer Justyn Lawrence and bassist Jae Gentile providing rock-solid grooves and undercurrents throughout proceedings. While Breaking The Cycle -- an excellent album, in it's own right -- might be fairly characterized as having been 'a shot fired across the bow' of progressive music, Last Chapter delivers the big payload, squarely on target. (... But albums this powerful are always going to leave a mark.) Standards have been set and standards have been exceeded, but there's truly nothing 'standard' about this gem: it's completely original, exquisitely-faceted, and polished to perfection. Last Chapter of Dreaming is the epitome of superb, majestic progressive music that's not afraid to take a romp anywhere.
