With a voice that sounds a fucking lot like Nick Cave’s and a musical sensibility to match Mark Steiner is a rare artist in an industry obsessed with youth and exuberance.
Instead Mark’s music dwells in the shady inbetweens of backwater bars and hazy streets. Mark’s cigarette and whiskey voice is often set next to the haunting and delicate vocals of Amelia S. Deva, most notably on Wallspotting.
Having fronted seminal NYC underground bands Piker Ryan and Kundera, Mark decided to leave the big apple for Oslo Norway and has taken up with a new ensemble, assembled from France, Germany, Norway and the good ‘ol US, The Fallen Birds.
The album is the perfect soundtrack to a drinking binge, especially is said binge takes place in a smoky living room with red wine stained carpets. It has the doom laden choral quality of The Drones, the moodiness of The Birthday Party, all tied up with a hint of Tindersticks, essentially the perfect musical parcel to lacerate your liver to.
Second last song Drunk has to be my favourite, with it’s clanging guitar intro, Chicago-esque trumpets and incredibly apt lyrics. “Today I just want to stay in bed, the room is still spinning like that hammer banging around in my head.”
Having recently played a slew of shows in along the East Coast, Mark has a well noted love of Australia, so be sure to pick up a copy of his CD so he comes out again.
Check him out at http://www.myspace.com/marksteiner
