Mark Read - Smile Again

Buy-stream Smile Again here (external link)
Buy-stream Where Were You (When The World Stopped) here (external link)

I love that singer-actor-man bander Mark Read has kept himself busy creatively during the great lockdown of 2020. While the rest of us binged on Disney Plus and made Tik-Tok videos, Mark has crafted new music that reflects the current world situation whilst giving you delectable pop with meaning. I've long been a fan of his solo career (his Christmas opus, Once Upon A December, is still a perennial fave) so have been eagerly devouring his latest compositions. Where Were You (When The World Stopped) is a timely ode to the stark changes we have all had to make to our lives at a moments notice - to protect ourselves and others from one of the most deadly viruses our generation has seen. There's a clever mix of slightly ominous instrumental that transforms into a sing-along refrain that was made for communal get togethers (at an appropriate social distance). The percussive beat during the opening verses has a vivid effect in conjuring up the emotions of isolation as Mark vividly describes the new normal we've all had to adjust too. Adding in a warm piano melody softens the imagery whilst Mark's emotive vocal captures a moment in time so starkly that its like he has reached into your mind & conveyed your thoughts in an eloquent way few of us manage.

While that single is a necessary snapshot of 2020, his latest offering - Smile Again - builds on the experiences of Where Were You (When The World Stopped), highlighting the hope that powers us all to a better tomorrow. While Smile Again has more of a message that will resonate through the ages (think of a more uptempo Coming Out Of The Dark by Gloria Estefan), it is still entirely relevant to the life we are all living. "It's good to know the sun comes out after the rain" sings Mark with an effusive passion that is an infectious ably shared with the listener through that sunny score and irrepressible refrain. There is no denying the man knows how to write a hook that lingers in the brain; that it gives you a dopamine rush of joy is just the icing on this already delicious cake. While we can all but hope there are plenty more opportunities to smile again in the days ahead, life will be just that little bit better if Mark Read documents it through song along the way.