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Mike Marino & His RestlessSoul: Out of the Darkness

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: Mike Marino & His RestlessSoul
Title: Out of the Darkness
Genre: Rock-Americana-Folk
Label: Restless Soul Records
Website: www.restlesssoul.com
Purchase this CD: CD Baby

Mike Marino has completed his third release Out Of The Darkness. My first impression was that he certainly has come a long way from the last release Another World.

In 2004, Marino was still developing his style and honing his skills as a singer/songwriter/musician. The rainbow you see behind him on the cover of this CD is indicative of the way he is feeling about life in general and the direction his career is going. This is all justifiable from my point of view as Out Of The Darkness is definitely his best work to date and a culmination of years of hard work and persistence.

Some artists give you the opportunity to look into their souls through their music and Marino is one such individual. There are some great tracks on the CD. Different aspects shine brightly. For me the one that stood out the most again was the message Marino is putting out there. He has a Dylan like style and approach, not to mention sounding like him on more than one occasion. “Racin’ To A Red Light” is about the human “race” speeding towards the vortex of total insanity. This sits right at the top of the lyrics so you see it before the track begins, if you happen to be reading the words as it kicks in. I also enjoyed some of the fine guitar work that Marino presents in this project, whether its electric or acoustic, it is excellent. I have to mention that the artist was very smart about how this project came together; he managed to get some of the best musicians in the Tri-State Region to help.

“Stuck Out In The Rains” is a protest song, just like the 60’s; it is very to the point and prolific. This is a track about the New Orleans floods and how Uncle Sam let everyone down.The abandonment and suffering of our own people was inexcusable. It hits home and leaves you feeling disappointed and wondering if something like that happened in your own town what would be the reaction of authorities that have control of funds and emergency relief.

That is the whole point of this project; Marino wants to make you think about the world you live in. He does it with music that has a 70’s classic rock feel to it, with parts of country, Americana, and a little bit of the blues stirred in to give it the necessary emotion and power the lyrics need to make it come through consistently clear.

As far as I am concerned, the artist has taken his work to an entirely different level this time out. On a scale of 1 to 10, he went from a six all the way up to nine. This of course leaves room for improvement and the goal of reaching musical perfection is what all serious artists aspire to.

Reviewed - July 5, 2007

Tracks:

01. Love the Good More Than You Hate the Bad (3:46)
02. Out of the Darkness (3:28)
03. Here Today (2:57)
04. Twenty too Late (2:27)
05. Marie Jean (3:02)
06. Racin' to a Red Light (3:21)
07. One Man's Destiny (3:54)
08. Stuck Out in the Rains (3:27)
09. Ulterior Motives (3:25)
10. Who Will Save the Children (3:19)
11. When the World Was Still Big (4:14)
12. Sunset River (3:49)
13. Benediction (:34)

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.