Graig Markel

the big takeover
issue 48

those familiar with markel's debut album, verses on venus, may have been downright shocked to hear such a mellow departure from the distortion-heavy new sweet breath, a brilliant, edgy pop-punk band he fronted in the mid-90s. with its hushed vocals, inviting supplenes, and deeply melancholic overtones, verses showed that graig didn't need to hide behind a haze of distortion to be effective. while you can't regard hard grammar cheery by any means, the sun manages to peek out a bit more this time around. while still insular, markel's temperament of the material is more approachable, with a chic, neo-cosmopolitan sumptuousness. truth be told, markel's songs are almost pointless to describe in words: they need to be experienced first-hand. incidentally, the half-scatted, half-sung "boys and girls" (not the blur song) name-drops this very magazine! (this a first for us jack?) [you bet your sweet review it is!!! -ed.]
-neal agneta

pulse
february 21st, 2001

this is an impressive solo musical voyage put forth by graig markel, who hails from the seattle pop band new sweet breath. mr. markel plays every instrument on this recording. he also wrote every song and produced the entire endeavor. the result is a consistent and compelling soft focus that shines upon hard emotional terrain. within the context of 10 tunes, markel uses bittersweet guitar leads, r&b vocal stylings and multi-faceted production techniques to unfold a sonic drama that is full of intrigue and innuendo. it is, in fact, his manipulation of slick '70s fm radio stunts to great ends that makes this cd so memorable. hazy keyboards, rock steady drumming and solid bass guiatar marksmanship lay a seamless foundation for his strange masterpiece. the sultry mystery of the madman at the controls gently seeps through the speakers on every available frequency. "live without it"really breings it all home when he tells the ever present "baby", "if it's any consolation, you're smooth." with today's endless overdose of information and supposed reality, hard grammar works it's magic via a killer grip inside a velvet glove. in large, cinematic gestures, markel has the power to make us wonder about the man behind the layers of sound and the delicate fog that is a delight to decode.

real detroit weekly
2001

taking a break from guitar duties in the seattle outfit tagging satellites, graig markel has emerged with his second solo album, all of whch is written, recorded and performed by markel himself. when songwriters take on all the recording and performing duties themselves, the lack of full and developed sounds is evident, yet markel has fully succeeded on hard grammar. here, markel shuffles through electric pop songs, soul-filled heartaches and hazy singer/songwriter laments - all with his seductively intense yet subttly scorned vocals. markel generates a muffled indie rock croon on the lead song "texas hedging," while resonating sparse guitar chords and fuzzy drippings linger on "deeper than inside." an element of spacey guitar sprawling dominates the majority of the tracks, making the similarity of a number of songs the only downfall of the album. reason to buy: eloquent scattered fuzz rock from seattle. best listening experience: deeper than inside. -shannon mccarthy

kickbright
2001

this cd renders me speechless. it's just so...... right-on on so many levels. graig markel is known for his other music
projects tagging satellites and new sweet breath. here he ventures into his second studio solo album where he plays all the instruments. it's part rock with tons of tastefully used effects and slow spacedout confessionals. sometimes laid back and others right up in your eardrum screaming. the guitar playing is catchy and just sounds so good! i love every song! great lyrics throughout. the first song "texas hedging" blows me away. it's led by a powerhouse drum riff that has caused my neighbor to come bang at my door because i play it too loud. i see this becoming a favorite of mine for years to come. reference: seely, david gray but tons better and more rocking.

the stranger
june 14th, 2001

(sunset tavern) graig markel has one of the prettiest voices in the northwest. the summer fire e.p., his most recent
release, is gorgeous in spots and "jammy" in others--if markel would ever just let go of the compulsion to have session-musician types fill out his already excellent sound, he'd be a thrill to hear at all times. regardless, he's a solid live performer. -jeff deroche

the stranger
june 7th, 2001

***on "texas hedging," the final track of graig markel's the summer fire ep, a gorgeous thing happens: plastiq phantom steps in. In three short minutes, markel's voice is reworked--cut up and essentialized, layered over a stuttering treatment of thick beats, its elegant timbre illuminated in the process. "texas hedging" is a sexy, soulful mess that makes it clear that plastiq phantom, if anyone, understands graig markel's sparkling talent and has a good use for it. the rest of the ep is hit or miss. markel, perhaps afraid of being pigeonholed, or perhaps just because he enjoys exploring his craft, sometimes forgets he excels at writing bright, intimate songs that make both aesthetic and commercial sense--songs that would work on the soundtrack to dawson's dreek, as well as on your local college radio station. "daybreak" is smart, easy pop, finely placed on an epfor summer. "version 45 style" is a meditative, falsettoed track, overlaid with gentle extra percussion and grounded in warm, straightforward drumming and bass. "looking glass" calls to mind the spirit (and the melody) of elo's "evil woman," only there's a "jammy" quality to the guitar-playing that detracts from the soulful feel, rendering the sound more studio musician than songwriter. -jeff deroche

magnet
april/may 2001

..checking in after-hours is tagging satellites guitarist markel, banging on the unlikely twin beds of moody indie rock and psychosexual r&b for hard grammar, his second solo lp. markel's skeleton-key virtuosity and quiet-storm falsetto gain him access to all the suites with the silky sheets: the swervedriver-on-classic-soul "in like a lion," the r. kelly-on-krautrock "virgo's merlot" and a broom closet full of "shoo-be-doo-wop's on "d'azz". hard grammar is the smoothest, sexiest indie-rock record you're likely to find this year. you can only hope beck and tlc can hear it pumping through the walls and that they're feeling entirely inadequate. -mathew fritch

power of pop (spain)
april, 2001

markel returns with another batch of distinct, idiosyncratic but consistently well-made alternative rock that challenges the status quo of bland, safe pop fodder. i would liken him to a 21st century version of early 70s todd rundgren. dangerous yet soulful, unpredictable yet professional, independent yet accessible. edgy and familiar is markel's modus operandi on songs like In like a lion, all aces, d'azz, live without it, boys and girls and virgo's merlot. much to admire here. 8.5 -kevin mathews

cmj (new music report)
feb 12, 2001

though the '70s are a time we all enjoy poking fun at, the truth is, some pretty damn memorable r&b was released
during that decade. seattle's graig markel knows that. he has perfected a smooth r&b vocal delivery and often calls on soul's pulsating rhythms to up the seductive power of his one-man electronic indie-pop creations. thus, any person that comes across hard grammar and opts not to use it as the soundtrack to their next date might as well cease dating altogether. these sexy, grooving tunes could be the ultimate weapon in your next romantic conquest. woo that gal with wine, candlelight and the jazzy "shoo-be-doo-doo" harmonies of "d'azz." Thrill that fella with the woozy organ and "carpe diem" spirit of "boys And girls." ride off into the night with your head on your lover's shoulder as the lulling wonder of "virgo's merlot" echoes in your ears. this is the album your love life has been waiting for. - kelso jacks

pandomag
january, 2001

seattle songwriter and putative james brown acolyte, graig markel, is already the hardest working man in show business. with hard grammar, he's in danger of becoming the godfather of punk soul as well.

markel earned the "hardest working" appellation in the last year or so by writing, producing, and playing every note on two solo albums-- grammar and verses on venus-- and serving as half of experimental duo, tagging satellites, on their recent, and expansively fine, disc, abstract confessions. He also put together a video for each album, ran his recording studio, the recovery room, was credited with some editing work on jim carroll's runaway ep, and held down a day job in the peptic ether of the dotcom world.

as for Markel's potential for screeching soul godfather status, grammar is a strong step in that direction. expanding upon the stark, three-minute beauty of last year's verses, markel returns with darker, more aggressive, and ultimately more visceral, material on hard grammar. the lush, winsome, neo-soul of the prior disc returns, liberally peppered with crisp bursts of the maximum rock'n roll he championed long ago in his early 90s incarnation as the lead growler for lo-fi art spunkers, new sweet breath. These seeming stylistic opposites are skillfully combined into a compelling ten song listen.

with a raging six string intro, the song, "in like a lion" comes in like a storm-driven march, and while it never quite goes out like a lamb, stacks of temptations-esque harmony vocals sweeten the tune's frenetic punch. a hint of sonic experimentalism works it's way into everything done by markel and with processed, desperate-sounding vocals counterpointed by crystalline acoustic guitar, "barely breathing" has to be one of the most successful experiments to make it's way out of a seattle studio in some time. the sassy, "d'azz" is able to say "doo-wop" to the listener without sounding unduly retro. bold, singular, melodic and bracing, hard grammar is for everyone who likes a little body with their soul. -dave liljengren

the stranger
january 11th, 2001

(music) If you haven't checked out graig markel's post-new sweet breath work, you should take this opportunity to see what this talented fellow is up to. markel has recently released a second solo album, the deliciously groovy hard grammar, on recovery room records. whether he's blissfully unaware or just completely unconcerned that rage is all the rage, markel continues his mission to bring sweet soul music to the rock set. the result is a slow-burning, sonic smorgasbord that showcases markel as one of our more original and--dare we say it?--sexy local voices. barbara mitchell graceland, 109 eastlake ave e, 381-3094, 9 pm, $6.

seattle weekly
december 28, 2000

though he's struggled with an identity throughout his brief career, shuttling between solo projects and the band new sweet breath and trying out different styles along the way, graig markel finally sounds focused on his just-released disc, hard grammar (mag wheel/recovery).  the seattle singer-songwriter sings with the passion and determination of a young greg dulli, outfitting the songs with surging, slowly evolving rhythms and subtle hooks.  he recorded the entire album himself, and it's a remarkable effort, albeit one that presents obstacles in translating the songs to the stage.  given markel's blossoming abilities, it's a good bet he'll succeed.  breakroom.  thu 12/28. -richard a. martin

emo rage magazine
(numero 9)

graig markel verses on venus (mag wheel) markel est un homme tres productif qui a fait paraitre, il y a quelques mois a peine, le plus recent album de son groupe new sweet breath. Il a ensuite sorti le premier disque de son projet tagging satellites, et cette fois coici son album solo. j'avoue que je m'attendais a un album folk et a ma grande surprise verses on venus est un album pop avec plusieurs influences et avec une ambiance intime, sarcastique et melancolique, ou la peine d'amour nous etourdit. quelques chansons prennent des rythmes un peu groovy comme "coming up roses". On peut rapidement distinguer que graig markel compose les pieces de son groupe "new sweet breath", et ci qui me fatigue, c'est l'effet "boboche" dans les vocals qui est present a tout moment. jb desc.: pop- projet melancolique r.s.v.a: new sweet breath, posies, afghan whigs (tonight) le hit: coming up roses

midnight messenger

out of the 10 songs on verses on venus five of them are over the four minute mark and a couple more just make it under 4 minutes.  on this cd this a good thing since the focal point is graig markel's vocals which can be listened to over long periods of time.   this isn't the type of album that makes you want to party, instead it gets me thinking about my family, friends, and a former lover.  the music compliments the lyrics on every track instead of becoming a distraction.  if i was being pushed to put a label on this music  i would have to coin a phrase like beautiful dream pop.   two tracks closely related to verses on venus which weren't included on this album can be found on a 7" record with a limited edition of 500.  this lp as a whole is very strong but a few of the songs that i keep going back to are the opening number "twist", "satellites on the line" and "all that glitters".   guys will of course enjoy this record but i'm sure that females will fall madly
in love with it the way i did.  when mark first gave me this cd to review i looked at the plain cover which, besides the artists name and & album title, the only other graphic is a faded design which i'm sure is a butterfly.  i will never again judge a record by it's cover as this album is pure brilliance and sonically paints pictures in my mind of lovely landscapes.  i didn't realize that such subtle arrangements could be so captivating.  -linda baker

the big takeover

in a somewhat unsuspecting move, new sweet breath frontman/axe-slinger markel recently began a solo career and a new project, tagging satellites.  a far cry from the wondrous, archers of loaf-infused distorto-punk of new sweet breath, verses on venus is a loungey and soothing affair that displays his songs in a vastly stripped-down medium.   the ten songs prove just as effective as the raging, guitar-heavy sprawl of nsb, while the crucial, more passionate elements of that band, sans the noisier aspects, remain well intact.  both nsb fans and newcomers need not shy away!  -neal agneta

107.7 the end's young and restless website (january, 1999)

new sweet breath unleashed graig markel's desire for reckless rock and roll, while tagging satellites revealed a more experimental aspect that proved to be interesting, to say the least. now, with his second solo release, versus on venus, markel indulges in his soft, introspective, pleasantly disturbing appeal. this album's departure from his other projects differs in that markel explores the r&b-laden grooves of motown and 70s inspired soul carefuly melded with mellow, jazzy, rock riffs. his vocals are most brilliant in their reserved delivery that rings out every emotion with his whispers, hushed tones, and howling. indeed, versus on venus reveals a multifaceted markel that's been waiting to
be noticed. the production is soft and carries a mist of fog - perhaps to hide behind from becoming too intimate - and compliments the recordings and make the music as powerful and heart-wrenching as possible. the opening track, "twist," begins with the distant sounds of an airport and slowly transitions into markel's tired, hopeless vocals behind melancholic keyboards - as if playing in the airport's bar pooring out his soul to apathetic passersby. "all the way down..." he chants the chorus repeatedly until the song slowly dies out. unlike most solo releases, markel manhandles everything on his own. everything. aside from writing songs and playing guitar, he proves capable and incredibly adept in taking on the full load of bass, drums, keyboards, and production. "what are you waiting for" and "you're you" exemplify
his proficient versatility in his knowledge of music in general. markel proves to best most powerful when his vocals are clear and the accompanying music to be simple and stripped down. "winter never saw better light" shows markel at his most naked and vulnerable. a subtle count down of "one, two, three..." and markel applies his pick to the strings and vents his bitterness of the grey skies of seattle. the heavy thickness of the synthesizer in the background holds the song down and accentuates the grim hope and lyricism markel unleashes from his insides. this album is the perfect soundtrack for the post-holiday blues of disappointing presents and too much fruit cake. It's depressing, yes, but too good to resist. when yer down, you don't want to listen to something upbeat and annoyingly happy, but to be on the safe side, make sure the noose is out of reach and the chamber of yer gun empty, before you lay the needle to the record.

seattle weekly (december, 1999)

it's not often a song or artist can truly capture what a city is feeling. i don't mean the hap-hap-happy songs about the wind in chicago or the winters in minnesota; i mean the true emotional feeling of a town, the day-to-day struggle. i used to hear songs that described the mood of our town. for me, it started with the very first mudhoney or love battery songs from the late '80s. the music obviously came from a rain-soaked, darkened place, and it pulsed with an anger that spoke to and represented an underground audience that related to every drunken cry, every distorted chord. as is documented, the mainstream picked up on this sort of emotional music and fed it to consumers--who could feel and enjoy the songs but could never reach that place where the music came from. then there was candlebox, matchbox 20, and creed. they too built a wall of angst, but behind it was an empty room. now seattle's got its own symptoms of bland alt-rock bluster. I no longer hear the association with the old northwest, the folks who were poor and beat down with no recognition of what was popular out there in america. what I hear now is the result of making music to make money and attempts to make big fat labels drool over the possibility of having the next presidents or sweetwater. but I've recently stumbled on a man whose music taps into the familiar feeling of our Northwest--his name is graig markel, and he's just released his solo debut, versus on venus, on mag wheel/recovery records. whether it's a soulful sadness of feeling alone and betrayed or his longing for somewhere where the sun shines or how this wet springtime almost killed him, graig takes a look at the world around him; as a result, his music is more reminiscent of seattle circa the first part of this decade, a more honest, and more blunt, time. -john richards

the stranger
(January, 1999)

graig markel verses on venus(mag wheel/recovery)***here's a pleasant surprise: former new sweet breath frontman graig markel has reinvented himself as a soul singer. that's usually the kind of move that begs for a punch line, but markel deserves props. his voice, which strained to compete with nsb's semi-spastic pop, is actually much more suited to the laid-back mood and sparse instrumentation of his solo debut, verses on venus. he shows off his best falsetto on songs like "better lost than gone" and "all that glitters," waxes optimistic on "coming up roses," takes a
funky instrumental detour in "pixels to percent," and closes the album with the epic gem "true giveaway." (the last few refrains of "whatever you said, it was over my head" are sung with such resignation and longing that they're hard to shake away.) for a songwriter whose lack of consistency can occasionally be downright frustrating, it's a giant leap forward -- and an album unlike any other you've recently heard. barbara mitchell

devil in the woods
graig markel "verses on venus" new sweet breath's frontman graig markel has pulled together a stormy, soulful, neo- psychedelic, indie-rock record by himself. there is a great deal of character here- the production is warm and markel's vocals are amazingly soulful. a little carpenters, a little karate, and most of all, a whole lotta crossover potential. kelly bauman 5/6 rating= great!

epitonic
(march, 2000)

graig markel, the lead singer and founder of seattle's new sweet breath, explores the places your mind goes when it's late at night and you have spent too much time alone examining your problems. his solo work bears little musical resemblance to new sweet breath's pop-punk: the songs on this album range from stripped-down ballads to flat-out rockers. each of the songs is infused with a touch of soul and a crystalline honesty that will leave you feeling warm and slightly unsettled. throughout the record, markel is yearning for something, balancing bouts of emptiness and anger. "better lost than gone" has more instrumentation than some of the other songs on the album, but the focus is still on markel's soulful, plaintive voice. "winter never saw netter light" sounds like the meeting of randy newman and d'angelo, with its smooth vocals, delicate guitar, and lilting keyboard flourishes. markel has stripped away all of the unnecessary elements in these songs, relying simply on the strength of his voice and his stories.

exclaim!
(april, 2000)

graig markel, front man for seattle-based emo scenesters new sweet breath, follows up the five-song november/december with this full-length effort. markel wrote, performed and produced this entire affair, which runs the gamut from stripped down, ultra lo-fi pop ("satellites on the line," "all that glitters") to soothing minimalist soul ("coming up roses," "better lost
than gone," "you're you") to nsb-worthy emo gems ("what are you waiting for?" "true giveaway"). markel is a songwriter with a wealth of talent and one gets the distinct impression that he's only just begun to scratch the surface with this record.

90.3 kcmu website, december 1999

graig markel verses on venus- an excellent solo album of subdued indie-rock flavored with ‘70s soul from the former new
sweet breath frontman.

the rocket (december, 1999)

the summer of 1999 marked a turning point for seattle songwriter graig markel. his band of five years, new sweet breath, broke up before mag wheel records could get their final ep, acceleration and distortion, into the stores. the band had played a cd release party, but the label didn't supply the discs until several weeks later. ss recently as last spring, nsb's future looked rosy. they had been signed by seattle dj turned a&r rep marco collins to a major label and hoped to release a full-length disc this fall. when nsb's deal fell through, the band called it quits. but not before recording acceleration and distortion, a six-song work of deep punk and angry pop fraught with the same lo-fi coolness and focused songs opening into sharp fictive worlds which brightened previous nsb cds. If a band has to go, they may as well go out with the kind of trebly, powered-up bang found on "my medicine," a disturbingly accurate rant touching on neurosis and dependence. the disc, and this band's career, is resolved on "twilight exit," a ballad of cruising and forgetting so delicately written, it would
seem that despite whatever hopes he may have had for the band's association with marco collins, markel had to know the end was near for nsb even as the band recorded this disc last winter. In an effort to show that "today is the first album of the rest of your life," markel quickly released november/ december, his first solo work, on his own label, recovery records. taking on the universe solo gives the prolific markel more room to maneuver. as a result, this is a broader, moodier and less hyper-kinetic effort than the punk-based nsb generally undertook. "collider" has a suggestion of big , funky bass and "waiting for june" features a reflective markel doffing a smokey robinson falsetto for a sad melodrama of anticipation. on the whole, these two are two fine, albeit brief works which suggest a bright future for one of seattle's more misunderstood songwriters. -dave liljengren

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