Album review: MARK VENNIS & A DIFFERENT PLACE – Fighting On All Fronts

December 12th, 2020 by jason

Cadiz Music [Release date 27.11.20]

Moviehouse MD and modern day renaissance man, Mark Vennis, fresh from producing acclaimed documentary, Rebel Dread, has just released his third album, Fighting On All Fronts.

It’s an album Vennis recorded primarily with long time music associate, Dave Sweetenham, over the last 18 months. A day here, a weekend there and so forth. It’s not what’s perceived as the normal approach, but personal circumstances always prevail, and in reality it’s given Vennis and his songs a perspective that might otherwise have been lost in a short term dash to the finishing line.

His abrasive, roots rock style is self admittedly in the same street fighting musical mould as Paul Weller, The Clash, Bob Marley and others. And his edgy yet efficient vocals are the perfect vehicle for this ‘three chords and the cold unvarnished truth’ approach.

It’s a brand of musical social realism that looks hard for inspiration in humanity, finding voice in songs as varied as ‘Waste Away’, a sharply observed litany of suffering and ‘Cut Me Loose’, a defiant, reggae shaped cry from the heart.

His voice has soul, he keeps a tight rein on the sharp objects that rattle about his vocal melodies, and he delivers with emotion and conviction. Most especially on ‘Light Summer Rain’, and ‘The Shark’. One a relaxed, folk/country rock song, exalting the healing power of the rain, and its ability to wash away our woes. The other is one of the most disconcerting tracks on the album, as a menacing, mysterious character cuts through the city streets, smelling “blood in the water”.

The bluesy, Stonesy ‘Edge Of Everything’ is as emblematic of the album’s Raison D’etre as you could get. Its doom laden quality tests Vennis’s empathy for wounded souls to the limit, as the song’s despairing commentary describe a town, a city, a world descending into chaos.

Maybe, just maybe, albums like this will shake enough of us awake to respond. Who knows. ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)