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| MarathonSongs To Turn The Tide2003 Red Leader 
  Review by: Brian See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on May 14th 2004 The Bush administration, which could very well be turning the page on its final chapter this coming fall, has not only brought out resounding bouts of anger in countless people, but some damn fine music – passionately aggressive, surprisingly melodic punk rock for the most part. Rochester’s Marathon plays a style not very far from the aforementioned. The band, on Red Leader Records (the former home of a little band you may have heard of named Strike Anywhere), recalls the semi-spastic tendencies of early Propagandhi, but much more varied in sound. The quirky vocals, which resemble Guttermouth’s Mark Adkins in his earlier days, still take on an original value of their own. They take some adjusting to, but fit the music well after several listens. Although, to be fair, Adkins was basically ripping off John K. Samson’s snotty technique for several years as it is. The band mixes it up extremely well; there’s not one style that settles in for more than forty-five seconds at a time. Barely a minute goes by in the first song, “Photosynthesis,” before the music halts to a drum-breaking, emotional queue, with the vocalist wailing, “black bile, expulsion – our hopes for beauty take an exit and get flushed,” only to delve a short while later into an almost post-hardcore qualm. “Bombs Make Lousy Tourniquets” contains a tussle of exchanged yells and screams over a quick, distorted riff. As evidenced earlier, the lyrics are flat-out spectacular. They mask a lot of the political commentary with slight metaphor, but the clincher is just that – they’re only slight. Instead of similes and such getting overly injected with pointless allegory, it’s more like the band makes a quick note of it and then gets to the point, like in “Langston’s Motto;” “buildings, subways, city sidewalks – formerly our public canvas. Now coated with glossy plastic faces bleached with one intent: manufacture illness.” Not to mention that no one can argue with the blatant cleverness of a prophetic line like “dinosaurs like you become the fossil fuels you dearly love.” And, no, they don’t rip off Refused in any manner, as much hope as the EP’s title might have given you. They sound like a band that could easily be huge just as well in a short time, though. MP3sPhotosynthesis Bombs Make Lousy Tourniquets Langston’s Motto MP3 CLIP Our Dictator Can Beat Up Your Dictator People who liked this also liked:    ![Seasick - Awakenings [10 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/seasick-awakenings.jpg)  ![Bridge and Tunnel - Bridge and Tunnel [7 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/bridge_and_tunnel-bridge_and_tunnel_7_inch.jpg)   ![Relics - Demo [7 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/relics-demo.jpg)  Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
This is agreat EP, agreed. Not as good as their new full length on Reignition. this is the best fuckin album! I love it! Every song is GREAT! I can't wait for the new Cd. Seeing them live is even better, if you can imagine that! This is great, but they're even better live. This cd is so fucking good! I've been listening to it since I got it a week ago. They were great live...really energetic. Everyone should hear this cd. It's great. This album is so fucking good it's crazy. This is what all punk and hardcore bands should be trying to do. i mean marathon should be the next band to blow the fuck up!!! first of all they spawned from 2 great bands such as DE LA HOYA AND STANDFAST. it doesnt get better than that. I think this is probably the best album of the last 5 years. Hardcore that rocks out but is never cliche, ala late refused. Vocals that are daring and inventive, ala mike patton, and the live show to back it up. Put that with lyrics that are brilliant AND important and every other new band pales in comparison. If you live in this world now, and you aren't searching out insurgent political art like marathon what is wrong with you? Hopefully bands like marathon will lead the charge to take back punk rock from the broken hearts and boy bands in disguise. Impeach Bush Now. so in order to sound like you give a shit about what your singing about you need more than one word in the name. hmmm i guess i don't quite understand that. May they should call themselves "the blood death red conspiracy theory of roses". you know, you might be onto something, that does sounds more like they care. Great album by a great band. These guys are awesome live as well....make sure to check them out if you ever get the chance. You will not be disappointed at all. These guys are definately one of the best bands on the scene right now. muisc is good, name sucks. I hate bands with one owrd names that sound like they just don't care about what it ever the hell it is that they're doing Great fucking band. "When I listen to it, I can't help but thinking that this band would be so much better if they were screaming instead of singing." When I listen to it, I can't help but thinking that this band would be so much better if they were screaming instead of singing. yea one time the drummer of this band along with cohorts in another band dumped 100 pounds of seaweed and dead fish on our van. aaron is cute. These guys are touring with New Mexican Disaster Squad in June... should be a fucking badass tour. The singer's last band, De La Hoya, was great too. I really dig this band. 2 thumbs up for marathon, great band and great guys! You couldn't catch me on the street without a ton of reefer, thats like Malcolm X catching the jungle fever... |
