Another Happy Ending is Just the Beginning for The Clarks

Listening to The Clarks latest CD Another Happy Ending sparks moments of foot tapping, head bopping and complete instants of being lost within a world of musical wonderment.

The latest album from the Pittsburgh based quartet provides top-notch lyrics, rhythms and artistry. The CD is a balance between power pop songs and insightful melodies about relationships and life in general.

The strength of the album is clearly the way the whole band fits together. Each piece of the puzzle is well placed from the melodies to the 6 and 12 strings Robert James plays with incredible relish and ability. The exceptional rhythm section of bassist Greg Joseph and drummer David Minarik Jr. builds the foundation of the band.

But what stands out most is Scott Blasey's strong, clear and passionate voice. It's powerful and soft at the same time, such as can be found on the track "Wasting Time." Blasey embraces the capacity and control he has over his voice and comes off sounding like a rocker that should be heard all over the radio. As he sings dynamic tunes such as "Twist My Arm" and "Wasting Time" the full range of his voice can be heard.

"It's kinda like a fever/My sleep is getting deeper/It's kinda like a sunset/Fade to black, but not yet/The earthly joy of sex and weed and wine/The high and low of life is not a crime/Like wasting time," Blasey sings on "Wasting Time," a remarkable sounding track both musically and lyrically. Blasey's voice rings out with such zeal the listener can't help but be lost within the realm of the musical world.

And with five studio albums to its credit, The Clarks are no strangers to that world. With Another Happy Ending, (the band's second release for New York based independent label Razor & Tie and with producer Justin Niebank of Eric Clapton and John Hiatt fame) The Clarks have broadened its sound by adding keyboards, strings and loops. The more textured result is a dozen
tight songs with beautiful underbellies of musicianship that add rather than take away from the harmonies. The softer yet sonic sounds of strings enhance some of the pop driven songs such as "On Saturday" and "This House is Burning Down Tonight." The contemplative song "Hey You" also utilizes the almost hidden sound of strings to create a passionate tale of change, pain and healing. Quirky keyboard bits add ear-pleasing effects to songs such as "Boys Lie" a funky and sharp tale of trust and lies.

The unified style of the two main songwriters Blasey and Joseph generates poignant, well-crafted lyrics with a wry sense of humor that mixes well with the strong pop sensibilities and polished garage band sound the band emits.
On the opening track "Maybe" the words "Maybe circumstances take it easier to quit/Maybe in our circle, square pieces never fit/But I want you to know/I've never walked away from the things I've wanted/I've never walked away, but I think I'm going to/This time," can't help but stick in the listener's head. The classic breakup ditty is fueled by wonderful lines such as "Maybe your mind plays tricks on me."

Although Blasey and Joseph are the primary songwriters for the group, both Minarik and James add songs of their own to the disc. Minarik pens his first song for a Clarks release, the tender and vulnerable "So You Can Sleep at Night." The guitar on the track is rather hypnotic as is the drum loop. James writes the classic '60s style pop song "Inside You." The lyrics paint a picture of dealing with current feelings for someone.

"And it all comes down to what we're feeling now/And I know what I see when I look into your eyes/I'm inside you...And you don't even know it/Deep inside you...And it's time to show it," grooves the song.

Another noteworthy song is the hard hitting, drum driven "Superstar." The catchy beats and chorus is full of the great all-American sound of rock 'n' roll. And interesting to note is "Hey You" was inspired by, but not written about, the tragic events of September 11. "On Saturday" will most likely stick in your head more than others as the song unfolds the idea of giving someone a notice of when they'll be breaking up.

The band itself is far from breaking up. The members met as students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The foursome formed a band and began its career by playing local parties. After graduation they moved to Pittsburgh and quickly built a local following as they began to regularly play countless performances for crowds of 8,000 or more. A couple of the band's songs have been featured in films such as "Summer Catch" with Freddie Prinze Jr., "Boys" with Winona Ryder and "Just Write" with Jeremy Piven and Sherilynn Fenn.

Touring relentlessly The Clarks have played with such acts as Train, Wilco and John Mayer. They've headlined several major amphitheaters including co-headlining with 3 Doors Down at the Pittsburgh's Post Gazette Pavilion in 2001.

The Clarks receive tremendous support from the "Clarks Reps" a nationwide network of more than 1,000 dedicated fans who put up posters in tour markers, host pre-release listening parties and monitor inventory at local retailers. Perhaps with their help, the band's unprecedented talent and continued songwriting abilities the four men can move from being a Pittsburgh phenomenon to a nationwide name. Either way Another Happy Ending is just the beginning in what The Clarks has to show the world.