On Your Way

press

A review of "two years and thirty minutes"

"...The record showcases Schwaber's wide range of talents, from his understatedly brilliant guitar playing (check out the quirky turnaround after the first chorus of "Watergun") to his knack for creating beautiful arrangements (dive into the lovely layers of "Hell is Here" and "Dignity in Death") to his seemingly endless supply of hooks (just try to get the vocal lines on "Let Down" or the guitar line on "Ghosting" out of your head).

The mood on Two Years... shifts from straight-up rock to sparse, nylon-string dirges, but the unmistakable constant is Schwaber's superb songwriting. There are 11 songs in this collection, and only two of them break the three-minute mark. Chalk that brevity up to the fact that Schwaber has mastered one of the most important principles of songwriting: Don't overdo it. He never forces lyrics. If he's said everything he needs to say in a single verse, he brings the song in for a gorgeous, graceful landing, as he does on "Crash Your Ride." If he's written a wonderfully funny and catchy verse, he simply repeats it, as he does on "On Your Way." It's a compelling approach -- compelling the listener to revisit the songs again and again and again."
Greg Saulmon - masslive.com


Just some of the many amazing review of Hospital, the band that Mark
led for 5 years...

"At once stark and luxuriant, the music never overwhelms
with angst but instead works a more subtle seduction;
it's music for tender ears and tired hearts,
a sadcore aficianado's dream come true"
Valley Advocate - 1997

"...an endearing postcard from a faraway place."
The Noise - 2000

"...emotionally charged and showing superior musicianship
the quintet never delivered the expected climax. Instead
they left their audience to suffer...gratefully"
Greenfield Recorder - 1997


bio


After a 3 year hiatus from the band Hospital, singer/songwriter Mark
Schwaber returns with a half hour of eleven pop statements. The record is
entitled "two years and thirty minutes". It is being released on
Pigeon Records, home to such great acts as Spouse, Mike Flood,
Lo Fine, Bully Club, Extendo Ride and many more. Recorded over
2 years at Plummer's Mines Studios (engineered by Karl Ourand of
Bloodbath/Pushbutton Warfare), Slaughterhouse Studios (engineered
by Mark Alan Miller) and Woodmont Studios (engineered by Bruce Tull of the
Scud Mountain Boys and Lo Fine) this collection of short and direct songs is
sad, sweet, stressful and silly. In the past 15 years Mark has toured/performed
along side such acts as Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, Jawbox, Papas Fritas,
Lois Moffeo and hundreds of others. Mark is currently a member of 2 great
Western Mass bands...Lo Fine (www.lofine.com) and Spouse
(www.spousemusic.com)

contact

Pigeon Records
PO Box 3723
Portland, ME 04104

markschwaber@hotmail.com
www.pigeonrecords.com