TURNTABLE TUESDAY - Loud - Mark Chapman

Lookin' For A Party kicks off the new album by Mark Chapman, living up to the album's title - LOUD. For the most part, that is not a bad thing. LOUD is the party album I feel has been simmering inside Mark for a long time. The tunes on this CD are directed at catching the ear of contemporary country radio.  

Subsequent tunes such as Life Out On the Farm (a track all radio stations should be playing), Friday Night 'Round Here, 11:11, Big Time, You're Gonna Have That and Paradise all showcase the more contemporary vein Mark is opening up these days.

Where a majority of LOUD is meant to move Mark Chapman forward, he did not foresake the solid ballads I love most about his music. This Road I'm On, Uphill Both Ways are the story songs we can all identify with.

Overall, I think Mark accomplished what he set out to showcase in LOUD.  With the exception of Big Time, which he produced in Nashville with producer, Michael Knox, Mark has written, produced and mixed LOUD together entirely on his own at home in southwest Missouri. The quality speaks to the understanding of how a song should sound and being in control of the product.  While my preferences always lean towards a solid country song or ballad, I still appreciate an artist following their heart. That's where the best music comes from and Mark Chapman never loses sight of that as he pens lyrics and produces what should be hit after hit. Mark Chapman belongs on the radio and in the big time.

I'm tipping my hat:

 .5

Here is the video for Life Out On the Farm:

You can catch up with Mark through his:

Website
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YouTube

You can purchase any of Mark's music:

Website
CD Baby

CONCERT REVIEW - Mark Chapman Band

I'm using a stock photo for this as I do not have any good shots from the night I saw the Mark Chapman Band. However, when you go to their website, there are some great photos others have done. But even better, get on their MCB Crazies newsletter list and know when they will be in your area and check them out LIVE!

Seriously, you NEED to hear these guys in person. As cool as their cds are, they put on one heck of a show. And while I'm not big on all the 'showmanship' in a concert (I'm more an acoustics kind of gal), their show is great! And their fans are a testament to the fact.

I saw Mark Chapman Band for the first time at the Seymour Missouri Apple Festival last September. You would think for the middle of September the weather would be picture perfect for fall. Not that night. Not even close. It was beyond cold. People sat in lawn chairs huddled in blankets -OVER their coats. Hats, scarves were a necessity and you could see your breath. But as cold as the weather was, the street was packed to watch these guys perform... for almost FOUR hours! You heard me. They did not start until 7 p.m. if I remember correctly so you can imagine if people started the evening out bundled up how much colder the temperatures got as the evening progressed. But that did not deter anyone from enjoying the amazing performance by The Mark Chapman Band.

Here's just a sample of what you can expect at a show:

Their tour dates are lining up for the 2015 season. So go check them out.. just pack for that odd snowfall in April ;-)

Country Blessings!

TURNTABLE TUESDAY- Mark Chapman - The Nashville Sessions

One of the coolest parts of my job as an entertainment writer is the opportunity to get my hands on a wide varity of music from both new and established artists. For the most part, I have an idea of what to expect, as most of my reviews are from well-established artists. I've listened to them for years and know their musical style. I know when I put a CD in the player or download a tune, exactly what I am going to hear. I have yet to be disappointed. But when someone new crosses my desk, there is always that question in the back of my mind, "what if I don't like this artist's stuff?" I am always honest with my reviews, but there is a fine line between being honest while not dashing a dream. I breathe a sigh of relief when the artist takes that decision out of my hands

Although I have had previews of music by The Mark Chapman Band in the past, hearing several cuts in a row can be a different experience. The Nashville Sessions lives up to everything I have heard from and about Mark Chapman. The man knows his way around a lyric.

Burn 'Em Down opens up the five-track EP with a tune overflowing with visual artistry, showcasing Mark's ability to translate what he sees in his brain to something his fans can as well. Of all the songs on this EP, this one screams to be made into a professionally produced video.

Fireflies is the grooviest song on here. Whether you are sitting on a log around a camp fire in the Ozarks or on a beach somewhere, Fireflies is that summer evening dance tune everyone will sing along to.

Love Finds You is the longest track (4:20). While that seems long for a tune these days, this is that song to pull your sweet someone out onto the dance floor and just be. I think the length of the tune is a large part of what Mark wanted to convey in this tune, thus showing his mastery of the ability to make each song an experience.

The visuals continued with Rosary On the Rearview. I could envision a young couple cruising the back roads ejoying each other and the day full of promise.

While Waves is that feeling we all experience with various aspects of our life, Mark brings the imagary to a new level. As I listened, I was reminded of Cheyanne by Garth Brooks - whom Mark has admired for a long time. While the stories in the two songs differ, there is still that sense of the power waves in any form carry.

If you like folks like Granger Smith and Garth Brooks, you will love Mark Champan - The Nashville Sessions.

The only thing that confused me about this EP is the track listing order on the sleeve did not match the order on the player. While a minor item, that was just something from a marketing stand point that jumped out. I am also not sure if this was just something that occured on the promotional copies or the actual release.

I am tipping my hat

 1/2

You can download this EP HERE

Be sure to follow the Mark Chapman Band on all of their social media sights and to sign up for their newsletter for your free download of Fireflies

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OUT OF THE CHUTE - Mark Chapman Band - Keepin' It Real

Photo By:

Kevin Hubbard

Terminal Image Design

Nashville TN

I have spent most of the past three years focusing on Texas Music and Traditional Country Music. Recently, my contacts have brought me into Bluegrass.  Bluegrass is part of the heritage of the Ozarks where I live. So, until recently I have not been focused on the music available in my home state of Missouri... Until I heard these guys!  

They are NOT bluegrass .. but they are a group with a lot of the same basic values. They are hard working men with day jobs and families. They are Weekend Warriors.

Mark Chapman Band is collectively a talented group of guys from southwest Missouri. Aside from group founder, Mark, there is also his brother Jeff (lead guitar/ vocals), Randall Wildman (bass /harmony), Jake Stringer (drums) and Vince Herbert (mandolin/ guitar/ banjo). They may be from small towns but they have their eye on the Big Dream. To do what they love full time. 

I had the opportunity to sit down with , Mark Chapman, last September and I have to tell you... he is the most down to earth, coolest guy you will ever have coffee with. He is passionate about all facets of the business of making music and entertaining people. He is a songwriter, an awesome vocalist, guitar player and consumate performer. As if those talents were not enough, he also has a strong interest in working the audio and production. All of these tell me one important fact about Mark... whatever he does, he wants to know all the angles so that he can produce the best product for his fans. He is all about doing things to the best of his ability 

Although the band has been around for some time... since 2008, they caught their biggest break to date when they competed in Battle For the Saddle in Nashville in 2013. The win gave the group a wide variety of opportunities. Aside from honing their performance skills on a higher level of professionalism, they were able to network with some of the biggest names in the business side of the industry. 

Winning Battle For the Saddle gave the guys a boost up the ladder. Since their win, they have had the opportunity to open for some major acts such as Eli Youg Band, Jo Dee Messina and Josh Turner to name a view. While opening for these folks was awesome, they did not pass up the opportunity to learn a little along the way. 

Mark describes the experience, "To me, the thing I take away... we did a show with Jo Dee Messina this past year and she is one of the coolest people I've ever had the chance to meet. She's just super cool and she'd just sit down and talk to you like anyone. To me, that's what you dream that all these people are like. Even when they get big, or more noticeable but the simple truth is a lot of them are not like that. So what I take away from the shows that we do with other people is that I really take stock in the ones who stayed who they were and that stayed down to earth." 

One of the first things I noticed about Mark's music is that his songs are a mix of his influences and a style all his own that he has developed over time. One of his biggest influences growing up was The Eagles. 

"If I had one choice and could pick one sound I wanted to be like, it would be The Eagles."

Country music today seems to be all across the board and it was not until last summer that I realized why. So I asked Mark to classify his music. 

"My music... I've always flown under the country music flag. It's definitely country but it's probably some southern rock, some infused country, some blues elements. It's probably 'progressive country'."

Whatever kind of music you want to call it, at the core of what the Mark Chapman Band does on and off the stage and in the songs they write is all about keeping it real. 'keeping it authentic and not contrived. Trying to take something in your life that means something and trying to make sure you keep it honest and real... to make it so it's about something everybody can all relate to."

One of those songs is Firefly. If you go to the WEBSITE and sign up for their newsletter, you can get a free download of the song. Pretty cool. 

Tomorrow I will be reviewing their CD -  The Nashville Sessions for Turntable Tuesday 

Then Wednesday, I will be doing a Concert Review of their Seymour MO show from September.

So come on back and ride the MCB Crazy Train with me!

Aside from their website, you can also find Mark Chapman Band on:

FB

YouTube

Twitter

To add their music to your listening devices:

Amazon

iTunes

CDbaby

OUT OF THE CHUTE

I am still trying to get things back to a routine after the crazy November/ December. I'm almost there!

To celebrate I'm offering up a Triple Play next week (Beginning Monday Feb.2) with one of the nicest up and coming guys you'll ever meet. Mark Chapman of the Mark Chapman Band.

In the mean time, check out his site.  Mark Chapman Band 

CONCERT & EVENTS - Seymour Apple Festival

Although this event kicked off yesterday (Thursday), There is still plenty of time to come join the fun! I'll be there tonight to see Missouri native -Mark Chapman Band. They take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of:

Kevin Hubbard

Terminal Image Design

Nashville TN