Music

INSPIRATION

The Books

Mark: No other band has shaped me more as a person. The Books has found a way to explain complex emotions in an almost holographic sense that plays with your perceptions of what music is, of speech and the variety of its cadences, of history and its interpretations, and of a greater sense of understanding.
http://thebooksmusic.com
"Take Time" music video

Do Make Say Think

Mark: Do Make Say Think is the only band I've found that, with 100% consistency, can mix the complexities of jazz with the drive and immediacy of rock 'n' roll. They are one of indie rock's musically tightest bands with an astonishing sense of timing and a great understanding of the effectiveness of change through repetition.
http://domakesaythink.com
"A Tender History in Rust" music video

Miles Davis

Mark: All I can say about Miles Davis that is new to anyone is that he taught me the importance of respecting simplicity in melody.
http://milesdavis.com
"So What" music video

Luke Brandfon

Mark: This is Luke Brandfon, one of my good friends from Kenyon College. He is the one that got me into using GarageBand to record music, using looping pedals, and then inspired me to take a year off and play music. It is not an overstatement nor is it premature to point out that he is a modern master of songcraft. His music is a quantum leap for honesty and transparency in pop music.

http://myspace.com/lukeybrandfon
"That Place" music video (c) Katie Grove (2007)