(American Rural Records) One For The Crow is Austin based singer/songwriter, Mark Jungers' third album and lastest release. Produced by Lars Goransson (winner of the 2004 Austin Music Award for best producer), the album was recorded with Mark's performing band, The Whistling Mules (Adrian Schoolar on lead guitar, dobro and harmony vocals, Wes Green on mandolin, fiddle and harmony vocals and David Goldsby on electric bass and high harmony vocals, with Mark handling rhythm guitar and harmonica duties in addition to lead vocals), a choice that sets out to give the album the energy and feel of a live show and succeeds. While many of Mark's songs veer towards the darker side of life, One For The Crow still leans that way, but there's a more upbeat feel to it.

Mark is a roots based songwriter who draws from his own life experiences in small town/rural America (though now based in Austin, he was born and raised in a small farming community in Minnesota) that provides a strong sense of authenticity to his songs. His music is firmly rooted in Americana, a sound that runs the spectrum where he skillfully combines country, hillbilly, bluegrass, folk, Tex-Mex and roots rock. His presents his music with an honest, straightforward delivery and his twangy drawl convincingly captures a range of emotions from dark despair to the carefree freedom of youth.

One For The Crow opens with the breezy mid-tempo country-rocker, "I Just Can't Wait," that revolves around the theme of leaving small town life behind in search of something better, only to eventually realize that maybe that small town life really isn't so bad. "Walking Down The Road" is a swampy song about a man ready to leave the past behind and move on that uses trains as a means of escape from a life of dead ends. "Break In" has a bluesy yet spooky feel to it. In it's literal sense the song is about a couple who's house was robbed and the observation that the neighborhood is no longer safe and it's time to move on, but taken in a broader sense, it's an ominous lament about the vanishing safety and security that small town life once held.

The lighter side of youthful adventures are told in the shuffling, humorous sing-a-long, "Bucky's Car." A Tex-Mex influence runs through the country-rocker, "Won't Be Long," a darker tale of a youthful pastime gone wrong with the character realizing it was just a matter of time before trouble would catch up with him. "Learned By Now" is a spirited, light-hearted song about a bunch of middle age buddies celebrating the fact that they've never outgrown their partying ways. "A Fool Like Me" is a standout, straight ahead roots-rocker that's full of regret over a lost friendship.

In one of the album's highlights, Mark paints a desolate portrait of small town lives gone wrong in "Guns And Dust." He tells this fatalistic story about star-crossed lovers who get caught up in a life of drugs and crime in a dusty, western ballad fashion. "Dig" is a poignant, acoustic ballad that Mark recorded live in mono using a vintage microphone that gives the song a stark, mournful sound. The song is told from the perspective of a man struggling to work his land to provide for his family and although the work is hard and he's barely surviving, what he does is more important to him than money. "Fences" is a bluegrass-folk gem that speaks of the freedom, hope and pride America offers despite it's problems. Another highlight is "Hold On Tight" another song that offers hope. This one's a bluesy gospel influenced song that features some terrific harmony about seizing the moment, being grateful for what you have and not worrying about a tomorrow that may never come. 

"We Talk" is a lively two-stepper about people who talk to each other but can't connect with each other. Regret, a search for forgiveness and heartache is on tap in the quirky and delightfully ragged waltz, "You Left The First Time." "Deep In My Heart" is a mid-tempo roots-rocker about insecurity, longing and hanging onto the improbable hope that things could change.

Aside from Mark's already proven strong songwriting and his passionate, honest delivery, what sets him apart is that he, along with The Whistling Mules, have created a unique sound that's stands out from anything else around. The playing is not only tight and energetic, but their use of instruments is brilliantly creative. The album's most rocking song, "Fool Like Me" is a perfect example. It combines blistering roadhouse guitars along with fiery fiddle and blazing mandolin and dobro that mesh together with perfection. Most of the songs deliver a heavy dose of standout harmonica playing that adds a rustic feel throughout the album and is often showcased in red hot solo turns traded between Mark's harmonica licks, Wes' mandolin and Adrian's dobro. While Mark's lyrics vividly bring to life snippets of small town/rural America and the lives of the people who live there, the music is at the same time contemporary, yet projects an old time feel of days gone by. There's often an underlying melancholy sadness over a vanishing way of life that runs through his songs. Mark Jungers has been lighting up the Austin music scene for some time. One For The Crow proves why. He's delivered another first rate effort that shouldn't be missed.                                     

Standout Tracks: "Just Can't Wait," Walking Down The Road," "You Left Me The First Time," Guns And Dust," "Hold On Tight," "Dig," "Fences," "Break In," "Fool Like Me"

On The Net: www.markjungers.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack October 2004

Read TCB's previous review of Mark Jungers:

http://www.takecountryback.com/reviews/mjrev0103.htm