Among the more interesting live musicians today is Mark Mallman. Never afraid to shy away from a gig, this guy has performed in cardboard boxes, played piano with a tire, and composed a 54 hour long song! To say this man is a little bit wacky is an understatement. The guy has a fervent and quirky sense of energy and it's reflected not only in his live performances but just about everything he touches from soundtracks, NPR broadcasts, and of course his own albums. As if to make a point, Mallman's latest album Invincible Criminal is a hyper explosion of energy that's about as infectious as the swine flu.
Invincible Criminal is an 80's power pop album trapped in the 21st century and it's trying to feverishly get back to where it belongs. It's a record with ADHD and no medicine will help calm it down. It's hyper, jumpy, and on such a sugar high that it takes the duration of the thing just to come down. Mallman is all over the place on Invincible Criminal and comes off as something like a STIFF Records compilation mixed with Meat Loaf and Joe Jackson for good measure. It's an incredibly spastic combination that's like listening to a whirlwind of pop music that's big, catchy and really good.
There's not a lot that you can say about Invincible Criminal that isn't positive. Mark Mallman has written a record that is so full of vim and vigor that it's almost impossible to ignore. The songs he writes have flash, style, swagger, a sense of drama, and an overwhelming insight into what makes pop music great. Invincible Criminal carries on with a spring in its step as it bubblegum's it's way through each of the twelve songs here. It's a fantastic record played by one of the most energetic musicians in rock and roll today. Mark Mallman might play songs that last two days, but he's quite capable of putting the best bits of a pop song into something under three minutes long and that's truly something special.
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