Mark Slaughter Album Review 'Halfway There'
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Press Release: Mark Slaughter Has Released the First in a Series Of In-Studio Videos Discussing New Album HALFWAY THERE
The soaring vocals and catchiness that has been apparent in Mark Slaughter's music for the last 30 years are on the forefront of his latest solo release Halfway There. This is Slaughter's second release over the span of 2 years, with Halfway There being the follow up to 2015's Reflections In A Rear View Mirror. This album is a step in the modern direction, having a great balance and mixture of harmonious melodies that are reminiscent of that classic 80's sound combined with heavy riffs to create a full, rocking sound. The album also varies in tempo, which is beneficial in breaking up the tracks and it not sounding like one giant song. Props go out to Slaughter for consistently writing lyrics with actual meaning that explore his own life and experiences without making the album 'too serious'; he is able to maintain a light and carefree factor without having songwriting suffer.
Kicking off the album is the upbeat, standout track "Hey You", which opens up with a killer riff and really starts the album off on a high note. "Conspiracy" and "Devoted" are among the heavier tracks on the record, showcasing somewhat of a different musical side to Slaughter that we have not completely seen in the past. Being the tracks are little dark and sinister does not mean we are missing out on Slaughter's wickedly melodic vocals, though. "Devoted" is another standout track due to its heavy (and catchy) riff that reoccurs throughout the track and the killer guitar solo that Slaughter works into the mix. "Supernatural" is one of the more classic Slaughter sounding songs, but again, doesn't sound all too out of place on this 2017 release because of the mastery level incorporation of the modern rock sound. Moving onto the title track, this is where we see the first variant in tempo as "Halfway There" is the initial balladesque track on the album. "Halfway There" initially caught my attention not because it slows things down, but for a split second I stopped what I was doing to listen to the lyrics and really heard the personal touches that Slaughter added to this album, which then cued me to restart the album and really focus in on his songwriting and composition. "Not Here" is another meaningful track, that again caught my attention after hearing the first few lyrics which prompted me to listen to the remainder of the track with intent. It is without question that Slaughter created 10 well thought out, well-composed tracks, each of which put his musical prowess on display.
The more I listen to Halfway There, the more I hear. Halfway There is not just a quick one time listen. With each additional listen, you are able to hear more intricacies, be it a bass line you did not catch the first time around or one of those stunningly personal lyrics I mentioned earlier, there always seems to be something new unveiled each time the album runs through. Halfway There is a perfect representation of where Slaughter is in his career, and definitely, translates as a depiction of his musical creativity and passion.
About Jaide Alicia
JournalistFor as long as I can remember music has been my entire life. Due to starting my own website about music, my life has turned into a total dream come true. I've been able to interview some of my life idols and make great friends within the industry- something I thought was a complete long shot. On top of music, I went to a great cosmetology school for one year, and although I never finished the curriculum (because I decided music was a better way to spend my time) I still learned a ton about the industry, which has given me the opportunity to write about hair and beauty on many other platforms. I do the best I can to make my family and myself proud, and the best part of my life is seeing what the future has in store.
