This is definitely Taylor Locke’s year. Between his work with Rooney and his own band, he deserves a much more attention from the mainstream music press. After a stellar debut earlier this year with Grain & Grape, he returns with another power pop treasure. Taylor and Chris Price are firing on all cylinders here, and the listener reaps rewards from Marathon. The ambitious opener has an album’s worth of songs in a six minute medley called “The Honor Roll.” From Jellyfish-like harmonies to Ramone styled guitar riffs, the song is a whirlwind of images and tones that swings back and forth from sugary pop to glam rock in a mini-rock opera about different types of girls. Even Roger Manning, Jr. would be proud of this one.
“Jenny” is a pretty standard rocker follow up, but Taylor amps it up with “Tarred, Feathered & Scarlet Lettered” a swaggering tune about a Lothario’s reputation. Another huge standout here is the ballad “Don’t Forget” which is a sweetly sung, albeit condescending message to a girl how important you are to her. This song is kind of a companion to Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are” and melodically hits all the right notes. The gems keep coming, “My Only Drug” is a jangle filled duet with Charlotte Froom and “Los Feliz” is a fast paced guitar party with blasting horns, and wicked solos at the end. And to top it all off is a proper tribute to one of my favorite bands “Badfinger” – with plenty of lyrical references to the band and a killer hook in the chorus. This is yet another “must-have” album and top ten contender, the first time I know a band has made my list twice in the same year!
This video is “Jennifer” from Grain and Grape.
