CD Reviews

Mark Lind and the Unloved

The Truth Can Be Brutal | Sailor’s Grave

By DAVID BOFFA | July 1, 2008

3.0 Stars

On The Truth Can Be Brutal, Mark Lind and the Unloved blend three-chord punk with pop-rock sensibilities and spit lyrics that fall anywhere from making political and class statements to overcoming personal hardships. In other words: they’re the Ducky Boys with some new faces and familiar names — Lind on vocals (Ducky Boys), Jeff Morris on guitar (Bruisers and Death & Taxes), Mike Savitkas on bass (Death & Taxes), and Jay Messina on drums (Ducky Boys). And I mean that as a compliment. Lind’s social commentary is reliably, meticulously strewn about The Truth. On “Dagger,” he wonders how dropping bombs on the Middle East would jibe with Jesus, positing the Messiah’s response: “Won’t you take this dagger from my heart?” In “An Open Letter to Boston,” a nostalgic Lind admits that he’s “just a rat on your city streets” over a beer-soaked 12-bar blues-rock crunch. It may all be very familiar, but it’s reassuring and refreshing to know that some people never change.

Comments

Add a Comment

ARTICLES BY DAVID BOFFA

RED SPAROWES | September 02, 2008
Aphorisms | Sargent House

HIP-HOP THE HARD WAY | September 02, 2008
The Press Project at Bill's Bar, August 29, 2008

CONOR OBERST | August 26, 2008
Conor Oberst | Merge

NOISE IN THE HOOD | July 07, 2008
Big Digits and Chinese Stars at Middle East Upstairs, July 5, 2008

MARK LIND AND THE UNLOVED | July 01, 2008
The Truth Can Be Brutal | Sailor’s Grave

See all articles by: DAVID BOFFA

Most Viewed

Most Emailed

I HAD AN ABORTION
Forty percent of American women have abortions by the time they're 45. I'm one of them.

BEN FOLDS | WAY TO NORMAL
Epic (2008)

TWITHEADS
Is it time to dial down journalism’s latest fad?

KAIDOKU XXX
Psycho Sudoku

THE PEOPLE'S GRAVELLY VOICE
Alan Lupo, 1938–2008

ARE UNIVERSITIES SELLING OUT TO OIL NATIONS?
As big bucks beckon, Gulf campuses of American universities are booming

LETTER FROM LONDON
The foggy joys of Europe’s most international city

CHOKE
“Gag” might be a better title

MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA
Has Spike Lee lost his way?

AMONG THE REPUBLICAN THUGS
Fear and pepper spray in St. Paul

HOT TOPICS

Boston Symphony Orchestra , Kim Deal , Radiohead , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Harvard University , Kurt Weill , James Levine , James Robinson , John Harbison , Brian Eno