Mahp Stories CD

Wading throgh the vast charted and all too oft traveled waters of today's popular music can be a double-edged venture at best. However temporarily empowering it might feel to sing along to the scores of hooky and endlessly repeated choruses, one is too often left with the inexplicable notion that one has heard this all before and, perhaps, maybe even done better the first time.Enter the MAHP, a southeastern Wisconsin based rock band led by one fearless and disarmingly, almost, naive Mark Harrod. The use of the word "naive" here is used quite endearingly as there are times when it seems that the most intellectually punishable of crimes in modern society may well be the wide eyed and genuine belief in something and the resolution to express it; openly, purely and simply. The MAHP do this voluminously on their self-released debut album, "In the Rye".The MAHP do more here than play songs, they weave sonant musical tapestries. There are no suspicious notions of racing through filler to get the hooks out. The arrangements are solid and well spoken, driven by articulate and aggressive acoustic guitar, amply supported by the ethereal textures of Scott Cannaday's electric guitar work. Brad Hawes' solid, sophistacated drumming and Chris Jakubiak's proficiently smooth bass work punctuate perfectly each careful nuance of Harrod's voice.While Harrod's vocal delivery may more loosely resemble modern pop icons such as Dave Mathews and Rob Thomas, the themes of hope, longing, struggle and wonder tend to almost recall the cinematic depth and character cast one might expect to find on those late-70's era Springsteen records.The MAHP pride themselves on a very driving and spiritual live show that may be experienced equally well in 2-piece, 3-piece or 4-piece acoustic or electric incarnations. Regardless of which you experience, it's an experience you'll likely want to relive again and again.