Positives:

Marbin is a fusion of styles and genres. The middle eastern overtones are always present in the melodies, which gives an exotic and fresh sound to what ever style they are kickin’ at the moment.

Bottom Line:

Strong Thing is a wonderful collection of ten tunes. The four-member band sounds a strong as ever. The album has a wide range of feels, from swing to aggressive rock, Strong Thing has it covered. The glue that holds everything together is the four members ability to groove together and communicate music that is passionate and deliberate. “Messy Mark” has a sophisticated melody that snakes its way through rhythmic band hits. Markovitch’s saxophone solo is energetic and his exotic scale choices and rhythmic articulation is always fun to hear. “Pank Tank” is a rock fusion track that has a solid groove laid down by Benton and Nadel. Markovitch and Rabin create a unique sound when playing the melody, their phrasing and articulation is impressive together. Rabin’s guitar work is always inspiring and here he builds his solo with finesse and energy. “Alabama Sock Party” is a fun composition that has some of Rabin’s best playing on the date. His clean technique and facility on the guitar is in full musical display. Overall, Strong Thing is a brilliant album of well-written tunes that are performed by a band that has a sound together and can play with impeccable precision. That’s the short of it!