Reviews of Rock, Paper, Jesus
The Chicago Reader
The Santa Monica Mirror
Punk Planet
Indie-Music.com
Americana-UK (the UK)
Comes With a Smile (the UK)
Kinda Music (the Netherlands)
Cntrl.alt.country (the Netherlands)
Alt.country.nl (the Netherlands)
Roots Highway (Italy)
Reviews of Crooked Pictures
The Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Reader
Listen.com
Chicagogigs.com
Home Pride Productions.com
The Chicago Reader
Sheehy's good-natured roots-rock is colored with melancholy. There are
a few stompers where he affects a mild swagger, but Sheehy's at his
best when his protagonists are most vulnerable: "Old Maid" is a drunken
lament about a barroom pickup, complete with out-of-tune honky-tonk
piano and woozy tuba; "All I Want" is a jangly pop ditty addressed to a
would-be girlfriend who's on the fence ("You could be the last one I
ever kiss"); and "Turn Out the Lights" is a bitter suicide note set to
a jolly Tejano rhythm.--Bob Mehr
The Santa Monica Mirror
The title-Rock, Paper, Jesus-caught my eye. The opening track, "Orion's
Belt," opened my eyes about what you can do with a song. The guy in
this couple is leaving a tip on a bar counter as his girl's at home
microwaving a cup of coffee. What makes this unusual is he's Jesus and
she's Mary. Chicago-based singer-songwriter Mark Sheehy isn't hyping
religion or bashing it. He's simply placed these icons in a modern
setting and portrays them as a couple trying in a small way to hold on
to a big world. Sheehy's second effort restored my faith in smart rock
and roll.--Tony Peyser
Punk Planet
This gritty rock n' roll belongs on a jukebox in your local dive bar. Sheehy writes quality
pub rock centered on booze, redemption and women. Worn topics for sure, but Sheehy has a knack
for details. In his world, Jesus is just another bar fly, and a would-be adulterer watches and
old lover go shoe shopping with his wife.--Todd Martens
Indie-Music.com
Mark Sheehy has a lot to say. And he makes it worth your while to
listen. Roaring out of the box full throttle into the rollicking ride
that is "Orion's Belt," he never looks back but continues to slam out
his slice-of-life musical observations in raw and powerful offerings.
Tackling a variety of subjects, Sheehy masterfully matches his
evocative lyrics with the perfect instrumentation.
Disillusionment prevails throughout, but not in a melancholy way.
"Orion's Belt," layered guitars reminiscent of the Stones, sets the
tone with its quixotic juxtaposition of Jesus and Mary in today's
world, just warming up coffee and pie in the microwave. Poetic images
like these take us through Sheehy's own processes and discoveries, and
his gritty, masculine voice is the perfect guide. Actually, I find a
strong masculinity ("motorcycle dreams when I'm hungover") runs through
the whole CD, and it's often very appealing. "Mama Mama," impaling you
with its shrill whistling organ, is an angry and heart-breaking rant
against the wrong lessons learned.
But I don't want to over-intellectualize here, because Mark Sheehy is
nothing if not rocking. These ten arrangements are electric with power,
from "Breakdown Lane," a road-weary and wistful tune of unspecified
longing, to "Turn Out the Lights," another accordion-laced rant against
the standard answers, Sheehy always manages to excite. His biggest
surprise might be "Old Maid," arranged with simplistic but potent
perfection, utilizing tuba and tack piano. In "I Said Yeah," a haunting
love song, the vocals surf beautifully on the strong chords, riding
them effortlessly to a seamless end. Mark Sheehy sings of our survival,
and like any good rocker, he refuses to lie down quietly. His refusal
is our gain.--Kevan Breitinger
Americana-UK (the UK)
Chicago's Mark Sheehy plays good old fashioned rock 'n' roll and he
plays it damn well. Opener 'Orion's Belt' sounds just like classic era
Rolling Stones and the pace doesn't really let up too much from there
on in. Sheehy does have the quality to vary things a bit with songs
such as 'Breakdown Lane' but he is at his best when playing hard
rocking Uncle Tupelo influenced country rock, such as 'The Demise of
Eric Johnson'. Best song on the album award however goes to the awesome
'Guess I was Thinking'. Full marks for the use of tuba in 'Old Maid' as
well proving that this instrument is far more rocking than its
reputation would suggest. A great album!--Dan Wilkinson
Comes With a Smile (the UK)
Chicagoan Mark Sheehy’s self-produced effort has the sort of grit that lovers of classic Rolling
Stones material will love. Sure, Sheehy is no Jagger, but he sings in an honest, workmanlike rock
fashion, lacing this songs with urgent, spiky guitar licks and solos and bolstering the up and
at ‘em sound with a solid rhythm section and healthy doses of keyboards. ‘Rock, Paper, Jesus’
isn’t all ballsy rock, however - Breakdown Lane is a wistful country lament with a nagging rhythm;
I Said Yeh has a chugging beat that refuses to lie down while The Demise of Eric Johnson is the
sort of danceable rocker that will get anyone on their feet within thirty seconds. ‘Rock, Paper,
Jesus’ is honest-to-goodness, no frills stuff - it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.--John Stacey
Kinda Music (the Netherlands)
Vaak kunnen een titel en een hoesfoto al behoorlijk wat informatie geven over de betreffende
muzikant. Zo ook bij Mark Sheehy. Het plaatje heet ‘Rock, Paper, Jesus’ en op de hoesfoto valt
een leeggedronken borrelglas te zien met wat geld ernaast. Dat kan twee kanten op gaan: stoere
kroegrock of dreinerige dramatiek. Sheehy bewandelt beide paden.
Sheehy laat een tweeledig geluid horen. Hij laveert tussen ruige rootsrock en net iets te
zeikerige countrypop. Op zijn beste momenten, en dat zijn de hardere nummers, is zijn muziek
te omschrijven als ongecompliceerde rootsrock in de geest van Bruce Springsteen, melodieus
en enthousiast gebracht. Niet heel bijzonder, maar het luistert wel lekker weg. Zodra Mark op
de rustige toer gaat, wordt het minder. In plaats van een extra dosis emotie over te brengen,
gaat hij op de zenuwen werken. Waar intensiteit het doel zal zijn, wordt het saai en zeikerig.
Conclusie: als Sheehy vrolijk blijft rocken is zijn muziek best te pruimen. Zap echter gerust
door de rustige nummers heen.--Bart Breman
Cntrl.alt.country (the Netherlands)
It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but I like it… Dat was het gevoel dat hier overheerste na een eerste
beluistering van “Rock, Paper, Jesus”, de derde CD van de uit Chicago afkomstige Americana / roots
rock singer-songwriter Mark Sheehy. En ook enkele draaibeurten verder staat die aanvankelijke
bedenking nog steeds als een huis. Sheehy, die in het verleden zijn sporen reeds verdiende bij
rockcollectieven als The Sapphires, Scarecrow, J-200 en Red Star Belgrade, heeft immers duidelijk
een knappe song in de vingers. Dat is van bij “Orion’s Belt”, een aftrap op z’n Stones, een soort
ver achterneefje van “Brown Sugar”, lijzig soulvolle rock met piano en gitaren à volonté,
meteen zonneklaar. Die Stones, de Black Crowes en Uncle Tupelo lijken de voornaamste referenties,
maar een zekere punk attitude kan de man bepaald ook niet ontzegd worden. “Mama Mama” en “The
Demise Of Eric Johnson” rocken zo lekker vet, het een stuk rustiger opgevatte “Breakdown Lane”
en “I Said Yeah” leunen wat nadrukkelijker richting alt. country over, “Guess I Was Thinking” is
aan een klassieke gitaarriff opgehangen roots rock en de melodieuze bluesrocker “Turn Out The
Lights” krijgt dankzij een functionele accordeonbijdrage van Ed Torrez een shot Tex-Mex
toegediend. En de echte prijsbeesten zitten klaarblijkelijk allemaal wat meer in de staart van
het album opgeborgen. “You And Me” is er zo één: de luxe roots rock met melodieus gitaarwerk en
warm-ruige zang. En nog zo’n oorwurm is het dankzij het orgelwerk van de al eerder vermelde
Torrez tot een zomerse lap rock open bloeiende “All I Want”. En dan vergaten we nog bijna “Old
Maid”. Alt. country op z’n Waits. Een bar tegen sluitingstijd, een dronken piano, dito tuba,
licht beschonken zang. Een echte beauty. Voor herhaling vatbaar!
Alt.county.nl (the Netherlands)
Chicago’s Mark Sheehy maakt er een gewoonte van eigenaardige vrouwen op te pikken. Althans, de
hoofdpersonen in de liedjes op zijn tweede studioplaat Rock, Paper, Jesus (eigen beheer) doen
dat. En meestal loopt dat niet goed af. Een overspelige zomer eindigt toch weer in een middagje
winkelen met zijn vrouw (Guess I Was Thinking, dat begint met een van Lynyrd Skynyrd geleend
intro). Na een flirt met een meisje dat de teksten van al zijn favoriete liedjes uit haar hoofd
kent, vindt hij zichzelf terug tussen de daklozen op het strand (I Said Yeah). De kaartlezeres
in het wiegende Old Maid speelt een spel: ‘If you win you can have me for a night and day / If I
win you can have me, but then boy, you’ve got stay’. Hij verliest uiteraard, en zet nu koffie en
zingt folk songs voor haar parkiet. Maar Sheehy kijkt ook verder als de eerste-de-beste
voorbijgangster. The Demise Of Eric Johnson is een beschrijving van een vredessoldaat met een
oorlogstrauma (Sheehy werkte zelf als hulpverlener in Moldavië en Bosnië). Ook de hoofdpersoon
in Mama Mama lijkt getraumatiseerd, al is niet duidelijk waardoor. Het afsluitende Turn Out The
Lights heeft dan wel een vrolijk tex-mex ritme, de tekst is allesbehalve opbeurend: ‘Well
life’s always been a puzzle I could never figure out / Every path has lead to darkness, each
conviction turned to doubt’. In de Stones-achtige rocker Orion’s Belt herschrijft hij zelfs
de bijbel: Jezus duikt na een dag hard werken met Maria in bed. Sheehy en zijn band laten de
elektrische gitaren veelvuldig flink ronken. Samen met zijn soepele stem en intelligente liedjes
maakt dat van Rock, Paper, Jesus een heel fijne plaat voor de liefhebbers van het steviger soort
(roots)rock. --Peer Bataille
Roots Highway (Italy)
Ritengo che, almeno per il momento, il nostro Mark Sheehy si debba accontentare di qualche
buona serata nei dintorni della sua Chicago. Non che il ragazzo non abbia le carte in regola
per farcela, tutt'altro: solo si sa, nel 2004 emergere è piuttosto difficile, nonostante la
lasciva globalizzazione aiuti spesso i musicisti a sdoganare la propria musica. E' quello che
sta capitando proprio a Mark, assoluto indipendente con CDs in vendita nei soli negozi virtuali
di Amazon, Miles Of Music, Django Music e Cd Baby. E' dal 2000 che incide: l'esordio fu Crooked
Pictures. A seguire, un paio di anni fa, pubblicò un disco dal vivo, mentre la sua ultima
fatica s'intitola Rock, Paper, Jesus. Questo album è un buon concentrato di rock and roll,
legnoso ma piacevole, che raggiunge picchi assai accattivanti senza mai alcun calo di tono.
I rimandi e le fondamenta sono solide: il suono è di quelli blue collar, lo stile ha nelle corde
Rolling Stones, Tom Petty e il tradizionalismo rock statunitense (viziato dal country in Old
Maid e Turn Out The Lights). Gli assoli, mai troppo articolati, e i cori nei ritornelli fanno
di Rock, Paper, Jesus un album chitarristico piacevole, suonato con gusto e fulmineo per durata.
Assieme ad un manipolo di musicisti misconosciuti del circuito di Chicago, Mark imbastisce
alcune tracce importanti come Orion's Belt (figlia degli Stones, con tanto di riffs à la Keith
Richards e pianoforte), Mama Mama, You And Me (entusiasmante rock operaio in stile anni '60),
infine I Said Yeah e All I Want (due ballate elettroacustiche). Pensare che "il ragazzo si farà,
anche se ha le spalle strette" non è del tutto corretto, poiché Mark ha già ben delineato il
proprio quadro musicale: vuole scrivere e suonare un rock and roll di qualità. Di fatto lo sta
già facendo, ma con questo vorrebbe anche camparci. Invece, oggi è dura e sembra che questa
musica, che non può non piacere (ci sarà un motivo se è la stessa da mezzo secolo), sia destinata
solo ad una nicchia di pubblico. Rock, Paper, Jesus merita più di un ascolto e Mark è lo
stereotipo del rockettaro dotato sia di una voce convincente che di un valido background musicale
(scontato solo per i "finti sofisticati") e capace di riprodurli in ogni sua nota. --Carlo Lancini
The Chicago Tribune
"Crooked Pictures" is full of haunting images and lovely melodies.
Sheehy's dark baritone voice is perfectly suited to material as diverse
as the country-ish opener "Leaves Without Knowing" and the spare "I
Know." And Sheehy really shines as a lyricist, with his closer "Five
Believers" exemplifying his mixture of humor and pathos about life's
changes.-- Dan Kening
The Chicago Reader
Heartland songsmith Mark Sheehy's first solo CD, Crooked Pictures, is
full of haunted houses and lonely roads evoked by finger plucked guitar
and skirling organ. It's a well-crafted, eloquent, and heartfelt
contribution to singer-songwriter rock in these parts.-- Monica Kendrick
Listen.com
Playing hard-hitting songs for hard-hit people, Sheehy's music bears a
heavy load of frustrations and shattered dreams. Whether he's imparting
his experiences with simple guitar or off-center, almost jazzy
arrangements, his songs cut to the quick.-- Chad Driscoll
Chicagogigs.com
Sheehy's lines reveal a capacity for some pretty evocative
storytelling, and his stolid, masculine vocals are well suited to his
rustic, everyday-life lyrics, and can be endearing, especially when he
starts singing "bum bum bum's" like some cross between Will Rogers and
Michael Stipe.-- Darryl Cater
Home Pride Productions
Mark Sheehy is a folk-rock everyman who writes and records songs
practically dripping with life experience. You can feel a lifetime of
hard knocks and lessons learned coming through in his performances.--David Joost
