Folk should basically fit into three categories. There is the retro, influenced by another century, and often country. There is the political, lets change the world type stuff, you know that whole world changing thing, for those of you too young that is where we swapped the evils of Communism, Fascism and other isms for the benevolence of the all powerful Starbucks. Lastly there is the whole romantic, fluffy type folk.
So where does Mark Berube fit in? Erm he doesn’t. Instead what we have is a opinionated New Yorker, with material worthy of a top draw observational comedian and the attitude of the bastard offspring of a Pitbull and a New York Cabby who was brought up by Oscar Wilde during a particular bad acid trip, when he believed he was Jewish.
The CD was recorded in one take at an intimate live gig in late 1999. Yes one take, no re-recording, no dubbing in a better vocal performance, or improving the guitar track, that takes real balls, but then so does writing the songs Mr. Berube does.
He starts the CD by telling the audience to "Shut up so I can play", and launches quickly into ‘Ten Years Down the Road’, a wonderful tale of meeting up with that old enemy from school at the ten year reunion, and discovering with one of those life clearing moments that you still hate each other as much as ever. "I may be bald now, but at least unlike you I’m not obese... Next reunion I’ll be back, but you’ll be dead from a heart attack". Such distilled anger, brilliant.
Track two is ‘I Wish I Was Gay’, which isn’t some outreaching to other members of the artistic community, but instead is Mark’s way of expressing the ideal way of finding his way out of a relationship. Did I miss the episode of Seinfeld where they introduced the character of the folk singer?
Mark has a voice poised somewhere between whine and cheese, it is clear enough to hear most of the lyrics, and that is the important point because they are well worth catching. The stand up comedian analogy is fitting and the lack of response from the audience during the tracks means either the only mikes were on stage or they were very polite, because there are some real gems amongst the various references to everything from Jewish food to Martha Stewart to cigarettes to love to Pauly Shore. Probably one of the funnier gigs you could ever attend, certainly a better way to spend your money than on an Adam Sandler album.
There are thirteen tracks on the album, to be a fair there are a couple that are weaker than the rest and it might have been interesting to have dropped them and had Mr. Berube spend some more time talking and working with the audience, the few times he does are classic, maybe on the next album.
Still anyone who can pull of an ode to the ‘Bomb Sniffing Dog’ with a line like "You know that he’s been tutored... He’s well groomed and he’s neutered", obviously has more talent than he needs, and possibly more time on his hands to write lyrics than he really needs as well. Check the links below to give him a listen, this is one CD I am not losing any time soon, now shut up so I can listen.

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