Mark Vennis & Different Place – Wild Suburban Boy (2023)
In ‘American Pie’, Don McLean asked if “music can save your mortal soul”, Mark Vennis & Different Place answered with an emphatic yes! Hailing from Hampshire, the UK-based group bring a melodic but rebellious form of rock to audiences. This is my introduction to Mark Vennis & Different Place, but they have already released three critically acclaimed albums and several singles turning heads on an international scale. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Wild Suburban Boy’.
Following the four-track EP MORE IN SORROW, ‘Wild Suburban Boy’ is the group’s first release in two years. Produced with Duncan Lefeuvre of Gravel Track Music, ‘Wild Suburban Boy’ seems to be an evolution in Mark Vennis & Different Place’s sound. ‘More In Sorrow’ hit me with tinges of post-punk wrapped in a heavier punk-rock wrapper; however, ‘Wild Suburban Boy’ is a more sophisticated blend of classic rock, punk and indie-rock with a gritty DIY flair. Well-placed with their distinctive rush of rock, Mark Vennis (guitar and vocals), Dave Sweetenham (bass), Sean Quinn (guitar and percussion) and Brian Gee (drums) have a reputation for lifting hearts with enthusiasm and this swoop is only enhanced in the new single.
Taken from their upcoming mini album Small Town Vampire, set for release in 2024, ‘Wild Suburban Boy’ is about the vampire’s victim. Penned by Mark Vennis, the single looks at a young boy who wants to escape the beige suburbs and longs for “the big city that everyone talks, writes and sings about.” The bold guitars and keyboard catch the glimmer of this boy; however, it is the surge of crashing drums with the crescendo of classic guitar that expresses the lad’s true desire to make his way out. A feeling from your core to escape a desperate mire of despair with a flood of rock and roll hopefulness.
One element I really enjoy about Mark Vennis & Different Place, and particularly in ‘Wild Suburban Boy’, is the grittiness of the vocals. Well-textured, the instrumentation creates a tunnel through which raw vocals travel – a perfect sonic image of the vampire (suburbia) surrounding the wild suburban boy.
So, I guess music can save your mortal soul – Mark Vennis was right.
For more from Mark Vennis & Different Place, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
