Current guest appearances:
Joel Stroetzel (Killswitch Engage)
Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall)
Past :
Sara Gomes,
JJ O'Connell,
Paul Kochanski,
Matt Cullen,
Jose Ayerve,
Ruth Keating (Ida)
Bruce Tull,
Anne Pinkerton,
Karl Ourand,
Brian Marchese,
Carolyn Walker,
Mark Alan Miller
Influences
My wife, Scooter, my parents, my brother, friends and family, Elliott Smith, Van Halen, Bad Brains, Miles Davis, John Lennon, Poison Idea, Simon and Garfunkel, Minor Threat, Scud Mountain Boys, The Swell Season, Men at Work, Fugazi, Tears for Fears, Rage Against The Machine, John Coltrane, Shudder to Think, Wes Montgomery, Sting, Ben Folds, Cannonball Adderly, Joe Pass, Black Flag, SSD, Wayne Shorter, The Police, The Frames, Spouse, Paul Williams, Negative Approach, Sonny Rollins, Sebadoh, Hall and Oates, Septic Death, Buck Owens, Ted Williams, The Coen Brothers, Michel Gondry, Kurt Vonnegut, Ernest Hemmingway, William Faulkner, Sara Gomes, Tom Gomes, JJ O'Connell, Paul Kochanski, Karl Ourand, Matt Bachand, Lou Barlow, Abby Barlow, Rusty, Rob Connelly, Josh Churchill, Scott Safarik, Anne Pinkerton, Mark Alan Miller, Jose Ayerve, Ken Maiuri, Bob Ferrier, Louis Matias, Fred Lynn, Joel Stroetzel, everyone that I've ever created something with, Dave Eggers, Michael Chabon, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Camel Lights, Baked Potatoes, Cheese, Soda, Water, Salads, Movie Theaters, Bookstores, Mom and Pop shops of any sort, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Lawrence Taylor, Uno, New England, GG Allin, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Kazuo Ishiguro, Baseball biographies, Revolutionary War non-fiction, America the Tyrant, Pipe dreams of shooting people who hunt animals for game, Diarrhea, Not drinking for 6 years, Live Theater, The Sunday New York Times, Ice Cream, Stomach pains, Knots behind shoulder blades, The Rocky movies, Sidewalks on major thruways, Debating with smart people, Debating with stupid people, Listening to music for roughly 7 hours a day, Walking my dog, Being in bed with my wife, playing NBA games on Playstation 2, Dinosaur Jr., Spilling food on my shirt and not knowing.
All music available for download at www.itunes.com
MARK SCHWABER: The Killing Card
Experimental songwriter pop.
MARK SCHWABER: two years and thirty minutes
Dark indie pop. "Absolutely amazing" LOU BARLOW (Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, Dinosaur Jr.)
HOSPITAL: 16 endings
Music for tender ears and tired hearts...Slow, and sometimes brooding pop.
HOSPITAL: s/t
"At once stark and luxuriant, the music never overwhelms with angst but instead works a more subtle seduction; it's music for tender ears and tired hearts, a sadcore aficianado's dream come true"
Valley Advocate - 1997
Won for 5 different songs!
"The Killing Card" features Joel Stroetzel of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and Ruth Keating of IDA amongst many others.
Mark has recently toured/performed with LOU BARLOW (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Folk Implosion), MATT BACHAND (Shadows Fall) and STEPHEN BRODSKY (Cave In).
What I felt the more and more I listened to this album was that it is Schwaber's answer to Radiohead's Kid A - a sonic assault bursting at the seams with brilliant melodya testament to Schwaber's brilliance as a song and lyric writer.
- Kristen Beam www.masslive.com
On 'The Killing Card' Mark Schwaber alternates his usual gossamer melodies with moments of laser-like intensity, resulting in a satisfying and beautiful patchwork of that thing we often speak of, but that we rarely really see: Art.
- George Lenker - Union News
When an album gives me chills, it is surely a good sign. Sure the year is young, but this is one of my favorite albums of 2006. Period.
- Casey Hayman - The Local Buzz
Schwabers beautiful fingerpicking, carpal tunnel-punishing flamenco work and silky-smooth pull-offs neatly adorn this ambitious 16-tune efforta ferocious work.
- Gary Carra Nightcrawler
Schwaber has a knack for creating both brilliantly sparse and intelligent tracks while also shaking it up by introducing different instrumentation, keys, and varying levels of emotional intensity blended with his favorite artistic influences. Songs like Man Down and his album closer You are Just Like Me, You Will Never be Free speak to the influential Smith, while more upbeat songs like Island of the Burning Trees will circle through your head long after youve put down your headphones. If you are looking for intelligently crafted, emotional pop with solid rhythms and laid-back harmonies then this is an album you could easily get hooked on.
- Lisa Town - Delusions of Adequacy (www.adequacy.net)
"Mark Schwaber has once again delivered a beautifully written, masterfully performed piece of art. One almost asks whether it's a meticulous process in writing these songs, or simple musical genius. Regardless, unlike most records put out by major-labels this one can be appreciated by all listeners."
- The Phoenix - HCC newspaper
Mark Schwaber - The Killing Card (CD, Pigeon, Progressive pop)
This is an intriguing album that immediately caught our attention. Mark Schwaber creates uniquely entertaining music from a different perspective. His tunes combine highly melodic thoughtful vocal melodies with abstract musical passages...and the end result is extraordinarily effective. Instead of predictable tunes and cute arrangements, Schwaber writes and records mature, intellectual tunes that are sometimes reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens. There is a wealth of material to take in here. The Killing Card presents sixteen thought provoking compositions that flow by seamlessly...combining classic elements with unpredictable spontaneity. This man is bound to be a major player in the years to come. Cool reflective tracks include "The Pressure It Feeds," "Torture Ground," "Island of the Burning Trees," and "You Are Just Like Me. You Will Never Be Free." Recommended. (Rating: 5++) - www.babysue.com
A review of "Two Years And Thirty Minutes"
This creative style of ingenious indie pop provided a perfect mix of music that fully satisfied our thirst for new music. It definitely added a fresh new feel to the atmosphere here at Shut Eye that was enjoyed by all. Quite honestly every song on this album is a gem. And if you're in the mood for headphones then I suggest go ahead and entice yourself to some cerebral audio treats. The subtle sound additions in the background of a few tracks add the perfect garnish to the mix. For instance, I absolutely love the mellow "Crash Your Ride." With simple acoustic guitars and laidback vocals, this song stimulates the airwaves with a sound that is almost fragile. I also love the more upbeat tracks "Let Down" and "Watergun." These songs boast melodious electric guitars, solid rhythms and easygoing vocals that provide a perfect compliment to the music. Chris Lewis - Shut Eye Records
Absolutely amazing...on the second night of the two shows we did together I had caught myself singing along. " LOU BARLOW (Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, Dinosaur Jr.)
The record showcases Schwaber's wide range of talents, from his understatedly brilliant guitar playing (check out the quirky turnaround after the first chorus of "Watergun") to his knack for creating beautiful arrangements (dive into the lovely layers of "Hell is Here" and "Dignity in Death") to his seemingly endless supply of hooks (just try to get the vocal lines on "Let Down" or the guitar line on "Ghosting" out of your head). The mood on Two Years... shifts from straight-up rock to sparse, nylon-string dirges, but the unmistakable constant is Schwaber's superb songwriting. There are 11 songs in this collection, and only two of them break the three-minute mark. Chalk that brevity up to the fact that Schwaber has mastered one of the most important principles of songwriting: Don't overdo it. He never forces lyrics. If he's said everything he needs to say in a single verse, he brings the song in for a gorgeous, graceful landing, as he does on "Crash Your Ride." If he's written a wonderfully funny and catchy verse, he simply repeats it, as he does on "On Your Way." It's a compelling approach -- compelling the listener to revisit the songs again and again and again.
Greg Saulmon - www.masslive.com
Just wanted say, again, really great songs. I just purchased some of your songs from I-tunes. "This is Hell" is a powerful song. Nice job on that one. "stamp and release" is still my all time favorite. Someday I will learn how to play it when I'm less clumsy on the guitar. Thanks. ~Steve from Endcount
dude, yr new picture is a wee bit scary, makes me feel like yr mad at me, what did i do? can't wait for the new record, hope all is well-justin davis jacobs
Mark congratulations on scoring the opening slot for the Jeremy Enigk show! He has been one of my biggest songwriting influences since way back before anyone knew who Sunny Day Real Estate even was. I will be there front and center. For your set too
Hey Mark. I hope you're doing well. Anyway, I'm writing this because I am a huge fan of demos and the songwriting process. I was wondering if you had some demo versions of your songs that you could post. Take it easy.
We are a Radiohead Tribute band with members of the Wyld Stallyns, Go Van Goh and GreenWheel. We are opening for a Police tribute band on Sat Oct 25 at the duck Room show starts at 8:30 hope to see you there!
