PREMIERE | Mark Allen-Piccolo, 'Word of The Day'

The serene and fantastical compositions of Mark Allen-Piccolo; press photo courtesy of the artist.

A trend that has arisen amid our current pandemic event of sequestered self-containment is a universal aesthetic pivot toward increasingly introspective art. As evident from the surprise releases, slow single leaks, Insta-exclusives to postponements and cancellations — a curious by-product of this otherwise catastrophic affair has seen an opportunity for artists to be even more meticulous in their artistry. The result is a deeper level of creative care for the craft, a greater level of meditation and an open dialogue between the self and the subject/object relationship of development (creative and personal).

Another popular motif has been the eclectic perspectives on the concept of time, growth, aging and other obsessions centered around the mechanical hands of the digital clocks. Case in point is the new album Word of the Day from Mark Allen-Piccolo. Following up Left From Here (2016), Mark teams up with Nate Brenner (Naytronix, tUnE-yArDs bassist, BotCave Records operator) to further develop immersive avant-garde pop portraits that revel in life's episodes, chapters and realizations. Expounded from demos that were further elaborated from I-80 commutes to and from UC Davis — the Oakland artist arranges a cycle of thoughts on the processes of learning, pursuits of heart, measures of growth, distances and the day by day regiments. Today it is our pleasure and privilege to present the world with the following debut listen.

Word of the Day starts off like the beginning of a sunny and sleepy new day on "Outside In" with its opening lyric of I woke up like this. "Drive Away" gently drifts like a harmonic torch ballad of hazy romantic dreams that serenely soars the tranquil skies. And then like that things get a little more strange as Mark's understated delivery enters an electric fun house of effects and the application of odd vocal and instrumental treatments. Delving into thoughts about grand cover-ups and holiday table conversation fodder is the minimalist acoustic and drum machine rumbles of "Favorite Conspiracy" that wanders like a mind with too much time on its hands (with spooky synths carefully applied for good measure). The brief electric interlude cheekily titled "MOPUS 2" leads into the affectionate "Soledad" that is a timeless heartbroken ode of love that shines like a long player nugget from a lost era.

The big single "Yer Goin Up" operates with a variety of retro sensibilities that concocts classic modern key progressions with fuzzy fusions that underscore the eternal necessity of art rock. "Form a Gun" feels like falling asleep while watching new wave art flicks, to the prose mechanics of "Just These Words" that strum and sing like work that that blends chamber and pastoral pop aesthetics. Observations of nature and life ring true in the maudlin meditations on mortality of "Sparrow", before returning with the brief wailing closer that bears the name of one of the album's central romantic characters with "Betwixt Soledad". Mark Allen-Piccolo has created a song cycle set in the key of life, a work of thoughtfulness and heart that offers up an array of unexpected journeys.

Mark Allen-Piccolo provided some exclusive and generous insights into the new album:

I’m thrilled to finally be sharing this album. The writing is my best yet and I’ve finally arrived at my own voice; It feels like me. When I envisioned this album, I was mostly interested in making some vibey music—nothing too ambitious, just an album that is enjoyable to listen to.

The music is dreamy and lush thanks to plenty of space, choruses, reverbs, and delays. The instrumentation is made up of typical band instruments: guitars, synthesizers, drums, and basses. Nothing fancy.

I wanted to make an album that was exciting the whole record through—one where each song was its own unique world. “Yer goin up” is dense and exciting, almost on the verge of falling apart. The live band is killing it, but what makes the song unique is both that the live drums are mixed with sampled programmed drums and the layered varisped vocals. I was very much inspired by Prince, even though it doesn’t sound like Prince at all. On the other hand, “Just these Words” is sparse and reflective. It’s almost entirely voice and acoustic guitar, until the song’s peak, when a bass guitar and Juno 60 jump in the mix. “Under the Cherry Tree” is made to sound like a collage of sampled music (including some “bad” edits): a distorted harp, a badly recorded piano, shredding bass solo—they somehow all meld together to form a distopian soundscape.

I have nothing but fond memories making this album: listening to my demos while writing lyrics as I commuted to school, working with friends in the studio to give the music some life away from my demos, producing and releasing the album with my good friend Nate Brenner of BotCave records, working with videographer Hank + Tank to create some cool videos. I mixed the album myself—which was terrifying but I’m happy I took the plunge.

It has been an unusual time to release an album. It seems inconsequential when people are suffering, whether through illness or job loss or any of the other ways the pandemic has affected people. At the same time, I think many are craving music. I’ve certainly been happy to listen to all the new music popping into my feeds. If nothing else, I’m hoping this album will add some joy to people’s days.

Word of the Day will be available May 1 via BotCave Records.

Watch the Hank + Tank (Matthew Bradford) visual for Mark Allen-Piccolo’s "Under the Cherry Tree".

Matthew Bradford also did the visual for "Yer Goin Up".

And lastly Matthew Bradford’s visual for "Soledad" featuring artwork by Heather Gordon.