Hi Pal,
For Tuesday is the artist I have listened to the most in 2023, and there are many reasons for this. I like to think of myself as someone who appreciates a wide range of musical genres but I will always have my favourites.
Mark Ferris’ music plays with some of my favourite genres — shoegaze, folk and indietronica to name a few — and manages to weave them together uniquely. For all intents and purposes, I’d describe his music as experimental indie rock/folk and its experimental nature is enough to endear his music to me. Yet, somehow his project has taken things a step further.
Earlier this year, he started releasing a series of songs inspired by Zechariah in the Bible and teased an upcoming album. Anyone who has been here long enough will know that I have a weakness for concept albums and projects. The fact that this one is based on the Bible only deepens my love for it. Needless to say, this is currently my most anticipated project of the year.
However, this project doesn’t simply rely on the Bible as some form of crutch. In fact, the songs are so brilliant that I’ve found myself going to study the book of Zechariah from time to time.
On Carry Me Away
, the song begins with easy strums and an airy atmosphere as Mark Ferris begins to sing. It’s quite progressive in nature and Ferris’ approach to it is quite dramatic with deliberate breath intakes infused in the mix to create a sense of desperation and dread. It is inspired by Zechariah 5 & 6, and he sings:
Wicked as I am, carry me away in a basket Lord
Take me on the wind, take me on the wind in a basket Lord
Wicked as I am, write it all down on a flying scroll
Send it on the wind, send it on the wind on a flying scroll
Zechariah is one of the most vivid and descriptive books in the Bible and Ferris does it justice from a creative standpoint. The final line really stands out:
Go and make a crown, set it on the head of Joshua
Whose name will be the branch, and he will ever sit upon the throne
Loosely derived from chapter 6:11-13, it reflects one of my favourite features of the prophetic books, highlighting the future reign of Christ Jesus.
All Links
Mark Ferris is probably tired of me asking him when the album will come out. Until then, I can’t write a full review. You can find other reviews here
I’m always ready to hear what you have to say, tell me your thoughts.
Feel free to take things a step further here: