Mark Geary: Opium

Opium
Mark Geary
(SONABLAST!)

Despite its smooth, relaxing sound, Opium, the third album by Irish singer-songwriter Mark Geary, is unoriginal, uninspired and generally forgettable. His acoustic guitar is pretty enough but becomes monotonous after the first few tracks. In fact, most of the songs sound roughly the same. Ann Smith's melodic voice on “Facin’ the Fall” is refreshing, but it cannot compensate for the album’s overall lack of variety.

The first single, “Tuesday," with its slightly more upbeat guitar and catchy melody, is by far the best song. Too bad it doesn’t make it's the eighth track, following a stretch of depressing, lackluster music.

Geary claims “I like to torture myself with these dark thoughts.” Perhaps it would be best if Geary kept such thoughts to himself and didn’t bring the rest of us down. Mark Geary plays this coming Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Green Building on Market Street. For more information, visit sonablast.com. –Brittany Tracy