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In
the spring of 2006, Mark Duval emerged in Southwest Michigan from a 10-year musical hibernation with “Rhythm of the
Rustbelt”, his brilliant debut album, described by reviewer Dustin Walsh of Creem Magazine as “...the soundtrack
to a summer sunrise over a dusty, forlorn Route 66.”
His songwriting versatility takes the listener
from haunted landscapes of brooding fingerstyle folk ballads to rhythm-driven roots rock social commentary, shuffling blues
riffs and latin grooves that show off his skills as a rhythm guitarist.
His follow-up release, “Two-Track
Mind”(2007), was nominated for “Best new folk album of 2007” by WYCE in Grand Rapids
The production
on his albums is sparse, earthy, organic, and intimate, alternating between folk and roots rock, and using banjo, violin,
cello, organ, harmonica, trumpet and slide guitar to create a unique atmosphere for each song. Both albums were engineered
and produced by Ian Gorman, who has become one of the most sought-after producers in the Michigan folk music scene.
Mark performs his music regionally in 2 different configurations :
Mark Duval & Traci Seuss perform Mark’s
folk ballads in listening room concerts. Traci’s beautiful vocal harmonies bring Mark’s melodies to life,
and they are often backed up with upright bass and other stringed instruments.
Mark Duval & Two-Track Mind
perform regionally in bar venues and music festivals as a 5-piece band, centered around Mark’s acoustic guitar with
drums, bass, slide guitar and trumpet, playing sets of rhythm-driven roots, grooves and blues that keep the dance floor crowded.
Who IS this guy and where did he come from? - mature songwriting, wonderfully tasteful arrangements, and naturally
pleasing voices draw you in…This stuff has it all…it’s genuine, catchy, thought-provoking and fun. Throughout
the album, banjo, violin, percussion and clarinet are used sparingly and with great effect. Harmony singer Traci Seuss is
feelin’ it, and her parts add even more substance and soul to the sound. These albums by Kalamazoo singer/songwriter
Mark Duval have found a permanent home on Grassroots, WMUK’s locally-produced acoustic music show.
-Lorraine Caron,
host of Grassroots, WMUK 102.1
Rhythm of the Rustbelt is like a cross-country road trip - the soundtrack to a summer
sunrise over a dusty, forlorn Route 66. ‘Real Men Dig Their Own Graves’ is a beat-driven, boot-stomper atoned
with Duval’s best rendition of Tom Waits’ graveled vocals... The album is earthy, candid and nostalgic - everything
an Americana album should be.
Reviewer: - Dustin Walsh, Music Writer, On the Town Magazine; Creem Magazine
Mark
Duval’s Two-Track Mind finds him with a five-piece band including Traci Seuss, with whom he often performs as an acoustic
duo. Balancing between folk and roots rock, Duval uses his shuffling rhythms and and strong melodies to present a collection
of personal and inviting tales for simple musical enjoyment. With beautiful vocal harmony work, easeful guitar picking
and a gentle approach to filling up the arrangements, Duval sets the stage for sipping hand-crafted beer in a local brewery,
contemplating simple times, pain and pride.
-Ryan Cunninham, Recoil Magazine, March 2008
These
are the radio stations that are playing Mark's cd's:
WMUK 102.1 Kalamazoo
Grassroots
WNMC 90.7 Traverse City Crossroads / Local Motion
WVPE
88.1 Elkhart, IN The Back Porch
KBCS 91.3 Seattle, WA
Lunch / Sunday Folks, Road Songs
KGNU 88.5 Boulder, CO Highway
322
WIDR 89.1 Kalamazoo Outhouse
WHFR 89.3 Detroit
Light from the Underground Sampler
WFMU 91.1 New Jersey Scott Williams
WYCE
88.1 Grand Rapids
WFDU 88.7 New Jersey
WDBM 89.1 Lansing, MI Progressive
Torch & Twang
WCBN 88.7 Ann Arbor, MI
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