Having people get excited about slow, dark music is often a challenge, but Calvin Marty & The Sunken Ship pull off the feat with a generous amount of originality and a great pop sensibility. Typewriter stands out, both for aforementioned reasons as well as Calvin's melody that swings in and out of his rhythmic picking acoustic guitar. Electric guitars and drums don't have much influence on the songs, as the main components of acoustic guitar, strings and Calvin's Decemberists-esque voice play (and should play) the lead role in instrumentation. Calvin isn't writing music to impress anyone musically, but his songwriting makes up for any solo you'd like to hear. It's on par with now superstar songbirds Damien Rice and Glen Hansard. Just as Hansard's soundtrack to the movie Once revitalized the acoustic/pop scene and caused a sensation, Calvin Marty & The Sunken Ship have a great deal of potential to repeat that with the right opportunities.
Song Recommendation: Typewriter
Playing their first show in late 2007, Calvin Marty and The Sunken Ship were an instant phenomenon, going from Chicago Northside bar band to Double Door headliners in fewer than 10 gigs. Consistently captivating audiences with an ease and energy that belied their status as new kids on the block, they have quickly attracted an ever-growing crowd of fans.
Calvin Marty and The Sunken Ship have been favorably compared to everything from Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright to Billy Joel and Ron Sexsmith, but their sound is theirs and theirs alone. Calvin's electrifying voice, sensitive lyrics, and the gorgeous arrangements expertly performed by The Sunken Ship combine to deliver the kind of evening that music lovers live for but rarely experience.
The loudest quiet music you've ever heard. Calvin Marty and The Sunken Ship's cargo is dramatic, heart-stealing stories told in an honest and raw fashion. With simple arrangements and Calvin Marty's soaring vocals, listeners leave a song or a show feeling nothing less than purged.
Photo Credit: Lailaw Taherzadeh
