Album Review of
Power Of Love

Written by Robert Silverstein
August 3, 2020 - 2:44pm EDT
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Having released 11 albums since 2005, singer-songwriter and guitar ace Mark Searcy returns in 2020 with his latest CD called Power Of Love. Originally from Arkansas, Mark’s specialty is Pre-War blues of the 1920s and ‘30s and, in the spirit of modern-day blues-rock legends like Steve Miller and Jimi Hendrix, Mark, writing under the name M.S. Middleton, has penned some truly riveting originals. On the ten-track Power Of Love CD, Mark is supported by a team of top musicians, headed up by the production & mixing by blues-rock specialist and recording artist in his own right Matt Smith, who also recorded Mark's album at his 6 String Ranch studios in Austin Texas. Speaking to this writer about making a new album with a world class guitarist / producer such as Matt Smith, Mark says, "Matt and I leveraged the pandemic lock down as an opportunity to record a great album. The combination of solitude, isolation, and even the crazy chaos in the world  created a unique experience to really reflect on the message of the album, and the title became clear as soon as we started recording it.   It was my first album with Matt, and he's terrific.  He's very reflective and always looking at the big picture of the whole project, and yet very creative and detailed at the same time, and 6 String Ranch is really well equipped with lots of both modern and vintage gear." The sound of Mark’s blazing electric guitar and Matt’s solid bass playing is kept in perfect sync by some excellent drummers and percussionists. For guitarists, the CD booklet lists all Mark’s guitars and amps, which is quite impressive, featuring the usual guitar powerhouses like the Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul, enhanced by a number of rarer guitars from the 1920s through the ‘50s. Power Of Love closes out with a very cool, jazz-rock flavored instrumental track called “Farewell To Jake”, a track that sounds inspired by the sound of Jimi Hendrix. With Power Of Love, Mark Searcy boldly steps into the 21stcentury guitar spotlight with a highly energized album filled with renewed blues-rock power.