The Marble Index: “Making ‘Believers’ Out Of Everybody”

The Marble Index. Sound familiar? The name, which originated from a solo record by former Velvet Underground chanteuse, Nico, has now resurrected in the form of a durable trio with something to prove – they are here to stay! The Marble Index is a three-piece sensation from the unlikely Steel Town – Hamilton Ontario. Though they were part of the music scene for years, Brad Germain, Ryan Tweedle and Adam Knickle joined in 2001, creating music with influence and complexity.

Using their favorite artists as their muse – The Who, The Smiths, The Jam, TMI recorded their self-titled debut album, shocking us with spiky guitars, distinctive vocals and lyrics that sound more British pop sensation than Hamilton home grown. Their hometown showed appreciation at the Hamilton Music Awards in the Fall of 2004, where the locals were honored in 2 categories: Best New Group and Peoples’ Choice Award.

With the release of their second album, Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives, TMI manages to preserve the up beat mod-rock style that made their debut album a success, but with WYCWYK they’ve slowed things down just enough to come out sounding fresh and sophisticated! Produced by former Joe Strummer sidekick, Scott Shields, Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives sheds a slightly different light on the group thanks to vocalist Germain’s skillful melodies. “It wasn’t really premeditated”, says Germain, “but I wanted to write songs that showed us from different perspectives,” and so they created a revolutionary pop-mod rock and roll hybrid that is boldly new territory.

Zeller’s proves the Index noteworthy by playing the upbeat hit, “All That I Know” in their latest ad campaign. With shout-aloud pop-rock tunes like “Same Schools” and the lively ska-infused beat “Let Me Be the One,” their songs are filled with memorable melodies that echo through your mind long after the CD has stopped.

With chameleon like skill, the talented trio try their hands at an array of musical styles. With shout-along tunes, “Everyone Else” and “All That I Know” that send you back to the fabulous 80’s, bringing to mind the Clash or the Damned – to the 60’s garage-rock sound of “Never Ends” and the funky, ass-shakin’ boogie beat “I Don’t Want to Try and Change Your Life.” Throughout the entire oeuvre the threesome show they’ve got skills!

TMI’s diversity may stem from their musical influences, which include talents such as The Smithereens, The You Me and Dupree soundtrack, Steely Dan, Sonny Bono, The Clash and even Elton John. They’re reinventing rock and roll, expanding it from typicality into matchless music, creating a sound that’s refreshingly modern, yet familiarly old-school. Rock out!  [ END ]