Steven Mark
Racing Grey
Label: Basset Records
Release Date: May 22, 2007

We weren’t familiar with Steven Mark’s two previous albums (Aloneaphobe and Distraction), so this was a fresh listen.

Racing Grey, the New Yorker’s new disc out next week, is highly-produced, melodic, Lennon-ny pop. And although Mark tries his hand at social commentary (”Paris Hilton Generation” and “God on High”), most songs lack an edge.

He sounds like a really nice guy, but we’d like to hear more emotion and add in a pinch of musical grit. As for the Paris Hilton track, pointing out kids are on MySpace, watch the Real World, drive SUVs and are generally self-obsessed isn’t entirely mind-blowing commentary. It actually hits a lot of Generation X, too.

Stream some tracks here and tell us if you agree.