- Melbourne’s Efficient Space are set to reissue the complete recordings of Karen Marks, nearly four decades since their original release in 1981. Having featured the song Cold Café on their compilation Sky Girl, it's great that Efficient Space has now made available the entirety of her discography.
It includes two unheard demos and rare compilation tracks, all of which were produced with Ash Wednesday (from The Metronomes, Modern Jazz and Thealonian Music amongst others). First up is the titular Cold Café. Fans of minimal synth music or Australian underground gems might well know the song already (having featured in numerous compilations over the years). For those who haven’t heard it it’s an evocative bit of synth-pop. It's also good, having had heard it so many times, to hear the demo version, which has a slightly more electronic approach with fewer overdubs. Won't Wear It For Long is a drum machine powered new wave track with jangly guitar from future Icehouse member Robert Kretschmer. I am totally blown away by the song You Bring These Things, which had been given to Marks by Paul Kelly. Initially I thought it was a Tom Waits dirge, with a forlorn horn arrangement. They’re not really horns though: the precise keyboards doing the pretending also allow Marks’ voice to be the focus. The harmonies in the last minute of this are brilliant, pop perfection. Problem Page rounds out the collection, another synthy track with a nice arrangement.
Under her name she only managed to put out a single and some compilation tracks, but the music of Karen Marks has found a new audience in recent times. You can hear why and only wish there was more. Its great to listen to sophisticated, catchy Australian music produced from any era and this is no exception.
- Hillfolk.