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Singer-songwriter Mark Rogers recently released his EP, entitled Qualifiers, with a half dozen tracks of Americana music flavored with bossa, pop, and folk rock. Qualifiers follows 2017’s Rearranged, his debut solo EP.
“The record includes 6 strong tracks that address everything from the pitfalls of falling in love too quickly, to watching your children leave home for the first time, to theorizing about why we’re in the mess we’re in. Once again, I’m accompanied by the best of the best including Larry Berwald, Dave Hufstedler, Jamie Lewis, Andrew Payne and Ryan Gaujot,” says Rogers.
In the ‘70s, Rogers was a member of Tennessee Flying Goose, a bluegrass/British pop band based in Washington, D.C. The ‘80s found Rogers in Los Angeles playing with a new band. During the next decade and a half, he focused on his family while keeping his big toe in music. Now in Williamsburg, VA, he’s devoting his time and energy to music.
“No Bigger Fool” features a crisp, upbeat country pop-flavor, with gleaming guitars atop a bowling rhythm. An oozing organ blending with razor-sharp guitars gives the music a radiant ambience. Rogers’ voice is rich and smooth, reminiscent of Rick Nelson in inflection and texture.
The title track exudes retro colors, as well as easy harmonics flowing and swaying with tender energy. Resonant layered guitars make this song work, adding bright depth and plumpness. “Imagining” delivers a SoCal country rock energy. The snug sidestick on the snare infuses the tune with a mellow rhythm, as Rogers’ warm tenor mounts overhead.
“The Blues Are Passing By” incorporates voluptuous bossa flavors, creamy and sensual. The piano sparkles beneath the scintillating guitars, imbuing the tune with subtle tropical aromas. “You Can Lead Me On” offers a folk rock tune with velvety harmonics tinged with a dazzling bottleneck guitar. The feel of this song combines pale hues of melancholy with haunting desire. “The World Changed Forever,” a song about the tragic passing of John Lennon, showcases an acoustic guitar and Rogers’ passionate tones.
With Qualifiers, Mark Rogers presents easy-listening music built on smooth, vibrant harmonics, while Rogers’ sensitive sonority provides buttery textures. Tinged with both retro and contemporary colors, Qualifiers is tantalizingly nostalgic, yet at once embryonic.
