Mark Henes is a man on a mission to write great songs, and he refuses to let genre be an obstacle to his plans. We first heard from the Nashville native back in November of last year, with the release of two dramatically different songs. His single “Ghost Train” was a classic Outlaw Country road song, complete with banjo picking and lost loves.
The multifaceted and eclectic artist’s other 2019 release was the rocking “Strip Me Down.” That track’s 1-2 punch of distorted electric guitars and hard driving backbeat rhythm packed all the punch of a Ramones song. Stylistically, the two songs came from completely different places. However, each had the unmistakably unique stamp of this talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Mark is back with a new single for 2020, and once again he is making it clear that genre-fluidity is the name of the game. “Arm Full of Roses” is a romantic ballad that hearkens back to an era of 45 RPM singles, local radio shows, and the birth of popular music in the modern era. It was a time when crooners combined elements of Country, Rock and Doo-wap. In the process they invented the job of singer/songwriter.
“Arm Full of Roses” finds Mark singing in an excellent low Country tenor that is one part Elvis, one part George Jones. The song’s 3/4 waltz rhythm gives the track a timeless feel. The production is simple and stripped down, with the singer accompanied only by a pair of guitars. A collection of steel and nylon strings sit in a bed of reverb and set the mood for the singer as he consoles a distraught lover.
With a promise of the forthcoming full-length album “Crystallized Reflections,” Mark Henes is sure to keep surprising and entertaining listeners well into the new year. Check out the new single, and follow the links below to stay in the loop on all of current and future projects.