Artist: Mark Cline Bates
Album: King of the Crows
Label: Self-released
Release Date: 6.28.2019
Mark Cline Bates grew up on his family farm In West Virginia where the Bates family has lived for four generations. The values of hard work, determination, sacrifice, and survival all run deep with him and echo through these brilliant dozen songs on King of the Crows. At the age of 30, he is an “old soul.” Although the album was recorded in Charlotte, it has the stamp of his rural, mountainous West Virginia woven into it. Bates has lived in L.A. and Nashville, he’s made some strong records, but this is his most unique and best one. He found the inspiration he needed by returning home.
With Don Dixon (James McMurtry) producing, Bates delivers raw, haunting, and honest songs while playing mostly a mournful piano backed by Dixon on bass and Jim Brock on drums, along with the flourish of organ, electric guitar and trombone in just a few places. The album is built around Bates’ vocals and songwriting, framed well by the spare backdrop which leaves plenty of spaces, key to the dramatic effect of many songs. Some stories will induce cringing while others are quirky enough to bring a smile. Some are first-person narratives while others are character sketches. The first-person opener “Animals” has him enjoying sitting on his back porch swing shooting at crows with his hound dog by his side. It’s a metaphor for trying to rid oneself of bad luck but it so rich with rural imagery, that it has the listener hanging on every word.
On “Highway Signs” he follows a character who has several bad decisions piling up. Using lyrics like “ain’t too good at learnin’ quick, or readin’ highway signs,” you can’t help but empathize with the guy who is forbidden to see his daughter. It’s the common tale of a flawed character unable to navigate circumstances. “Baby Don’t Like” is a poignant heart-wrenching love plea. “Caged Up Bull” is propelled merely by bass drum and hand claps before the other instruments join in to convey the anger of the character facing jail time for a vehicle mishap. “I was feeling just like a caged up bull” is, in the end, a weak alibi.
“Ginger” is the story of an elderly woman who can no longer afford to pay her bills, far too common in West Virginia and other areas; its ending line: “her dream of Paradise has left her short of breath.” Here and throughout Bates’ shows a remarkable keen eye for detail. “I Don’t Why” is a self-reflective series, pondering why he’s done certain things, something we can all relate to. In the closing “My Heart Is Good” Bates looks back at a chaotic ten years of his life and wonders what’s next. Cleverly, he references the scarecrow in his yard, the crows, and his shotgun, bringing the song cycle full circle. Bates says, “The title of the album is King of the Crows but I’m not their king. They don’t listen to anyone.” On the other hand, chances are you won’t just listen to Bates sing these songs; you’ll linger on every word and marvel at his songwriting.
For those unfamiliar with Bates, he’s in a similar pocket as McMurtry, Rod Picott, and Jason Isbell, yet he stands apart as a singular voice and writer. This is a “must have” singer-songwriter effort.
—Jim Hynes
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