Album Of The Week

"Musicerandet är lika bra albumet igenom, och produktionen finns det inte heller nåt att anmärka på."

- Tony Berg / Baretta Magazine -

"Musiken på Mark Sebastians 'A Trick Of The Light' är framför allt varierande. Det är mestadels lugna popmelodier med ett mycket kompetent gäng studiomusiker i bakgrunden och dessutom stråkarrangemang av självaste Brian Wilson-kompisen Van Dyke Parks i titellåten, där inte minst lite Beach Boys-finesser märks tydligt, precis som i låten ”Riverrun”. Hela skivan är både tidlös och mycket omväxlande, och inte minst ett perfekt objekt för en fullvuxen lyssnare."

- Torbjörn Berlin / Berlin Calling -

"Det är supernsygga och svävande västkust- och smått soul-popiga, alster från Mark Sebastian, jodå, broder till Loving Spoonfuls egen sångare och låtskrivare John Sebastian. Här på albumet är det just snyggaste låtarna och, ja, sådan där musik som Bill LaBounty, Michael Franks och andra artister spelade förr om åren."

- Micheles Kindh / Blaskan -

"This is Mark Sebastian’s return to the west coast, and the musicians are almost exclusively west coast players. They include Don Randi, James Gadson, Bob Glaub, Freddie Washington, Wah Wah Watson, Van Dyke Parks, Johnnie Lee Schell, Bill Payne, Leah Kunkel, Billy Nicholls, Joe Sublett and Mark Pender."

- Kenneth Bremer / Blue Desert -

"So, lots to colour this album, and one that will find favour with admirers of great melody and layered arrangements."

- Paul McGee / Lonesome Highway -

"A tinge of the Sebastian DNA comes in Mark’s voice, with a more watercolor hue to John’s bright, oil-colored, friendlier tone. Despite Mark not having much of a vocal range, his vocal interpretation does hit the target. There are moments Mark cruises into the tradition of Spoonful-style. How can he not? It’s obvious he carved out a niche wholly his own."

- John Apice / Americana Highways -

"This album has a healthy mix of groovy funky uptempo songs and calmer material. Definitely a recommended album if you like 70's westcoast pop orientated music and Steely Dan, but also Bill Withers in particular."

- Gabor Kleinbloesem / Strutterzine -

"The 1st solo record, ‘Bleecker Street,’ from US singer songwriter Mark Sebastian dates back to 2001 and was then followed in 2008 by the album ‘The Real Story’. Thereafter it took 17 years to come up with a new record being ‘A Trick Of The Light’. It contains 9 of his compositions which still have that typical 60's and 70's vibe."

- Valére Sampermans / Rootstime -

"Delicate percussion and bass lines by James Gadson and Bob Glaub flank the rippling vibraphone and the guitar and vocals of Mark Sebastian in 'A Voice In The Heart'. In the tight rhythm 'You Made A Monkey A Of Me' is lifted up with the guitar of Johnnie Lee Shell. 'Roll With Me' and 'The Way Back Home' will roll in with acoustic strings by Sebastian. Billy Nicholls' harmonic vocals and Don Randi's piano color the melancholic 'Riverrun'. In the sober title track, it is Van Dyke Parks' wondrous arrangements that make the difference. 'Beneath The Sheets' and the rhythmic 'Hard Hearted' are colored by sultry brass parts by Mark Pender and Joe Sublett. The thin vocals and funky percussion of Wah Wah Watson in 'Get Up And Move' refer to the sultry ghetto soul of Curtis Mayfield."

- Cis van Looy / Written In Music -

"Regarding the 9 songs on the album, there are all the influences of the singer songwriter and guitarist, from urban jazz to pop, from rhythm'n'blues to folk rock, interpreted with grace and a soft vocal tone."

- Paolo Baiotti / Late For The Sky -

"Mark Sebastian's way of performing is quite emotional, and I would add sincere, as well, which a potential listener can easily notice. 'A Trick Of The Light' is a pleasant release to listen to, harmonically convincing, done by someone with a lot of experience."

- Branimir Lokner / Time Machine Music -