Mark Guiliana - My Life Starts Now

Review by Russ Israel

Today I'll be talking about Mark Guiliana's newest LP, My Life Starts Now.  Enjoy!
I kind of go on some tangents throughout the review...but they're good tangents?!?!?!?!

            Pressing play on Mark Guiliana’s newest album, My Life Starts Now, I didn’t know what to expect.  The incredibly talented drummer has a very diverse resume, but is mostly known for playing with a number of heavy hitters in the world of contemporary jazz such as Brad Mehldau, Avishai Cohen and Tigran Hamasyan.  

            The opening track of the album, “The Beginning” amazed me.  It was so simple!  I assumed that all of his solo songs would have very complex rhythmic themes, or intense polyrhythms, for that is what his work with the already mentioned artists sounds like.  But no, the first song is a statement to people like me who know him for his ability to keep up with the oddest of meters.  Even his solo EP, 2013’s Beat Music, opened with his classic and overwhelming drum fills.  Though this change in his style is incredibly drastic, I really enjoyed it.  It is nice to see a side of the musician that is not constantly looking to the composer for approval.  Now he is doing his own thing – doing what he wants, which is a pretty refreshing thing in the music world. 

            The album does pick up a bit with the title track.  “My Life Starts Now” feels like a good wake up song, or one that would be on somebody’s motivational playlist.  This record expresses how Guiliana is preparing for the next chapter of his life, parenthood, and this song sets a great foundation as it sounds like your day should start with it playing in the background. 

            Throughout the album, the drummer expresses a wide variety of emotions in response to his becoming a dad.    “Strive,” one of the only songs with a decent number of words, addresses his confidence in being a parent.  Meshell Ndegeocello reads, “I have created beats and musical compositions, through interaction, attraction, love and trust, I have created you,” which compares his musical accomplishments with those of his family life.  This line perfectly parallels Guiliana’s philosophy that real world experience helps you become a better musician, and musical experience helps you become a better person – a statement a lot of musicians could likely benefit from.  At this early point in the album it became clear that the drummer doesn’t beat around the bush.  He says what he wants to say, and does what he wants to do, so that his genuine emotion can be experienced by his listeners.   

            Despite all of its depth and subtlety, My Life Starts Now has a lot of exciting moments.  The tune, “The Result of a Ring,” is a total jammer.  It is everything you want from Guiliana from a strictly musical perspective.  He holds down the fort with his usual badass backbeats, and interacts with the soloist just enough to crescendo at the perfect moment.  His percussive genius is especially prevalent in songs such as “I’m Ready” and “B.Y.O.B” in which he deals with odd meters and impressive fills.    

            Guiliana is undoubtedly proud to be having kids.  “This One is For You” is a simple song that almost sounds like a lullaby because of its gentle female vocalist, and ever-present xylophone, which gives the first half of the album an overarching feeling of innocence.  “Dream. Come. True.” has the most impressive production value of the album, but it doesn’t really feel like a dream, more like a nightmare.  Maybe this is the drummer trying to tell us he has some anxiety about parenthood.  “It Will Come Back to You” expresses how if one doesn’t love their partner, that wrongdoing will somehow return to haunt them.  It is normal to have cold feet going into parenthood, but songs like these definitely present the album as a dichotomy – one side being enthusiastic and prideful, and the other being anxious and dark.  

            To continue with the latter half of the polarization, the Drum and Bass-esque tune “My Name is Not Important,” is sad in the sense that Guiliana discussion his intention to sacrifice his career for his new family life.  It doesn’t seem as if he is saying he fears sacrificing his career, but rather that he knows he will have to, which is disappointing to his devoted fans like myself.  This theme returns in the closing track of the album, “Let Go,” which seems like he may be discussing letting go of his career, but it’s unclear as there are so few lyrics.  It ends on a very ominous note, possibly implying that Guiliana himself doesn’t know what to make of his new role of being both a father and an artist. 

            The two sides of Mark Guiliana’s “new dad” psyche makes My Life Starts Now a very balanced and entertaining listen.  The only disappointing aspect of the album was that it did not sound very urban.  He recorded this album in Manhattan and it was supposed to present the east coast side of his music (he simultaneously came out with an album that he recorded in Los Angeles).  I didn’t really feel any New York vibes from the record, but that is only a minor flaw.  Overall, Mark Guiliana created an extremely intriguing and creative piece of music, one I would recommend to all, especially those up and coming jazz cats who are trying to express deep emotion without lyrics.  This album is a statement of change for the drummer – a change in his musical life, a change in his family life, and a change in his entire character, as having a child is an impactful manifestation of love and emotion.  My Life Starts Now can be interpreted in many ways, but this is the only absolute throughout the album.  

Overall Score:

8.4