Getting Out is the major label debut release from English acoustic indie pop solo artist Aaron Marks, released June 26th 2011 via Haclyon Days Records. The EP itself was recorded at Big Noise Recording Studios, in Essex near Aaron's home with production coming from his older brother Kieran Marks (who has said that it "might be the only time that [the two] work together in this manner, although the experience was not a negative one"), in the early weeks of June.

Aaron recorded the vocals, guitars, ukulele, banjo, harmonica, decks, piano, samples, synthesisers, xylophone without help, and only required for his close friend, and touring drummer/backing vocalist Derek Baker to record the drums/purcussion based instruments for him. Plans for a full length album are rumoured have already started, Aaron has mentioned via his Twitter account that he hopes to be writing new material sooner rather than later.




Tracklist
1) Getting Out
Starting with an acoustic guitar riff, and some scratching from a set of DJ decks which feature throughout the song, Aaron spends no time in showing his vocals, which start as the music does with a reasonable high tone, mainly held out notes until the hip-hop based drums start and he starts to increase the speed in which he sings. During the chorus there is a use of a harmonica in the background, along with the DJ decks, acoustic guitars and hip-hop based drum beat, mixing with many tones of vocals being played over each other sounding like chanting crossed with an echoing effect. Towards the end of the song the vocals return to the held out notes, and there are more gang vocals with the line “I’m getting out of this dump” being sung whilst Aaron sings over the top until the returns to just the acoustic guitar and ends. The lyrics of the song are of an upbeat manner and follow the dreams of anyone who wants to get out of their boring lifestyle via music.


2) Loose Change
Starting with a soft acoustic guitar riff, and an equally soft use of vocals from Aaron, before the jazz based drums, along with a heavy use of the bass guitar cause an increase in the speed and tone of Aarons vocals. This beat stays the same for the majority of the song, with a slight use of piano during the chorus to match the bass. The speed of Aaron’s vocals stays relatively fast throughout the verses of the song, and become more held out notes during the chorus of the song. At the end of the song the acoustic guitars are replaced with electric guitars with a slight distortion effect added and the drums change into more of a hip-hop beat with the vocals staying the same, mainly the same line (I don’t have any loose change, I don’t need to use it.) before the song comes to a close.


3) Going Downtown
Starting with a soft acoustic guitar riff that features throughout the majority of the song, Aaron Marks shows his rougher vocal tones within this song. There is a clicking effect used to keep the pace of the vocals and acoustic guitar, on the main notes of the vocals there is a harmonised effect which raises the pace of the song. As the song progressed more instruments are added, a simple drum beat replaces the clicking sound, a violin is added and the tempo of the song increases along with the speed of Aaron’s vocals. As the song finishes the third verse, there is an addition of many typical folk instruments including a ukulele, harmonica and banjo included within the mash-up of instruments, changing the song from a simple acoustic song into a folk influenced pop song with harmonised vocals being used throughout this point. The instruments stop suddenly at the end of the song and Aaron sings “I’m going downtown alone tonight” with the word “tonight” being one held note as the song finishes. The lyrics of Going Downtown are about a trip that Aaron took when he broke up with his girlfriend and explains the change of emotions and gradual loss of the attachment the two shared.


4) Hello (Not Goodbye)
The song starts with a heavy bass line, and a simple yet fast drum beat. Whistling is also used throughout the majority of the verses (bar the final verse featuring an acoustic guitar), and Aarons vocals are fasted and edited to make them sound distanced at all points in the song, other than the chorus in which long held out unedited notes are used during the lyrics “I’m just here for the hello, not to say goodbye tomorrow”, random parts of the song also feature clapping samples, which allow for a slight surf-rock feel about it. With little guitar being used until the end of the song, when the bass stops and is replaced by an equally fast acoustic guitar, and slightly rap based lyrics at the end of the song which goes on for an extra 15 seconds with Aaron talking to the producer about how it went, then laughing at an unheard joke then saying “are we still recording?” before the song ends.


5) Perfect
Starting with Aarons vocals before the same ukulele chord that is repeated throughout the song starts during the introduction. As the song gets to the first verse a simple bass drum is used at a steady pace along with the occasional use of clapping along with this beat. There is a slight use of the xylophone during the chorus, that matches the point of the vocals provided by Aaron, there is also no use of the drums or clapping sound during the chorus, and during the following verse there is also no use of drums, but throughout the remaining part of the song they are used in the same manner. At the outro of the song, a clicking noise is used without any other instrument other than the vocals , which end with a long held note.


6) Extra Credit (Demo)
Two overlaying acoustic guitars are used throughout the song, playing high chords to match the high vocals provided by Aaron. There is little change in the structure of the song with the guitars following the same chord pattern apart from during a brief instrumental break in which one guitar plays a high pitched simplistic solo and the only major change in the vocal structure is towards the end of the song where Aaron uses held out vocals rather than the vocals throughout the rest of the song which are fairly quick and sharp. Due to the song being a demo the quality of the song is low, and it has had little editing to it, and yet the vocals from Aaron are fairly similar to the songs on the EP that have had editing giving evidence to his natural vocal ability.

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Personnel:
Aaron Marks - vocals, lyrics, guitars, ukulele, banjo, harmonica, decks, piano, samples, synthesisers, xylophone
Derek Baker - drums, percussion
Kieran Marks - additional piano, additional guitars, samples


Production:
Produced by Kieran Marks
Pre-production by Kieran Marks, Aaron Marks and Derek Baker
Mixed by Michael Killington
Artwork by Aaron Marks
Photography by Tom Barnes

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Kerrang!: 4/5 K's
Rocksound: 7/10

Edited by user 24 July 2011 09:56:10(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

OOC: Very well written :)

Aaron, this is amazing! Each track has been stuck in my head since the moment i heard it - i love it!

- Sammy

Aaron: thank you Katie, I'm looking forward to you hearing them live!

ooc: cheers fella, I was aiming to do something different :)

Aaron: thank you guys! I'm glad you all liked it!, more material is being worked on so that people don't get bored of me!!