Mark Maze Uncomfortable Truths Review: Smooth, But Lacking Depth

Mark Maze, was, at one time, handpicked to be a member of an R&B-inspired boy band in his native Britain. However, feeling his creativity stifled by the puppet masters backing the group, Maze struck out on his own. His new album, Uncomfortable Truths is Maze’s attempt to justify such a gutsy move.

Uncomfortable Truths features Maze’s soothing voice tethered to a diverse mix of styles, a sometimes uneven mixture of soft pop ad electronic, with a sprinkling of R&B and some throwbacks to the 80s and 90s. This kind of eclecticism wields a double-edged sword: a bouy to some of the album’s tracks, but an anchor to others.

There is strength at the top of Uncomfortable Truths’ rotation. “The Devil May Cry” is the album’s lead single, and it would hardly seem out of place on your local pop station’s playlist. The track ranges between slow, vocal and piano-heavy bits to quick electronic dance rhythms. Maze asks passionately, “Are you a saint or a sinner?” The song’s lyrics aren’t plentiful, but with the depth of Maze’s voice, there is power in what lyrics there are. It works; a couple of listens and you’re likely to be reciting the chorus later in the day.

A pair of tracks featuring like-minded lyrical themes follow the lead single. “2nd Best” is an upbeat song about self-empowerment. Where “The Devil May Cry” reaches back to the 1980s with its reliance on the synthesizer, “2nd Best” is a nostalgia trip to the 90s and early 2000s. Listening to the song may remind some of the soft rock/pop/alternative hits from bands like Third Eye Blind. The bouncy “Get Gone” pulls at similar strings. features a catchy guitar line throughout as Maze expresses verses about moving on from a failed relationship almost in spoken word rather than song.

There is a certain Depeche Mode-y quality to “Your Bite Was Beautiful,” but the quality as a whole is lacking in what is a by-the-numbers pop tune. Despite the song’s title, the lyrics and melody don’t really have much of a bite. Unlike the album’s first couple of tracks, there isn’t much in this song that will bring you back.

“Crazy,” the fifth track on the album brings the pace back with a punch. “You irritate me,” Maze repeats throughout the song, and it is catchy. Again, there’s a nostalgic 90s element here. Yet where tracks like “2nd Best” and “Get Gone” use that factor to their advantage, “Crazy” sounds dated. Ironic, that Maze felt creatively silenced while part of his previous boy band group, because “Crazy” would seem more at home on the album of a 90s boy band. But while boy bands do appear to be making a comeback, this song is no One Direction.

Maze gets back to what works on “Crying Game,” which seems poised to be the next single. This is where Maze succeeds most: heartfelt, emotional vocals about heartbreak mixed with a synthpop sound that sounds fresh. “Crying Game” feels genuine.

“Get Ya Back Up” is an effective dance-pop tune that moves well, mixing that familiar guitar with the synth. The album’s imbalance return on tracks like “Robot Eyes” and “What Are We Fighting For?” There’s just nothing original going on with these songs to bring you back for further listening.

There’s no denying that Mark Maze is a talented singer. He has truly evocative vocal ability, and when it is married to the right blend, it shines. Uncomfortable Truths seems to be an effort in self-discovery. Once Maze finds exactly what sound is right for him, he could find himself heading for big things.