Mark McGuire

From the mid-western underground consciousness, guitarist/producer Mark McGuire emerges with his forthcoming 2014 Dead Oceans debut Along the Way. The conceptual album details the inner journey of an individual seeking definition and enlightenment. For those following McGuire's musical ascent thus far, the record is a culmination of a prodigious and prolific artist.

Playing with a wide variety of instruments and styles on Along the Way, McGuire presents his unique vision of modern psychedelia. Using electric and acoustic guitars, a Talkbox, drum machines, a mandolin and lots in between, McGuire conducts a sonic exploration of the inner self. "This story is an odyssey through the vast, unknown regions of the mind," he explains in the liner notes," The endless unfolding of psychological landscapes, leading to perpetual discoveries and expansions, in a genuinely emergent and infinite world of worlds."

Mark McGuire first came to national attention as part of Cleveland's drone collective Emeralds, a band that single handedly created a paradigm shift toward the meditative in an era of underground music best known for noise and chaos. Their albums for the Editions Mego, No Fun and Hanson labels, among others, remain treasured to a generation of tape collecting misfits. Over the course of many independent and self-releases the individual members of the band exhibited their solo material from their earliest days. McGuire's first solo release in 2006 showcased a natural affinity for melody, slowly disintegrating loops and composition. When he kept audiences spellbound with live performances of his material it made believers of concertgoers across the world.

By 2009 his solo debut album Living With Yourself was garnering praise from press and audiences alike. McGuire as a solo performer made a direct connection with fans through his hypnotic playing, becoming more complex in its dynamics and phrasings. The album's 2011 follow up Get Lost furthered the guitarist's palate to include a sun-bleached digital effect. The music continually grew over itself as delays decayed and new ones took their place, each layer revealing colors and sunspots, reflecting the expanse of roads traveled. The last few years have found McGuire touring with friends like Ducktails as well as performing as a fifth member of the legendary Afghan Whigs, collaborating with artists like Ponytail's Dustin Wong and releasing his own R&B influenced Road Chief project. 2014 will bring more touring, more collaborations, more videos and media; expanding horizons that all start with a sound.