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Artist: Band: Arms Of Kismet
Album: 'Eponymous'
CD Review: Label: Independent - Wampus Multimedia
Tracks: 10
Released: 2004
For Fans Of:: Dylan (father & son), Beck, Tom Petty
Fav Track: Beautiful Career, Sail Seven.

As the name of the group suggests, you can expect to contemplate fate, destiny or whatever you call that on their debut CD. The title of the disc, in turn, suggests searching for the root to understand the present situation. Fittingly, the first song is titled 'Karma Never Forgets'.

Arms Of Kismet is written and produced by Mark Doyon, who also sings and plays many of the instruments on the songs, along with a little help from quite a few others. The end result is a warm album of catchy, hook-laiden songs that are very simple to take in and which set the scene for . . . digesting the lyrics. Mark is challenging you to, in his own words, 'consider what it's like to be born and not know why, what it's like to know death awaits but not the hour of it's arrival.'. This is a nice soundtrack by which to do exactly that.

With his warm (not grating) Tom Petty voice, Mark soothes us at the same time as he's challenging us. These songs are meaty in every way - vocals, guitars, production and presentation.
As well, Mark has accomplished something I don't hear very often. He's taken sounds we are somewhat familiar with - 60's guitars, organs and effects - and truly made them both modern and futuristic sounding, in a very engaging and complementary way. It suits the songs and the overall theme of the CD perfectly.

The songwriting is interesting and strong, the production and mastering bang-on (mastering by Jon Astley - Tori Amos, Pete Townshend). Take it to the masses Mark. Sing it from the post-modern mountain top.

Existential 'preaching' hasn't been this easy to take in a long time.

Contact: Mark Doyon
Website: Arms Of Kismet