Joe Marson

Joe Marson is a Brooklyn transplant whose music resonates in the realm of alternative folk-rock, with a defiant bluesy edge. Marson delivers full-bodied, soulful ballads charged with slow thumping percussion, powerfully swelling harmonies and fervent, evocative lyricism.

A wanderer, Marson spent a good six years traveling the nation prior to settling in NY's best borough. That epoch gives marked spark to his songwriting. "I was soul searching and trying to find who I was, as a person as well as musically," Marson told Best New Bands, "I wanted to dip my toes in different experiences and genres before writing about them."

"The best musicians have real life experiences and real wisdom," he continued, "I needed to come from that place in order to feel authentic to myself. I've seen the lowest of lows that I can image and some pretty high highs. I write from those experiences."

Of his writing process, Marson added, "It's sort of a mystery to me, still. Sometimes the lyrics come slow, sometimes it's like squeezing blood from a rock." Yet, as evidenced by the way this musician has lived, Marson's work is built on intuition. His candidness lends discernible heart to his work, a trait most apparent in his live performances. His most recent video, for "Goddamit Julia," displays this quality expertly. Wearing his heart on his sleeve like a badge of honor, Marson's willingness to embrace exposure is a nod to accepting and sharing what makes us human.