Craig Marshall

Point of View (Big Ticket)

You’d probably never know it from his swinging Lucky Strikes persona, but Craig Marshall is an unabashed aficionado of pure pop. While his third solo album is an easy sell for genre acolytes, the true test of pop is its resonance. Point of View boasts pristine production and meticulous craft that shine brightest on sprightly, clean-burning ear worms like “I Know What It’s Like” and “One Face in the Crowd.” The light country leanings of “When You Come Back Down” make for a pleasant detour. Astute listeners may detect telltale hints of an incipient croon, but heard against the backdrop of transistor-radio aspirations, Marshall’s vocal style has more in common with the Smithereens’ Pat DiNizio than Sinatra. Unfortunately, some songs on View are stretched too thin. “Paper Cut” rides an otherwise intriguing metaphor and bittersweet melody for about a minute too long. As is often the case with pop, it’s all about the singles.

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This article appears in May 23 • 2008.

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Greg Beets was born in Lubbock on the day Richard Nixon was elected president. He has covered music for the Chronicle since 1992, writing about everyone from Roky Erickson to Yanni. Beets has also written for Billboard,Uncut, Blurt, Elmore, and Pop Culture Press. Before his digestive tract cried uncle, he co-published Hey! Hey! Buffet!, an award-winning fanzine about all-you-can-eat buffets.