Setting the tone with elegant, strummed acoustic guitar, Mark Shepherd opens World on Fire with the prophetic and situational lyrics, “We didn’t listen to the warnings, and everything is changing fast, we were living in denial, it was never gonna last…”
The opus expands into a passionate and meaningful commentary on human history and the current state of reality, and as Mark describes World on Fire as “a loud call to arms, a lamentation and a wry comment on a world, literally, on fire.”
With national politics, international relations and the climate emergency in total chaos, Mark’s warm baritone soothes, warns and offers us some hope. We appreciate his range, authenticity and emotion, as well as his optimistic energy, as he sings, “I hope that we can put it out…”
Mark Shepherd is a singer-songwriter from Cambridge with a distinctive baritone and a dark brand of folky, thought provoking acoustic rock meets Americana that explores the “stygian side of life”.
It is no surprise that Mark has featured on BBC Introducing and a host of blogs with live performances all over the UK and USA including The Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge Rock Festival, Camp Bestival, London: 02 Academy Islington, Borderline, 229 the venue, The Islington, The Spice of Life… New York: Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Pianos, Arlene’s Grocery and many more.
Mark grew up listening to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel, Jimi Hendrix as well as Miles Davis and Kraftwerk, Devo and Gary Numan, which we can feel come through in his art, although there is no doubt that he is creating a universe of his own.
We have added World on Fire to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream Mark Shepherd‘s wider discography!