April 2006 / October 2005 / February-April 2005 / November-December 2004 / July 2004 / March-April 2004 / November-December 2003 / June-July 2003 / March-April 2003 / January-February 2003 / December 2002 / November 2002 / August 2002 / May-June 2002 / November 2001 / October 2001 / June-July 2001 / all web exclusives / search

Chicagoan Mark Sheeh's self-produced effort has the sort of grit that lovers of classic Rolling Stones material will love. Sure, Sheehy is no Jagger, but he sings in an honest, workmanlike rock fashion, lacing this songs with urgent, spiky guitar licks and solos and bolstering the up and at 'em sound with a solid rhythm section and healthy doses of keyboards. 'Rock, Paper, Jesus' isn't all ballsy rock, however - Breakdown Lane is a wistful country lament with a nagging rhythm; I Said Yeh has a chugging beat that refuses to lie down while The Demise of Eric Johnson is the sort of danceable rocker that will get anyone on their feet within thirty seconds. 'Rock, Paper, Jesus' is honest-to-goodness, no frills stuff - it doesn't pretend to be anything else.

John Stacey
November-December 2004

back