Le Markhor

The setting: An old wood panel barn on a dusty country road. The corn stalks are high. An aged building stands isolated to the side of a winding unpaved driveway. Imagine that the Kelowna, B.C. group, Le Markhor, have assembled themselves within said barn on a small centre stage, and they are the pupil in the eye of eager onlookers. The walls of the barn itself are lined with musty bails of hay that manage to condense the vibrations which suddenly erupt from the self-proclaimed “3-piece progressive multi-genre indie rock band” (now, that’s a mouth full).

The tone is set and the band exposes their Indie characteristics until about 3:20 in when a dramatic turn follows the bridge and throws the tempo. While featuring persuasively hopeful lyrics, the chords, drums, and vocals pick up introducing a milk sense of urgency. This vibe is subdued through instrumentals, but resilient vocals squander the uneasiness that the chorus repeats. The sense of distress previously offered from the vocals has crafted itself with a powerful character. By the 6:00 finish, the wrestle between what will and what will not be defeated in Le Markhor’s, Easy Doesn’t, delivers a “Survival of the Fittest” type of message which pleads for listeners to persist.

There is no denying that the undaunting lyrics in Easy Doesn’t are strung together in a way that listeners couldn’t turn a deaf ear to it. The imagery immediately presents itself, making this the perfect song to be scored in a black and white remake of a country film where the daily grind is vivid. This is one of four songs released on Le Markhor’s EP, launched April 8, 2015, and it is safe to say that wandering minds will appreciate the airy fluidity in this trio’s chemistry. - Katye Chase