It was a few years ago I heard The Marbles on a compilation CD I was reviewing for a music magazine. It didn't take long (before the end of their song) to become one of my favorites. The pop sound? Or the fact they were a powerful trio? Those were some of the questions I was thinking of while I listened to the song, then would hit repeat for another run.

The world is swarming with all kinds of music, and some gets more recognition than others do. It was through the Broken Note compilation that bands networked to get their music out to other areas. I was damn fortunate to get a copy of the edition with The Marbles on it. This edition was compiled of rockabilly, surf, and pop punk.

Since then, The Marbles released their full-length debut Rock's Not Dead on Break-Up Records a couple of years ago. It was lip-smacking fun with such songs as No Direction, Rock 'N' Roller, and Louise. Their power pop sound was fresh to my ears, and hell, this trio can crank out the rock power that some five piece bands just suck at!

Now, for 2001, The Marbles released their sophomoric release Seduction, which is tighter and packing a more rockin' powerful punch than the debut. I guess it really lives up to its name on this recording: it seduced me, and with that hot rock sound, left me craving for more…

"I don't think our music has gotten harder," Manda explains, "I just think that this recording is a little more reflective of our live sound than Rock's Not Dead. The energy of our stage show has finally bled over into our studio recording. We have always been a little more 'raw' live, and I think we finally got a recording that demonstrates that. People have never really described our live show as 'sweet sugar coated pop' like the first album would have many people believe. We've always been a little more rock than pop."

As mentioned before, I believe the sounds on the Seduction release are mush tighter as compared to Rock's Not Dead. So, of course I had to find out the answer to that…and Manda was more than willing to elaborate. "Well, we spent a little more time making this album (Seduction). We took the time to smooth out the rough edges and therefore created an album that is a little tighter. We have also gotten tighter as a band. We've known each other for awhile now and our playing styles continue to mesh better as time goes on."

She goes on to tell me how the title of the recording came to be. " Well, the name of the album was initially going to be Dangerous, but then we realized Michael Jackson already had an album by that name…I think Seduction was a good choice because it's a great song and it really demonstrates our style best. It's a little poppy and a little rock…and that's what we are!"

Well, my friends, the wait is over, and the album is out! This ten-track disc is awesome. Musically, The Marbles demonstrate how superb they fit together. This trio's songwriting skills are well represented from the opening track of Dangerous, Left Behind, Through, and the closing track of Hey! And tight! The sound is so airtight that it reminds me in some ways of Urge Overkill…but that is just my opinion.

The band finished a tour up to New York in the latter part of 2000. Touring is a big thing in this business to get your music and name out. Fan response is an important issue as well. Excellent way to pick up new fans. Here is what Manda had to say about playing NYC and its surrounding areas.

"That was probably one of the best times I've ever had playing! I was scared out of my wits to be playing in that big city (being from the Midwest), but the energy of that show was phenomenal. We all felt great and had fun! We did gain some new fans there. We've also been playing a lot in Pennsylvania and we played some gigs in Buffalo, NY. We have been very pleased with the response and have sold a lot of merchandise. I think one interesting thing is that we seem to attract people that are into all different kinds of music."

"For example, we played a show in Buffalo that was filled with a mixture of goth kids and hardcore kids. We were convinced we'd get heckled off the stage. To our surprise, people were dancing and wanting to meet us after we played!! We were shocked!! We also seem to go over well with people into metal, pop punk, and even those 'mainstream radio people of all ages'…I guess it's a good thing. We're not disappointed."

The band is dedicated to their performances as well. They are playing many regional shows, but if the opportunity arises to perform on the other side of the country, Manda says they will go. Opening for bigger acts or festivals are a way of getting that type of exposure as well.

"Hopefully we'll get that chance in the future," she says. "Then again…are the 'big names' out there in today's music really ready for The Marbles? I'll ask you…are they and the people in this country really ready for some real rock and roll music again? Something tells me the answer is YES…and they've been waiting for a long time…too long."