Not sure if the kids are still into them today, but growing up music boxes were such a luxury item. They were either elaborate gifts given by grandmothers or forbidden boxes not to be touched on a mother’s nightstand for fear you’d ruin the miniature ballerina who spun to a beautiful tune once opened. Tunes much like “Velvetine” by Mark Sutton. This release took me back to a particular music box that sat in my childhood home, and for that – I can’t help but smile.
The beautifully haunting way the music travels from the speakers invigorates my senses as I can hear the song, see the tiny dancer, feel the warmth of the summer sun peeping in through the window in my favorite memories. It’s classical enough that you could hear “Velvetine” on the stage at the symphony as you’re decked in formal wear, but also has this modern nostalgia with the whole music box aesthetic it’s giving off. The balance there is welcoming and will be the reason “Velvetine” can appeal to a variety of music aficionados.
Perhaps there was a music box or two around when Mark Sutton was just a child being one of eight children in a home full of musicians. He found he had somewhat of a natural gift for music when he learned to play piano by ear. That gift has paid off as he has released an impressive amount of music over the past decade from his debut, ‘Crest of a Wave’ to the cascade of singles this year, including “Velvetine.” For more of this classically self-taught wonder, check Mark Sutton’s music out now on all major music and streaming sites.
Written by Kendra Beltran
