Fifteen (or so) years ago, Mark Witt recorded a couple of EPs and seemed like he was laying the groundwork for something bigger. And then, he stopped. After a move from Chicago to Richmond, he reconnected with music and recorded the five tracks on this EP.

Mark Witt Infinity Smile EP (self-released)

Turns out age can bring a greater sense of adventure. Witt is interested in a much more expansive sound than on his early works, and these songs explode out of the speaker with a vengeance. Heavy, effects-laden guitar features throughout, even when it serves as an element of chaos rather than a unifying force.

Witt's refusal to fully resolve the ideas within his songs is the real grabber here. Yeah, he traffics in catchy fuzz-rock (with solid power-pop underpinnings), but he allows tangents to simply fall away as needed. The occasional thunderstorm nourishes the entire project.

I have no idea what Witt's future intentions are, but this EP is certainly a fine second statement. Once again, Witt has positioned himself for a big step. We'll see what happens this time around.

Jon Worley