MARINA ROCKS, S.O.S. Texas

Those of us of a certain age will smile knowingly at Marina Rocks’ clever reference, a few minutes into “It’s All Messed Up,” the rumbling rocker that gets her third full length album S.O.S. Texas off to a blistering, high spirited start, to two brothers named Darrell.

While the rousing, oft-repeated chorus truly serves as an anthem to the reality of America in 2025, the song is actually based on a crazy episode Marina’s friend Darrell related about a wacked out ex-girlfriend. If we’re aware of the way indie artists like Marina struggle with the current music business’ manufactured state of affairs, the jam also rocks as a cathartic metaphor.

It’s a theme the well-traveled, sensual yet gritty voice Texan troubadour extends in more pointed terms with Nashville in her artful crosshairs on “S.O.S.,” a crafty, partly talk-sung romp about the powers that be demanding that she change her image and keep cranking out over-commercialized tequila love songs. These two riveting gems are just the opening salvos on a collection that finds Marina taking us on a unique journey both musically and storytelling-wise, gracing us with a snappy Godin guitar virtuoso instrumental like “I Don’t Know” before bouncing from her trademark blissful state of boogie Americana to the sly, soulful and funky reggae coolness on “Mind’s Eye.”  

Her apparent industry laments extend West on one of the album’s most heartfelt and heart-wrenching tunes, the slow-burning ballad “The Hollywood Sign,” which features spoken word verses about the experience of feeling lost in L.A. but gaining necessary wisdom through the experience. Happily, too, the collection isn't all darkly bluesy, life’s hellish but I’ll survive type trauma. Marina lauds her “shero” Annie Em on the rollicking “Slap Happy,” a title not featured in the lyrics of the song but truly embodying its energetic, hopeful vibe.

She also kindly includes two tempo varied versions of “One More Song,” which is what loyal fans and newcomers to the majestic yet edgy, ethereal yet earthbound fire of Marina’s voice, persona, guitar excitement and compelling storytelling will want the minute the first run through of these glorious 39 minutes come to a close.