With four rock operas already under his belt, Working Theory is the performance project of lyricist and composer Mark Baughman, telling the story of waking up in the cells after a walk in the park, caught up in protests and near-riots. Heavily influenced by the Civil Rights movement and the events of late 1960’s America, Baughman’s lyrical narrative weaves a tale of soldiers battening down the hatches and cracking down on unrest with an iron boot, arresting as many as possible and scattering the rest like a bunch of frightened bad rabbits.
Piano driven and soaked in reverb, with centrepiece lead guitar and saxophone solos, ‘Racing To The Bottom is potent and emotive, sounding – as you might expect – very much like a showtune from a Broadway musical, perhaps something from a modern-day re-interpretation of Les Miserables or Hair.
You can hear ‘Racing To The Bottom’, and more of Baughman’s work, on Soundcloud. Check out Mark Baughman here and on Facebook.
Review by Alex Holmes