Linda Marks Album "Queen Of The Angels" Review.

Artist: Linda Marks

Album: Queen Of The Angels

Released: 2026

Artist Website: https://www.lindamarksmusic.com/

Linda Marks returns with a 12 song set of new material that clocks in at about 55 minutes. It is her 16th album and the third that I have reviewed. If you have enjoyed  her previous releases this one will certainly satisfy the need for more wonderful songs from this prolific singer/songwriter. It is hard to pick a favorite of her many releases, as they are all consistently very solid. The songs are always well told stories and the musical backdrop to her poems is easy on the ears at every turn. 

The title track Queen Of The Angels opens the album up with the charming sound of the Boston based singer. It is the story of the decline of America's second largest city. Socially conscious lyrics about wildfires and the homeless shine light on the city of show business dreams and hope, asking where is the Queen of Angels now to do the work that needs to be done. Linda Marks has a sound that would be right at home on a playlist that is rooted in classic folk or 70's AM radio. Artists like Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot come to mind.

The very next track You're Not Alone is a standout. Guest vocalist Dimitris Nezis is a pleasant addition to the mix. The vocal interplay between Linda and Dimitris is seamless in every way. The two voices meld impeccably like all the great vocal bands have throughout the years. It is always interesting when the two right voices find one another creating a third voice that is truly unique. It's that magic that happens when the sum is greater than its parts. This song has that spark of magic in it making for a compelling listen. 

Momma Cries is a song that embodies the Linda Marks sound perfectly. A soft beautiful voice with soothing musical backdrop and thought provoking lyrics that paint vivid pictures. The story of a teenage mother trying to make it work, is far bigger than the typical boy meets girl and they fall in love lyrics.  Linda has a way of addressing real issues with wide open adult eyes and observations. Conveying that things are almost never black and white though her storytelling makes the listener perhaps look at complicated issues through a different lens. One that pierces the surface and exposes the roots of an issue. Not always a comfortable view, but a necessary one in the pursuit of wisdom.

Of the three Linda Marks albums that I have reviewed, this is my favorite. I am unsure what it is about this one that resonates with me. There is always a reflection of personal struggle in Linda's music, but this one has something else. Something that says we are all struggling with something, but we need to find peace and happiness within that struggle. She is able to emote and get her point across without the listener feeling like they are being lectured, but perhaps just being told they are not alone. It is a fantastic record that has absolutely zero filler on it. The songs are all well put together and the production is top shelf. Linda Marks is an artist that deserves to be heard. 

Check out the interview below...

Tell us the brief history of your band or musical career.

Music was my first language.  As a child I did not talk until I was 3,.  Yet as a toddler, I would toddle to any piano I could find, and start writing songs intuitively.  My first word was "piano."  But my family did not have one and my father was horrified that his daughter showed such a passion for music.  His mantra, from his own fear that I could not make a living as a musician was "music is a waste of a good mind."  He did everything in his power to suppress or kill off my musical passion.  That is NOT the way to parent a passionate child!  All it did was create shame about my passion.  My mother tried to get me music lessons that were free--an experimental recorder program when I was 3, a Suzuki violin program when I was in 3rd grade...but though the programs told my mother I was gifted and talented, my father was not happy.  I saved all my money to first buy a guitar when I was 11 and then finally a piano when I was 13.  I majored in Music at Yale and graduated with honors and distinction in my major.  I co-founded Yale's 3rd women's a cappella singing group as a 17 year old freshman and it is still there. My first chapter of professional musician took place through my late 20's.  But because I DID need to find a way to make a living, raise my now young adult son as a single mom, and care for a mom with Alzheimer's, I had to take a multi-decade hiatus from my deepest passion.  My first album came out when I was in my early 20's.  My second album did not come out until decades later.  But over the past 15 years, I have released my 2nd through 16th stuidio albums, with my 17th now in the recording process for release in 2027.

Who are your musical and non-musical influences?

Musical influences were all the singer songwriters of the singer songwriter movement:  Carole King, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Karla Bonoff, Carly Simon...AND artist from many genres from Calypso (Harry Belafonte), Folk (The Weavers, Pete Seeger), Broadway musicals, Burt Bacharach and Hal David  and the wide variety of music I listened to as a child and all through my lifetime.

What album has had the greatest impact on your life as a musician?

Probably Carole King's Tapestry album.  It came out when I was a kid, and had a cat on the cover.  I love cats.  Carole was a blonde curly haired piano playing singer songwriter and so was I. 

Is there a particular song that has resonated with you for a long time?

There are many many songs.I have recorded a number of them as covers, although the majority of my recordings are my original songs.  Currently, I am recording my own arrangement of "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" made popular when I was a kid by Dan Seals and John Ford Coley (under the duo name England Dan and  John Ford Coley) 

What’s your favorite accomplishment as a musician thus far? 

I am very proud of the 16 studio albums I have released.  I try to make each one better and better.  I always want to learn and grow as a songwriter and an artist.  I am also proud to have been a Voting Member of the Recording Academy for 5 years.  I have had a lifelong tendency to found and build artist alliance groups and create events that build community through music and the arts.   

Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.

In 2024 I spent the year rolling out the Sanctuary Project, built around a song, "Sanctuary" that I wrote inspired by and including words of domestic violence survivors.  I brought together colleagues from around the world to sing and play on the album.  And I did a number of events over the course of the year to bring attention to the roots of domestic violence in collaboration with two domestic violence programs.  I really enjoyed performing "Sanctuary" at my 2024 album release concert with members of both domestic violence programs joining on me on stage to sing the song. 

What's new in the recording of your music?

My 2026 album, Queen Of The Angels, was recorded both in regular digital and also in Dolby Atmos format.  I am grateful to my producer, Nashville's Justine Blazer, for taking my music into the growing Dolby Atmos space.  The album also has three duets, with three different musical friends/colleagues, one from Greece, one from the Netherlands, one from Wisconsin.  About half of my songs have their foundational tracks recorded at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville.  Grateful for all the amazing people involved in making my albums! 

How has your music changed over the years?

I think my songwriting, arranging and recording skills have grown over the years.  I have built my network of collaborators and am grateful for the amazing people I work with.  I write songs at the heart of our times, so my catalogue is a journey through what has unfolded in the world. 

What inspires you to write the music you write? 

All kinds of things. People's stories.  What's happening in the world.  Messages that need to be expressed to the larger world (the anthem songs I write).  Autobiographical material.  Wild turkeys!   

What made you want to play the instrument you play? 

As a child I was just organically, magnetically drawn to the piano. 

How does your latest album differ from any of your others in the past? 

My latest album is my first one with Nashvile producer Justine Blazer.  She really got my vision and did a fabulous job helping build a team to record the songs.  I brought in musical colleagues I worked with and she added to the team with her Nashville studio team, the team at Pentavarit and others in her network.  We had a very strong team involved in all aspects of the album. 

How are you continuing to grow musically?

I continue to strengthen my voice having lost it entirely for 2 months to early COVID from November 2019 to January 2020.  I have been doing weekly vocal coaching sessions for 5 years with an amazing coach, Richard Slade.  I did two co-writes with Justine Blazer and Cara Paige for my 2027 album.  I work with a larger team of collaborative colleagues.  I often have new songs reviewed by an experienced songwriting coach for feedback. 

Are there any musicians who inspire you that are not famous? What qualities do you admire about them?

Most of my friends and colleagues are fellow independent artists and none of us are "famous" per se.  I respect the talent, dedication, and kindnes of my friends and colleagues. 

Describe your worst performance. What did you learn from this experience?

I am dyslexic, and on occasion my brain freezes and I cannot play the piano chords needed to accompany myself on songs I wrote and know inside out.  It is very embarrassing and frustrating.  I have learned to compensate by always having a chart in front of me so if I go into a dyslexic spin, I can try to ground myself with the chart and pull myself back.  The worst performances have been when the dyslexic spin just would not let up.  While I like playing piano and singing, on occasion if someone else does the piano playing, it removes the stress of having to worry will my dyslexia take over or not. 

Tell me what your first music teacher was like. What lessons did you learn from them that you still use today?

I had one really HARMFUL music teacher.  He was jealous of the fact that as a little kid I was writing ragtime.  I took voice lessons with him, not realizing he was going to try to mess with me.  Every time I was doing vocal exercises with him, he'd obsessively scream out that I was coming to my register break when I was approaching the Bb an octave about middle C, which caused me to freeze. It took years, a lot of tears and finally finding good coaching to overcome the trauma of his sadism. 

How would your previous band mates describe you and your work ethic?

They would say I work hard and put my heart and soul into everything I do. I have a vision and I work hard to create it. I am collaborative. 

If you could play anywhere or with anyone in the world, where or with who would it be?

I would love to play at the Grammys and have some of the fine musicians I have recorded with join me.   It would be amazing to sing the new global anthemic song I am currently recording, "Better Than This," sung with colleagues from around the world.  The message is one of empowerment, embracing our differences and inspiring us to be the very best we can be--individually and together. 

If you could change anything about the music industry today, what would it be?

I would love to be able to make enough money to live from my music and to pay for all my recordings and what is needed to promote them.  As an independent artist, no matter how many industry awards I win for my songwriting, performances or recordings, I just cannot make the money I need for any of this.  This is the case for most all of my talented independent artist friends and colleagues.  Music should not be treated as a commodity, where there is almost no financial compensation or reward for investing countless hours, one's heart and soul, and hard earned financial resources that often come from working hours at another full time job. 

What are your biggest obstacles as a musician?

Earning money.  Accessing music supervisors to pitch my music for synch.  Getting my music heard and visible.  I don't have a marketing team or marketing budget to reach beyond my own network. 

What strengths do you have that you believe make you the musician you are?

I am intuitively musical.  I am authentic.  I live and work from my heart and soul.  My music has been called healing.  It reaches people's hearts and souls. 

Do you have any weaknesses that you're actively working to improve on?

My dyslexia gets in the way of playing the piano.  I have tried very hard to come up with ways to compensate, but it is not always easy  

Describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician.

Great musical colleagues.  Joy writing and arranging and recording music.  Joy sharing music with people and bringing people together through music.  Working with my amazing friends and colleagues  is joyful. 

Do you have any anxiety about performing live? 

I did when I first started.  Now I don't.  The only anxiety I have is whether my dyslexia will impact my piano playing.  It is safer to play with a band and even have someone else play the piano. 

If you had to choose one... live performance or studio work, which do you prefer and why? 

Both.  They are completely different. One allows me to bring my music to life.  The other is sharing it in real life.  I can't choose one. 

What do you think about online music sharing?

Since people listen to music online, it needs to be shared or no one will hear our music. 

Give us some advice for new musicians just starting out in the industry.

If music is who you are, it is critical that you pursue your music so you can be who you are.  Purpose and passion are important for health and happiness. 

What is your favorite piece of gear and why?

I love gorgeous acoustic baby grand pianos.  They play like a dream and sound wonderful 

How do you prepare for your performances and recording work?

I practice, practice, practice.  I carefully plan what I will be doing and how much time it will take.  I review what i need to do to be sure I show up prepared and ready to do a great job. 

What do you like most about your new album?

The duets with my colleagues.  The production of each song.  The gorgeous cover and album artwork AMARU contributed to the project. 

What artists do you enjoy listening to nowadays?

My friends!  Their albums are the soundtrack of my driving! 

How do you promote your band and shows?

E-newsletter, social media, press releases (though it is much harder to get coverage now than it ever used to be_ 

What is the best way to stay updated on current news; gigs, releases, etc.

Join my e-newsletter--write to me at lsmheart@aol.com or sign up on my website www.LindaMarksMusic.com 

Anything you would like to share, from new merch to upcoming shows/tours or songs/albums?

Please listen to my brand new album Queen Of The Angels 

What are your interests outside of music?

I am a heart-centered body psychotherapist as my other full-time profession.  I love cats, dogs, sports, going to the gym every day, going to Farmer's Markets, focusing on good health as a way of life, getting together with friends 1-on-1, being a present mom for my young adult son and being a really good friend. 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I worked at Boston's Fenway Park as a teenager