Music Review: Half-Life by Marla Mase Rating: 8.0/10.0 Wow. Just listening to the first track brought me back to my Riot Grrrl days. That time I was listening to Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, etc. Like holy guacamole. I remember the time I was making a local DIY zine with friends and that was the time I was in this all-girl hardcore band screaming and growling political and feminist opinions in songs. Enough about my trip down memory lane and let's go back to Marla Mase's Half-Life. This EP is a delight to listen to. I had the whole album playing while I was making breakfast and each track surprised me as it jumped from punkish rock and roll (Drown In Blue) to funky soul (Half-Life and Things That Scare Me) to bluesy country rock (The Heart Beats, Gaping Hole and the Drown In Blue reprise). I was totally delighted when I heard Hold Fast Your Dreams. I wasn't expecting the jazzy soft song to end the album. I couldn't help but think of Patti Smith with Marla Mase's spoken word style. Marla is also backed by backed by the Tomás Doncker Band and is signed to True Groove Records. It's definitely an album worth listening to.