Mark Ambor wants you to escape to his hometown with him on ‘Rockwood’

Recommended Tracks: “Academy Street,” “Bruises and Stains,” “My Love!”
Artists You Might Like: Alex Warren, Benson Boone, Caleb Hearn

We all yearn for an escape at times — a moment to breathe, to let go and to feel the weight of the world roll off our shoulders. Maybe it’s a place, a person, or just a fleeting feeling. It’s that breath of fresh air you occasionally crave when you need it most. For singer-songwriter Mark Ambor, that place was Rockwood, a park nestled in his hometown in Westchester County by the Hudson River in New York. His debut album, Rockwood, released today, Friday, Aug. 16, offers the kind of escape we all so desperately need.

Following the releases of his EPs Colorful (2019) and Hello World (2022), which featured singles like “The Long Way” and “Company,” Ambor solidified his place in the music scene this year with his viral single “Belong Together,” which landed on the Billboard Global Chart. Over the past few years, Ambor has steadily built a devoted fan base and sold out his first-ever global headlining tour in one day.

On his debut album Rockwood, Ambor lays out what the place of Rockwood truly means for him; it’s an escape from the scary world. From sunsets to walks to picnics to even first dates, it was his safe place. The album opens with a tender vignette that serves as a reminder to be proud of who you are, even when life feels overwhelming Ambor aims to inspire listeners to always be good to you in “Good To Be,” singing, “Damnit, it’s so good to be alive.” Yet, on “Academy Street,” Ambor reflects on the comfort found in quiet moments, away from the noise and pain, Academy was his safe place (“In the quiet or the crowd / You’re all that I think about”).

There’s a contentment and almost peace that permeates the record, especially on the carefree, swinging guitar track “Our Way.” Here, Ambor finds himself seizing the moment, discovering joy even with how difficult life can get. He sings about the importance of living in the present and enjoying the little things you sometimes take for granted, like singing under string lights and staying up until sunrise, reminding listeners to appreciate the little things that often go unnoticed or unappreciated.

The album takes a more somber turn with tracks like “Second Best” and “Hate That I Still Love You.” On the slow guitar ballad “Second Best,” Ambor shares his insecurity and jealousy within his relationship, expressing his worry of being second to someone else in his partner’s heart and mind. He shares his fears, singing, “Does he ever sneak inside In the back door of your mind? / Just tell me I should put my fear to rest / You know I don’t wanna be your second best.” This vulnerability continues on “Hate That I Still Love You,” where Ambor reflects on a love that’s slipping away. He wishes they were staring at the same moon and sun, feeling guilty and ashamed for letting that person slip away.

No one’s perfect, not even yourself. That’s a truth Ambor is forced to come to terms with. He makes you feel heard and seen on one of the album’s highlights, “Bruises and Stains,” a beautiful escapade into emotional realism. He tries to reconcile with his past and his imperfections (“I want the devil to yell on my shoulder / I want the angel to call him insane / I wanna look at myself in the mirror / Proud of my bruises and my stains”). In his journey of self-discovery, Ambor longs to embrace both the good and the bad, but ultimately realizes that he must learn to live with his “bruises and stains.”

He tries to make his lost love work on “I Hope It All Works Out,” but as the song reaches its conclusion, Ambor is left with the painful realization that it won’t. He grapples with coming to terms with the end of their relationship, reflecting on the haunting moment when it became clear (“‘Cause I’m still wrestling with the words / That came so easy out your mouth / When you looked at me and said “I hope it all works out”). He deals with the aftermath of the breakup and what it means for him in the album’s subsequent tracks, as he bares his soul without words on “Under the Willow,” an instrumental piano piece that serves as Ambor’s little hideaway — a place where the world stood completely still. It feels like that serene escape that Rockwood offered him. The album closes on a hopeful note, an ode to the person he lost. Despite acknowledging the pain of knowing they might find someone better, Ambor admits that this person was his home, heart and an integral part of who he is. He leaves us with the reassuring words, “When days get rough / You’ll be enough / You’ll always have my heart.”

On his debut album, Rockwood, Ambor leaves you feeling understood, heard and part of something bigger — an escape from everything. He shares his experiences of pain, joy and closure, capturing the warmth and light that Ambor and his hometown in Westchester County have brought to him.