Mark Mulcahy - In Pursuit Of Your Happiness

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 25 / 2 / 2005

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Review

'In Pursuit of Happiness' has been a long time coming, and is Mark Mulcahy's third solo album on Loose Records. Mark is one of the nicest people in the music business that I have ever met. He is a big bloke with a voice of an angel. That angel these days gets compared with both Tim and Jeff Buckley. This new album sees a guest spot from J Mascis, who has just reformed Dinosaur Jr. The CD kicks off with with the title track which is perky in feel,and feels like a Christmas carol. 'Cookie Jar' has very jangly guitar, a trademark of Mark's former band, the wonderful Miracle Legion. It has a more familiar Mark style vocal than the opening track. 'I Have Patience' has a groove similiar to the Velvet Underground's 'Sister Ray'. The story that underfolds begins as a girl's tale, but then later it tells the male side also. 'Be Sure' is piano and vocal based with a lovely violin solo, which works beautifully. 'Can't Find A Reason to Let You Go' has a whispered vocal style, which Mark Mulcahy is famous for and very soft guitar lines delivered in a Smokey Robinson style. 'A World Away from This One' has more of those familiar Mark Mulcahy jangly guitar lines and an elegant vocal from Mark. 'A Smack on the Lips' is in contrast very different in its approach. It sounds like a cross between Stereolab and world music, and combines some jazzy Eric Clapton type lead guitar with a Miracle Legion style vocal. 'Everything's Coming Undone'has a spoken word style vocal, some deep bass which blends in well with the vocal, strong guitar work, a viola and later added into the mix a string quartet which concludes the piece neatly. '4:04' is softly delivered with a tweeish vocal. 'Nothing But a Silver Medal' is very well delivered with some strong harmonies, and some brilliant lead guitar towards the end. 'Propstar' is totally perky and upbeat, and features another great guitar break. 'He Vanished', the last track except for a secret track at the end, is very slow and drawn out. It tells of bad news, and concludes the album with some pleasant blues style guitar backing this. The secret track is acoustic based and about a young man that gets hanged. This is a very well delivered album. It's good to have Mark Mulcahy back.....

Track Listing:-

1 In Pursuit of Your Happiness
2 Cookie Jar
3 I Have Patience
4 Be Sure
5 Can't Find a Reason to Let You Go
6 A World Away From This One
7 A Smack On the Lips
8 Everything's Coming Undone
9 4:04
10 Nothing but a Silver Medal
11 Propstar
12 He Vanished

Band Links:-

http://www.mezzotint.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MarkMulcahyHQ
https://plus.google.com/+MarkMulcahyHQ
https://twitter.com/MarkMulcahyHQ
https://www.youtube.com/user/markmulca
http://www.songkick.com/artists/464758

Label Links:-

http://loosemusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/loosemusic
https://twitter.com/looseMusic
http://www.last.fm/user/Loose_Music
https://www.youtube.com/loosemusic
https://instagram.com/loose_music/