Peter Mulvey: Notes From Elsewhere

Peter Mulvey's Notes From Elsewhere is an acoustic retrospective of songs from his 1991-2005 catalogue. The disc features new stripped down arrangements of seventeen of Mulvey's songs, capturing the more intimate style of his solo performances. It was that simple organic sound that first caught my attention when I saw him perform at Mountain Stage years ago and again last year. The liner notes include inspirations and anecdotes for each track.



Highlights include the intricate riff of "Better Way To Go", the deep edge of Peter's voice on "The Dreams" and "Words Too Small To Say", the moody coalescence of voice and guitar on "Rapture", the lovely lilting instrumental "Black Rabbit", the hard strum of "If Love Is Not Enough", the mellower title track from The Knuckleball Suite, the melodious "On The Way Up", and my personal favourite Mulvey tune "The Trouble With Poets".

Peter Mulvey - Charlie (mp3)

Peter Mulvey Official Site

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Peter Mulvey: The Knuckleball Suite

Peter Mulvey was yet another Mountain Stage discovery. I've attended two of his live performances at the radio concert series venue, the first in 2000 and the second last March. Both times I was very impressed with the obvious intelligence and thoughtfulness in his songwriting. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Peter briefly after the last concert. He seemed to be a very genuine and humble character, more interested in discussing the world around us rather than himself or his music. But his music is definitely worthy of discussion, particulary The Knuckleball Suite. His lyrics remain intelligent and thoughtful, but his sound has greatly matured and darkened a bit since the first time I heard him sing. Political and social commentary along with literary quotes have merged with his lyrical poetry, and he has added a touch of jazz to his acoustic sound.



The Knuckleball Suite opens with the quirky, bluesy "Old Simon Stimson". The track begins with a wailing guitar that fades into a hard drum beat beneath Mulvey's deep, throaty vocals.

"Abilene (The Eisenhower Waltz)" has a slight country flare to it, and is one of many tracks on the album that refers to the current political climate in a subtle and poetic way. The song's lyrical mention of "the iron cross" was lifted from the "Chance for Peace" address given by Dwight D. Eisenhower on April 16, 1953. Politics aside, it is Mulvey's strongest and richest vocal performance on the disc.

Next is a cover of "The Fly", originally by U2. Though I like U2 well enough, I wasn't a big fan of the original song. But I love this stripped down, jazzy cover that showcases the smokey depths of Mulvey's voice. His Irish connection is that he began his musical career as a busker on the streets of Dublin. Several of the songs on the album contain lyrics that refer to various places in Ireland, including Kildare and Dublin. During our brief discussion after the Mountain Stage concert, Peter expressed amazement at how much and how rapidly Ireland has changed and grown in recent years.

"Girl In The Hi-Tops" is a faster paced rock-pop tune about meeting a female fan after his band performs in a bar. That fleeting and innocent encounter leads to a contemplation of age and mortality. The chorus "gone, gone, all the way gone" is an adapted quote from Thich Nhat Hahn's translation of Alokitesvara's mantra.

"You And Me And The Ten Thousand Things" slows it down again, the acoustic guitar fading into the background as that voice takes center stage again. The vocals and music sound very much like a Leon Redbone song, the lyrics referencing everyone from Lao Tzu to Munch. One lyric, "set sail in a sieve", is a quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth.

"Horses" reminds me very much of Ani Difranco's "Subdivision", both in sound and in mood. Its grim reality is tempered with a pretty, up and down melody and husky vocals. "Thorn" is a simpler, softer tune with lyrics full of romantic metaphors regarding some nameless "you".

"Lila Blue" is one of my favourites. It's jaunty, folk-jazz tune that features electric and acoustic guitar, and a lyric ("you are the wine") that quotes Rumi. "Marty And Lou" has a more standard folk singer-songwriter sound, with funny lyrics and a bit of slide guitar.

"Brady Street Stroll" is another highlight. It's sultry, sauntering, blues guitar strummed ditty that allows Mulvey's voice to fall to its deepest level.

Next up is the title track, which could be "Our Town" set to music. "The Knuckleball Suite" is an atmospheric folk tale of a hometown neighborhood. "The Fix Is On" picks the pace up and turns the bass up a notch with politically suggestive lyrics that quote Mel Brooks, Stephen Colbert, and Hippocrates.

The sadly short "Coda: Ballymore" ends the album beautifully with a romantic nod to Ireland.

You can stream three songs from the album at MySpace.

Peter Mulvey Official Site
Signature Sounds

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Mountain Stage: cathie ryan, peter mulvey, solas, et al

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Mountain Stage concert featuring Robinella, Cathie Ryan, Jennifer Kimball, Peter Mulvey, and Solas.

Mountain Stage is an international radio concert series that is taped live in front of an audience in Charleston, WV. I'll tell you more about the show itself at the end of this post. Whether you're an artist, manager, or simply a music lover like myself, you'll be interested. Hopefully. ;p

The first performer of the evening was Robinella. I'd never heard of her before, but I won't be surprised if I start seeing her name more. Her voice has the raspy and occasionally soaring timbre of Amy Correia or Allison Krauss, and her music also has a similiar folk/bluegrass sound, though some of her songs were pure funk. I couldn't track down any mp3s, but you can stream music at her site.

Robinella's Official Site

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Next up was Cathie Ryan. I first saw her perform live at Mountain Stage in the spring of 2000, and she was the main reason I bought tickets for this recent concert. She's an engaging, lively, and delightful bodhran performer with a clear, beautiful voice that rivals Kate Rusby.

I highly recommend attending her concerts if you have the opportunity. I had the chance to talk with her briefly after the concert and I have to say I was a bit starstruck. Photographs do not do her justice, she is stunning. And so very nice.

Cathie is an Irish-American singer-songwriter from Detroit, the daughter of Irish immigrants, and the former lead singer of the all-female Celtic group Cherish the Ladies. Her music has been featured on many Celtic compilations and collections, including A Woman's Heart.

Her recordings range from traditional Irish music to her own original songs, some of which have also been recorded by Frances Black and Mary Black. Once again I was unable to locate any mp3s, but you can view tour dates, buy cds, and listen to song samples at her website.

Cathie Ryan's Official Site



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Next was Jennifer Kimball, another female singer-songwriter that I heared for the first time this weekend. Kimball used to be in the band The Story with Jonatha Brooke, and her solo sound is similiar to Jonatha's solo work.

You can download an mp3 of the song "In White Light", a pretty duet by Kimball & Catie Curtis at Rachel Bissex's website. There's also an mp3 on that page of the original version of the song by Bissex. The Kimball/Curtis version is featured on the 2-disc Rachel Bissex Tribute album. Another duet, "You Must Be", by Kimball & Catie Curtis can be found on this page. You can also stream music on her site.

Jennifer Kimball's Official Site



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Peter Mulvey is another singer-songwriter that I saw for the second time at Mountain Stage last week, and also spoke with briefly after the concert. Or, well, I listened as he discussed the economy in Ireland with my husband (who is from Meath). Mulvey was born in Milwaukee, but he spent a number of years as a busker on the streets of Dublin and also in the subways of Boston.

The first time I saw him in 2000, he was pretty much an unknown. But he had such an electric stage presence and beautiful, occasionally quirky songs that I've not been surprised to see him gaining some low-key popularity recently. Back then his music was more of the common guy with guitar thing (think a less commercial Howie Day), but over the years his sound has greatly matured into a more bluesy tone. His voice is deep and rich, with shades of Leon Redbone or Elvis Costello, but very smooth. You can download a new mp3 every month at Peter's website. The current mp3 is "Old Simon Stimson", which he performed at the concert.

Peter Mulvey - The Trouble With Poets (mp3 removed)
Peter Mulvey's Official Site



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Solas was the last band of the evening, and they received a standing ovation from the crowd for their enthusiastic and infectious performance. The band is quite popular in their native Ireland, and gaining popularity in America now, too. They just released their seventh album called Waiting for an Echo, which features vocals by Dierdre Scanlan on such songs as "The Silver Dagger" (see below).

Solas (the Irish Gaelic word for "light") is fronted by Seamus Egan, who is probably best known for his work as composer on the soundtrack for The Brothers McMullen. He co-wrote the original version of "I Will Remember You" by Sarah Mclachlan that was featured on the soundtrack. Solas recorded their own version of the song with Dierdre Scanlan for their album The Hour Before The Dawn.

The band mostly performs and records traditional Celtic songs, though they are usually revamped for a more lively, modern sound. They also have a few of their original compositions. Many of their songs are instrumental, but they do have a number of vocal recordings as well featuring singers such as Karan Casey and Dierdre Scanlan.

Solas - The Silver Dagger (mp3 removed)
Solas - I Will Remember You(mp3 removed)
Sarah McLachlan - I Will Remember You(The Brothers McMullen version) (mp3 removed)

Solas Official Site



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Each Mountain Stage show usually features five or six musical acts from various genres (Celtic, folk, rock, country, jazz, funk, etc.). The concerts are broadcast on NPR in the U.S. and Voice of America in Ireland and other countries. Selected performances are also videotaped for the television version of Mountain Stage that airs weekly on PBS in the U.S.

In the 20 years since Mountain Stage began, many famous artists have played there (usually right before they become famous). I've had the priviledge of seeing and even meeting a few of them there.

Some examples are: Jeff Buckley, Joan Baez, Odetta, Ani Difranco, Tori Amos, Sarah Mclachlan, Ryan Adams, Norah Jones, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows, REM, Natalie Merchant, Vic Chesnutt, David Gray, Rusted Root, Grant Lee Buffalo, Joan Armatrading, Elvis Costello, Shivaree, Lucinda Williams, The Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett, Vienna Teng, Nellie McKay, Jamie Cullum, Laura Nyro, Cowboy Junkies, Julianna Hatfield, Over The Rhine, Alexi Murdoch, Violent Femmes, Melissa Ferrick, Michael Penn, Loreena McKennitt, Wilco, Altan, Luka Bloom, Bruce Cockburn, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, and Allen Ginsberg. And that's just to name a few!

Before they can be booked on the show, artists must submit material to the producers of Mountain Stage. If you're an artist and would like to play, send your cds, tapes, videos or other related promo materials to:

Mountain Stage
600 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301

If any of you music people reading this are booked by the show, drop me a comment or email so I can see you there. :)

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Note: Do not directly link to the mp3 files, instead link to Muruch Blog or the particular blog post they are featured in. To download, right click on the mp3 link and save to your computer.

Mp3s are offered for a short time for evaluation purposes only. Please support the artists by purchasing their music at Amazon, InSound, or your local music retailer. If you are the copyright holder of any of these songs and want me to remove them, please contact me and I'll do so immediately.