[rating=8.00]
New Haven, Connecticut’s prodigal son, Mark Mulcahy, is a true artist. The front man and songwriter for college-rock pioneers Miracle Legion and Polaris (the latter best known as the band from the opening credits of nineties Nickelodeon show “The Adventures of Pete and Pete”) has compiled an impressive catalog of work including six post-Polaris/Miracle Legion solo albums. The native New Englander has earned praise from the likes of Pixies front man Frank Black and Thom Yorke of Radiohead, who said Mulcahy’s songwriting and singing changed the way he approached his craft. Having had the pleasure of recently attending a gig from the newly resurrected Miracle Legion, this writer can also attest to the quality of Mulcahy’s live performance and utterly enchanting stage presence. Songs and music seem to pour out of the guy, so it’s not at all surprising that this prolific artist is back once again with a new collection of eleven eclectic tracks entitled The Possum In the Driveway.
The record drifts in quietly with the minimal and melodic lullaby “Stuck on Something Else”. As with many of the tracks off The Possum In the Driveway, the song is highlighted by a beautifully tender organ lead and layered, overlapping vocals. The melody chimes out in a relaxed staccato style and instantly evokes a picture of a young girl’s wind-up jewelry box complete with a spinning ballerina. Mulcahy juxtaposes this dreamy image with gut-wrenching and tragic lyrics written from the perspective of a downtrodden man desperate to recapture some of the youthful romance that has long since left his life – “We can leave the kids alone for one night we’ll play like the good old days, can’t be all the things you want me to be I’m stuck on something else”. The track is wonderfully atmospheric and surprising catchy considering its minimal instrumentation and melancholy subject matter.
As the record plays on Mulcahy shifts effortlessly through a wide array of seemingly disconnected musical genres, showcasing his dynamic vocal and songwriting talents. On the second cut “30 Days Away” the versatile singer lays down a haunting rendition of the songs’ delicate and precarious melody, making it plain to see why Thom Yorke is a fan, before completely changing direction and adopting a fake Spanish accent for the slinky Latin rhythm and brass accompaniments of “I Am Number 13”. Following closely behind is the upbeat, synth-driven “Catching Mice”, whose bright and airy sound mixed with African influences brings to mind the Talking Heads’ classic album Little Creatures. Mulcahy takes a much more soulful approach on the down-home R&B of “The Fiddler”, then goes full crooner with a soaring, almost operatic falsetto on “Hollywood Never Forgives” before finally reaching for his bread and butter – a more nineties garage sound paired with the artist’s unmistakable naked and innocent vocal delivery, on “Conflicted Interests” and once again with the most Polaris-esque track “Jimmy”. Steely Dan buffs will dig the sophisticated funk groove of “Cross the Street” and “Geraldine”, a gorgeous and downright moving power ballad that closes The Possum In The Driveway in stunning fashion as a drifting Coltrane-inspired sax riff takes the album out as serenely as it began.
