In a one-year span, top Memphis bassist-cum-songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart was diagnosed with lymphoma and lost his father to a heart attack. The combination shook up his world. While convalescing from chemotherapy, he started fingerpicking and working on his singing, neither ever focuses for Stuart, who was long one of Memphis’ first-call bassists, having played with Cory Branan (including on the Late Show with David Letterman) and Jack Oblivian (on ‘Rat City’), among others. He once met Levon Helm on Beale Street while playing and the two talked about their mutual Arkansas origins. Mark used Levon as an inspiration to beat cancer (the latter was in remission at the time). And Mark did. But when his father passed away, he found songwriting as the outlet which his grief took. Madjack Records will release Mad At Love, Stuart’s third and most mature album, on October 12.
Mad At Love tackles tough subjects, often couples in trouble. Special guests include Amy Lavere, Liz Brasher, and Al Gamble (of St. Paul & The Broken Bones) on the album, which was produced by Stuart and Fat Possum’s Bruce Watson.
Today Glide is excited to premiere “Until We Came Unglued”, a standout track on the album. From the opening notes the song feels like a reckoning of sort as Stuart lends his unique vocals to an infectious groove. With just the slightest twang and an organ that brings to mind the greats of Memphis soul, the song is a finely crafted piece of Southern-tinged lyricism. Indeed, Stuart mixes his own folkier inclinations with more of a Memphis groove, establishing himself as an artist who is far more dynamic than the bass parts he is best known for.
Sharing the story behind the song, Stuart has this to say:
“Fairly simple and easy song about hanging on for dear life. Holding it all together for the sake of those around you. I once heard someone say that unconditional love is GOD and a DOG. They’re both gonna love you no matter how bad you screw up. Those 2 words are the same in a mirror. Im sure someone more creative than myself could run with this. To me unconditional love is a MOM. I wrote this song for a friend of mine, she was 8 years old. She lost her dog, but what she was really losing was her mom and dad to a divorce.”
LISTEN:
Credit: Johnathan Thomason
