Album Review: Nick Mulvey – ‘First Mind’

Album Review: Nick Mulvey – ‘First Mind’

Album Review: Nick Mulvey – ‘First Mind’. Nick Mulvey makes Folk music for all those who think they hate Folk music.

When he was 19, Mulvey moved to Cuba where he studied music, and learnt a lot technically on guitar. He then studied Ethnomusicology at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Mulvey also spent some time in Brazil and Morocco, where the traditional Gnawa music impacted him deeply.

It’s in Dalston, London, though, that Mulvey wrote much of the music that would eventually become ‘First Mind’. There, he listened attentively to all the artists he’d always liked and made a point of thoroughly understanding their own songwriting techniques, by watching documentaries and reading loads of books. Among those musicians were such heavyweights as Paul Simon, Neil Young, Nick Drake, John Lennon and David Byrne. Pretty good company if you ask us. To most people, ‘First Mind’ will sound like a sweet and honest Folk-Pop record. If you listen closely, though, you’ll find echoes of ‘Graceland’ in the rollicking rhythm of ‘Juramidam’ (which takes its name from a Brazilian spiritual ritual).

Nick Mulvey’s talent as a guitarist is undeniable and frankly impressive. On a song like ‘Ailsa Craig’, his fingers effortlessly move up and down the strings while recreating the bass-led and percussive style Gnawa musicians are known for. This gives a hypnotic feel to the song (remember Gnawa is trance music), only further implemented by the haunting backing vocals. The influences on ‘First Mind’ are also lyrical, most notably on ‘Cucurucu’, a rewriting of DH Lawrence’s poem ‘Piano’. It is proof of Mulvey’s talent that some of the most gripping lyrics in the song are his own. “My heart beats with a ceaseless longing of a yearning to belong”, he sings in a slightly Hip-Hop manner.

‘First Mind’ marks the emergence of a singular new talent. The singer-songwriter format has long been used and re-used, and ultimately worn out. With Nick Mulvey, though, inward-looking song writing hasn’t sounded this exciting in many, many years.

Make sure to check out Nick Mulvey at Splendour In The Grass 2014. For tickets visit www.splendourinthegrass.com

Brice Detruche

Entertainment