| One Way, It's Every Way is Mark Mitchell's second Mush release as Clue to Kalo. Mitchell's from Adelaide, Australia, but don't be tempted to compare him to other folk-tinged Australian musical imports to the U.S. This guy is, thankfully, no Ben Lee. His style is eclectic and diverse, drawing on elements of '60s era folk revival tropes, poppy, acoustic rock instrumentation, and minimalist electronic noodling. His influences must run the gamut, because embedded in his songs are sounds reminiscent of everything from the understated candor of Phil Ochs to the sweeping ecstatic overtures of the Polyphonic Spree. Clapped beats and sing-song vocables conjure memories of Simon and Garfunkle, while Mitchell's soft, approachable vocal style could be compared to other modern individual artists making music under band names, such as The Russian Futurists, or Her Space Holiday. Dealing with themes of death and aging without angst and self-indulgence, "Every Way" is the work of an artist well on the road to creative maturity. It's laid out as a musical palindrome, and works incredibly well as a whole album. Unfortunately, you kind of have to approach it as a complete package, because none of the individual tracks stand out as being particularly exceptional. They're all pretty, pleasant, and intelligent, but Mitchell's sound is a little to light and safe to do anything like grab you by the balls or interrupt the rhythm of your heart. This is springtime music, warm and vibrant with just enough of a chill to warrant a jacket. - Signal to Noise |
1XLP/Out Of Print