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After being a member of Mercury Nominated jazz collective, Portico Quartet, Nick Mulvey decided he wanted to travel the world, put himself through guitar school in Cuba and find his own sound. It has certainly paid off. Mulvey’s unique, poignant sound shines beautifully on First Mind.
Don’t be fooled by Mulvey being classed as a folk singer however; there is nothing a-typical about this record. First Mind is a highly contemporary record that reflects how much travelling Mulvey has done in the past few years. Never once is there the feeling that Mulvey is trying to emulate other successful male singer-songwriters around at the moment.
Furthermore, you appreciate just how skilled Mulvey is as a musician. His guitar is played exquisitely, and of course is the centrepiece of each song. In fact, you often wonder just how he’s able to maintain the guitar as a focal point. It is an incredible skill he possesses, to carry an entire song with the majority of it being an acoustic guitar.
However, his poeticism should not be overlooked either. His highest charting single to date ‘Cucurucu’ is a rendition of DH Lawrence’s ‘Piano’ but his original lyrics in songs such as ‘I Don’t Want To Come Home’ feel entirely natural and courageous. There is not a single instance on the record that feels over calculated.
This no doubt is why ‘First Mind’ is such a relaxing but still captivating listen. Nick Mulvey doesn’t need to convince you that he’s clever. He just is.
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