Mark Moule – “Only love”

Mark Moule has been sitting on some of these songs for a long time, and you can tell. The title track came to him around fifteen years ago, and the opening verse arrived in a dream. That’s a strange origin story, but it suits the music. It has that slightly removed, half-remembered quality, the kind that makes you feel like you’re hearing something the writer simply had to get out eventually.

Mark is clearly working in the lineage of Cat Stevens and Phil Collins, and that influence is obvious in the emotional directness of his writing. He’s not trying to be clever or oblique. The lyrics say what they mean, and they mean it. For some people that’ll feel a little raw. For others, that’s exactly the point. And the vocals are rich and expressive, and my favorite track is “Coming Down”.

The EP was recorded in a friend’s music room with collaborator Andy McManus, and it was a first production attempt for both of them. That kind of scrappy origin gives it a charm that slick studio work often strips out. It doesn’t sound like it was made to chase anyone’s approval.

Mark has been performing these songs at open mic nights around Busselton, and the live reaction has apparently been strong. One audience member told him the music deserved to be played in a stadium. That’s a big call for an open mic night, but you can hear why someone might feel that way. The songs have real reach.

I find this kind of earnest, unguarded writing refreshing. It’s not for everyone, but it’s clearly for someone. Follow Mark wherever he’s posting so you don’t miss what comes next. Have you ever come across a debut this honest from an artist playing local open mics?