Album Review

Mundy falls victim to cuteness

By Todd Martens
Staff Writer

Mundy
Jelly Legs
(Epic)

Receiving a booster from the insanely successful "Romeo and Juliet" soundtrack, the Irish singer/songwriter Mundy recently released his soft-celled debut album, which mixes folk music with pop rock.
Those who have heard "To You I Bestow," the track featured on the "Romeo" soundtrack, may have caught on to Mundy's puppyish croon that sings, Kiss me and tell me / it's not broken, like a child actor hired only because he has an uncanny natural ability to say his lines so that anyone with the slightest dose of sappiness wants to pat him on the head and give him a hug. Sure, it's cute for the first or second listen, but after that, you're pushing your luck.
Jelly Legs, the title of the new album, screams "wishy-washy" louder than Jenny McCarthy can yelp when she sees a camera. Take a quick glance at the album, and Mundy's girlish looks remind you of Bjšrk. Fumble through the liner notes and, besides the lyrics, admire the teeny, stencil-drawn images of hearts, apples, houses and girls that accompany the verses. Then listen to the album as Mundy offers his "little ruby heart" to "be your bow." It is kind of cute, but Mundy's Paul Simon-esque voice and begging-to-be-serious vocals get overshadowed by his pillow-like qualities, and, like Jewel, another folk-pop artist, we can never really take Mundy seriously.
Not all is lost, however, as Mundy does have his moments. The pubescent theme of the opener, "Reunion," highlights sharp lyrics like My stomach is a spasm from the punch-line of a joke sung with tongue-in-cheek earnestness. The giddy-up vocals of "Pardon Me" keep him chasing after a girl, but always have his hands a few feet short. "Arrow of Gold" merges folk and electric guitar with the same ease of Roger McGuin, but comes too late in the album to truly rescue it. It's also worth fast-forwarding to the album's downtrodden hidden track dealing with hopelessness after a rejection.
Mundy has been praised for his acoustic playing, which at times is noteworthy, but it seems as if the rock chorus was just tacked on like a tail in a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. His backing band adds a guitar-driven chorus that could have been bought at a dollar store in "Life's A Cinch," "Pardon Me," and "Stone."
"Song For My Darling" offers almost tribal drumming with chant-like lyrics and brings an intriguing change of pace, but then "Gin and Tonic Sky" and "Blow Me Away" immediately follow and just feel like unwanted and tired extensions.
His narrative skills are best on "Springtown," with the regretful and hollow feel of a return home after a long absence, and prove that Mundy can be a talented song-writer, but portions of album could use a little punch. His attachment for the word "fathom" has definitely got to go, and then there's cut-and-paste lyrics like My love for you's better than diamonds and You came to me like an angel, which should stay the exclusive property of artists like Celine Dion and Journey.
Mundy may want us to kiss him and tell him nothing's broken, but he'll have to settle for a hug and a few things to fix. C