The individuals who recognize Mark Mulcahy by name are few in number. Even the monikers of his bands, Miracle Legion and Polaris (which were essentially comprised of the same members), raise a few eyebrows among college rock scholars and alt rock enthusiasts. But there are hordes of people who know Mulcahy's music without realizing it, and one thing he has to thank for that is the evolution and widespread use of cable television during the past three decades.
Once upon a time, there was a quirky, short-lived farce known as The Adventures of Pete & Pete, a sitcom featured on Nickelodeon that possessed humor far ahead of its time. Any kid who grew up in the early 1990s knew of Big Pete and Little Pete Wrigley's peculiar situations, and how their friend Artie (the strongest man in the world!) and unconventional guest stars like Iggy Pop made it even more idiosyncratic. But another unique feature of the show was the music. “Hey Sandy,” the trademark opening theme, was performed by Polaris, who was considered to be the show's house act. Because of this, the band also lent their jangle pop sound to several other tracks from the show, standing ground alongside musicians such as Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields and shoegazers Drop Nineteens.
Now, while this particular set of tracks may mostly live vicariously through Youtubing by nostalgic young adults, Mulcahy's music (including both songs from his bands and his own solo catalogue) struck a soft chord in the hearts of many reputable college, indie, or otherwise alternative musicians. Such influence provides a basis for the album's existence and a reason as to why artists as renown as Dinosaur Jr. and Thom Yorke participated in a project that culminated into the finely tuned Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a compilation released late last month on Shout! Factory.
Although hallmarks like “Hey Sandy” and “Summerbaby” don't make it onto this album, strong takes on Mulcahy's discography make up for their absence. The National's cover of “Ashamed of the Story I Told” is all their own, with Matt Berninger lending his distinctive baritone vocals to accompany a ghostly cello. “All for the Best,” Thom Yorke's contribution that also serves as the album's opener, shares similarities with his work from 2007's The Eraser and provides a more experimental take to a song that could otherwise prove bland. Even newcomers David Berkeley and Sean Watkins provide refreshing adjustments to Mulcahy's work, giving the album a wholehearted and folky feel. Thus, as a whole, Ciao offers musically phenomenal material.
However, while Mulcahy's songwriting may soar a bit above average, it was in no way revolutionary for its time. He did not glide down the golden path to indie rock success as his colleagues, and since his more profitable period in the nineties, he's been managing his own label in a hole of obscurity and occasionally appears on MOJO Magazine samplers. If this album had featured lesser known names on a more concealed label, a review of the compilation would have never made it to Pitchfork. The starpower behind half of this work is what makes this collection of songs so substantial, and with these specific contributions, that's enough to form a sensible tribute album.
Fans crazy with reminiscence for those Pete & Pete days will have to wait for the jangle pop era to begin again. But for now, we only possess Mulcahy's back catalogue, and a set of choice songs provided by artists who seek out the well-hidden flair in Mulcahy's songwriting and make it shine.
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