“This extremely obscure, self-released 1971 LP checks out pretty well, on paper: it was a one-off record of tragic love songs done in late ’60s psych pop style written and recorded by a teenager from Cyprus recently relocated to New York City. Heck, Middle Eastern psych, we can’t get enough! But when we actually heard it, at first it was a little hard to get past how odd it sounded — it wasn’t quite what we were expecting. Marc Mundy’s voice and lyrics eventually charmed us, but it’s easy to see why he never make it big on the pop charts in the USA, with his foreign accent and amateur (but decent) singing skills. Then there’s his lyrics, written in English, which perhaps explains how awkward his turns of phrase can be — though again, in the end we found ourselves marveling at his heartfelt, heartbreak poetry. Such lyrics as “baby I love your lips / when they’re wet with wine and desire / I love your hair / when it is messed up in the wind / baby I love your arms / when your soft, warm flesh touches mine / I love your eyes / when the lovelight lies / not for me the cold, calm kiss of a virgin / not for me / the bless of a saint…” might at first seem like typical love song stuff, but not really… coupled with his so-sincere delivery, Marc’s words will find their way closer to your soul than most pop music lyrics ever do. Maybe it’s the atypical metaphors, situations and stories that crop up in his songs, some of which must be inspired by the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern folk songs he’d heard in his youth.
For example, “How Can I Marry This Language” is about a father refusing to allow his daughter to marry the song’s narrator, in language that he (the frustrated narrator/suitor) can’t even understand. It’s actually (intentionally, we think) humorous, which isn’t the case with most of the sad, melancholic material on this album! Another track, “The Tragic House”, is about an empty, abandoned house where the narrator’s love used to live, before she vanished to who knows where, or why. Yup, super sad and melancholic. There’s definitely lots of stuff on here if you ever need material for a breakup mix tape!! “Our Love Can Never Be”, “Give Up Your Pride”, “I’m Crying Your Name”, “Don’t Love Me Anymore”, and others…Yet despite the sadness, these songs percolate along, Marc taking the melodic lead on vocals and guitar, accompanied by a now-anonymous band of musicians, sounding vaguely exotic while also of its time and place (the Greenwich Village coffeehouse folk-rock scene, also home to The Devil’s Anvil you’ll recall). Ethereal female backing vocals also add to the lovely moodiness…” – Aquarius Records
Everybody I play this record for pretty much instantly falls in love with it. Even in my circle of friends (which is filled with elitist scumbags), it has found several unexpected fans. Musically, I would say it’s a mixture of good-time boogie rock and psychedelic pop, but I can understand the sentiments of those who say it is impossible to draw comparisons between this record and any other. I quite enjoy the vulnerability that comes across in Mundy’s voice. He sounds so unsure of himself, his word choice is elementary at best, and his ability to carry a tune can make me raise my eyebrows and wonder what the hell he’s trying to achieve, but it really does somehow all come together beautifully.
According to the Aquarius webite, Marc supposedly gave up on music shortly after the album was released. He left America and returned to Cyprus, where he currently works as a teacher.
Please enjoy this, and if you ever come across one of the re-issue CDs (courtesy of Companion Records), absolutely add it to your collection.
Marc Mundy
Marc Mundy
Tomare Music Co., 1971
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