Customer Reviews

Letters From a Flying Machine

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't enjoy writing, but when you hear something that you consider to be very good stuff and you are enthusiastic about it, it seems to follow naturally that you want to share your enthusiasm with others. That is part of what I like about a live venue, which, if you have never heard Mulvey live you should do so at least once in this lifetime. It is the shared enjoyment and the feeling of community that seems to follow when people say what they liked about it. When I first opened the CD I played it with my teenage daughter who has also become a Mulvey fan, as a result of my seeing him in Johnstown back in 2003. We both enjoy his skill on the strings and his gravely voice. She asked me once when I was playing his music not to show me his picture because she was afraid that it wouldn't correspond with the mental one she had created for herself. Who knows what she was thinking but we both appreciate his incredible talent. This latest offering has brought me as much pleasure as the last. Just plain ole good stuff served up well!

Three reviews so far going on about Peter Mulvey as an artist, and no comments about the actual album being reviewed. Let's fix that.

Letters from a Flying Machine is, at least partially, exactly that. Four of the tracks on this album start with background noise of an airplane engine, and Peter reading from parts of letters to home. Be sure to preview tracks 3,6,9, and 11 to hear them. Track 13 is music, but it was mixed to sound like it's playing over a radio on an airplane.

The rest of the album is music, and as expected from Peter, very good music at that. I would have preferred more music and less letters, but I can appreciate what he was doing with his album. Preview the tracks before you buy and decide for yourself.

I met Peter a while back when he, Jeffrey Focault and Goodie Goodrich were playing in Virginia. It was magic then and is magic now. Listening to Letters From a FLying Machine is very telling of how he has grown both musically and personally. His "No Gasoline Tour" and this newest compilation tells much of how he has learned that the simple things in life and those we love are the most important. Thanks Peter. And by the way...you were great in Annapolis.

I've enjoyed Mulvey's music since I first saw him at a local house concert about 5 years ago. He has a way with words like few songwriters I've encountered. Add to that his talent with the guitar and his amazing voice and you've got a perfect combination. This latest effort is truly a gem. If you've never experience Peter Mulvey, do yourself a favor and get this album now. You'll soon be coming back for more.

I'd probably give this 3.5 stars, so I'll round up since I have nothing but love for Peter.

This album is about a third spoken word letters and two thirds music. If you've seen him live during 2010 he's been reading these letters at shows, which makes for fun stories from a wonderful storyteller. The problem is that most people will listen to the spoken word pieces on the cd once or twice and from then on out reach down and fast forward through these tracks. I think that one of these (maybe Vlad the Astrophysicist or Letter from a Flying Machine) could have been a hidden track at the end, but the rest of the cd should have been music and saved the stories for live shows in my opinion.

But in the end, that is part of what I like about Peter, he is always evolving as a musician and is always willing to try things just a bit different...

This disc was a bit slow and folksy for me....
Liked the rapture CD much better.