Mark Mulcahy Tribute Album

Looks like the word has hit the street today about "Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy".

School for the Dead recorded the song "I Just Shot Myself In The Foot Again" for this tribute album. The release will feature a CD of 21 songs and then downloads of about 20 more. We'll be one of those 20 more. It's an honor to be included and to have had to the opportunity to be involved in this awesome collection of music.

Over the past years, I've played shows with Mark in the Rosenbach Company and also as part of his band at various venues. We've also recorded a bunch of songs together at my Rub Wrongways Studios. Coincidentally, while some were original Mulcahy compositions, many were for other tribute albums (The Beatles and Peter Case). We're planning on working together in the studio soon on some of his newer songs.

It's amazing to see an album like this put out for a friend.

Here's the press release as Pitchfork published it:

Musical visionary types take care of their own. Mark Mulcahy was the frontman for the 1980s Connecticut-based alt-rock band Miracle Legion, who released a few hard-to-find albums of R.E.M.-esque college rock jangle before breaking up in the mid-90s. He also led Polaris, the band who did the music for the beloved Nickelodeon kids' show "The Adventures of Pete & Pete". Since then, he's released three solo albums.

Late last year, Mulcahy's wife Melissa died unexpectedly, leaving him to take care of his three-year-old twin daughters. If Mulcahy is going to keep making music, he'll need help. And fortunately, he's getting it.

On September 29, Shout! Factory will release Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a tribute album to Mulcahy that will also serve as a benefit for him. An amazingly stacked lineup of indie rock greats have contributed their versions of Mulcahy songs. Thom Yorke takes on "All for the Best", Michael Stipe turns in his version of "Everything's Coming Undone", and the National handle "Ashamed of the Story I Told". Dinosaur Jr., Mercury Rev, and Frank Black also contribute songs.

Tracklist below.

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy:

01 Thom Yorke: "All for the Best"
02 The National: "Ashamed of the Story I Told"
03 Michael Stipe: "Everything’s Coming Undone"
04 David Berkeley: "Love's the Only Thing That Shuts Me Up"
05 Dinosaur Jr.: "The Backyard"
06 Chris Harford and Mr. Ray Neal: "Micon the Icon"
07 Frank Black: "Bill Jocko"
08 Vic Chesnutt: "Little Man"
09 Unbelievable Truth: "Ciao My Shining Star"
10 Butterflies of Love: "I Have Patience"
11 Chris Collingwood of Fountains of Wayne: "Cookie Jar"
12 Frank Turner: "The Quiet One"
13 Rocket From the Tombs: "In Pursuit of Your Happiness"
14 Ben Kweller: "Wake Up Whispering"
15 Josh Rouse: "I Woke Up in the Mayflower"
16 Autumn Defense: "Paradise"
17 Hayden: "Happy Birthday Yesterday"
18 Juliana Hatfield: "We're Not in Charleston Anymore"
19 Mercury Rev: "Sailors and Animals"
20 Elvis Perkins: "She Watches Over Me"
21 Sean Watkins: "A World Away From This One"

And then the twenty more downloads (including little old us).