Mundy

Irish singer/songwriter Mundy is one of a number of artists to successfully make the transition from street busking in Dublin to international stardom during the '90s, a prestigious list that includes the Frames, the Hothouse Flowers, and, more recently, Paddy Casey and Rodrigo y Gabriela. Mundy's mainly acoustic, folk-based pop/rock has been compared to Damien Rice and Josh Ritter; however, his style is more upbeat and celebratory than either, and his jangle pop influence and tendency to experiment with unconventional sonic textures and beats (his debut album was overseen by acclaimed indie electronic producer Youth) further distinguishes him, a tendency that partly led to the breakdown of his relationship with his pop radio-oriented label. Mundy was born Edmund Enright in the rural town of Birr, County Offaly, in 1976. At age 18, Mundy moved to Dublin and began performing on infamous busker haven Grafton Street, and at open-mike nights at the nearby International Bar. Less than two years later, Mundy signed with Sony subsidiary Epic Records, and released his debut single, "To You I Bestow," on New Year's Day 1996. The presence of Youth, founding bassist with post-punk pioneers Killing Joke, is notable in the Smiths-like bounce of the single, and he was an equally important influence upon the album that followed, the appropriately titled Jelly Legs. Shortly before the album was released in October 1996, "To You I Bestow" was licensed for inclusion on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's Shakespeare adaptation Romeo + Juliet, alongside tracks by Radiohead and Garbage. The soundtrack went on to sell 11 million copies; Jelly Legs sold a respectable 50,000 worldwide. Having toured both sides of the Atlantic, including support slots with Alanis Morissette and Neil Young, Mundy...