Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy

Mark Mulcahy fronted two bands in the late 1980s: Miracle Legion and, later, Polaris, better known as the house band from The Adventures of Pete & Pete. The musician’s wife, Melissa, died suddenly in September 2008, leaving Mark to raise their 3-year-old twin daughters.

Turns out Mark has quite a following. He’s a musician’s musician, wooing critics and peers with sincere, confounding pop songs. A number of notable artists have showed up to support the Mulcahy family in the forthcoming tribute album, Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, the proceeds of which will allow Mark to continue his music career (Mulcahy’s 2005 solo record, In Pursuit of Your Happiness, was met with much acclaim).

The first two songs from the tribute leaked this week: Thom Yorke’s cover of “All For the Best” and the National’s rendition of “Ashamed of the Story I Told.” The former is a meloncholy, LCD-Soundsystem-sounding trek down memory lane, the latter a strummy, piano-leaden regretfest. Both find the artists channeling Mulcahy’s sadness through their own respective brands of misery, and both succeed wonderfully.

Here’s a taste: Thom Yorke – All For The Best

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy is out September 29^th, courtesy of Shout! Factory.