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"...rootsy pop songs that are visionary songcraft..."
"Mary Mulliken's quirky, vintage-country voice and whip-smart
songwriting bring a peppy schoolyard-like energy to her new
album, i 8 the sandbox."
"[Mary's music is] ...unparalleled, ...fascinating,
...penetrating, ...and powerful when she dives into loneliness
and fear."
"Brooklyn songwriting talent Mulliken writes songs touched with
innocence, like ditties about canoodling, shaded with wry
observation. Her ballads can seem old-fashioned in their
spirit, but modern in topic. Her bronzy voice and delicate
finger-picking, coupled with tasteful strumming, make her a
delight to hear."
"In a time when it is often difficult to find pop music with
interesting and meaningful lyrics, Mulliken offers a refreshing
alternative. Though she could easily be lumped in the "female
singer/songwriter" category, her eclectic approach to music
escapes such a narrow definition, and she cannot be too readily
compared with the more well-known members of that genre.
Mulliken is good for what she is, satisfying us with her ability
to laugh at the world and deal with life's poignancy without
succumbing to bitterness. Her ability to critique and lament
while retaining her optimism is deeply satisfying, and it makes
this CD a pleasure to listen to."
"She sang the pussycat song and I thought, 'I love her!' and
then she sang the no, no randy! song and I thought, 'whew, I'm
not going near her!'"
Born in Champaign, Illinois Mary Mulliken grew up listening to
the entirety of her father's record collection - ranging from
Ray Charles to Harry Nilsson to Patsy Cline. Meanwhile she
pedaled through the sonatas of Beethoven on the piano and the
music of Cole Porter as a vocalist.
She went on to study voice and writing at the University of
Michigan where she began composing songs. After college, she
migrated to California where she picked up the guitar and
immediately became intrigued with finger-style playing and a
less conventional approach to music-making.
It was on the West Coast where she really honed her songwriting
skills, under the thoughtful guidance of Bonnie Hayes ("Have a
Heart," Bonnie Raitt). From there, she relocated to New York
and has quickly made a name for herself in the downtown and
Brooklyn club scenes.
In the summer of 2003, she recorded and self-released a 3-song,
self-titled EP - alluring the attention of Time Out New York,
who immediately caught on to her "offbeat sense of humor,
distinctive guitar work, and a vintage-country voice." Six
months later, Mary teamed up with Rob Burger (Rufus Wainwright,
Tin Hat Trio, John Zorn) and Mike and Jill Coykendall (The Old
Joe Clarks) to produce and record her debut full-length release
entitled **i 8 the sandbox** (frEd&bEtty, August 2004) which
instantly earned her a slot on John Schaefer's Soundcheck (NY
NPR) and continues to be received by reviewers who are both
exceptionally impressed...and also slightly bemused as to how to
categorize Mary by conventional music industry standards.
Mary resides in Brooklyn, and between tour dates, continues to
indulge her varied musical talents by hosting songwriting
workshops, co-writing with other up-and-comers, learning new
instruments, and playing and teaching music.
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