Nick Mulvey Offers “A Prayer of My Own” to Heal the World

Perhaps English singer-songwriter Nick Mulvey talks too much on his latest single and official lyric video, “A Prayer of My Own”. It’s a wordy piece filled with heavy meaning. Then again, the two-time Mercury Prize nominee only speaks to himself and the spirit within. Saying the words and breathing the breath creates a meditative state that allows him to heal. Mulvey professes big ambitions, to not only restore his essential self but to cure the world of its pain.

“A Prayer of My Own” speaks to the sorrow of these times, Mulvey wrote in the press release. “The song is about heartbreak and redemption. If we go into our pain and allow our hearts to break and stay with that, without running away, then life can return.” Mulvey’s description is vague, but the song itself is clear. One can feel its restorative qualities.

Mulvey, who once served as a hang player (a modern percussion instrument) for the Portico Quartet, understands the importance of sounds and rhythms. While his words have meaning and are rooted in ancient texts, they are almost superfluous compared with their resonances. For example, the sound of the “b” consonant on lines such as “Can we bear the unbearable? / How to bear the unbearable / How to bear the unbearable” cause Mulvey to slow down and pronounce his rage instead of slurring his feelings together. That makes the spiritual aspect of the song physical.

“A Prayer of My Own” is the second single released from the album New Mythology, due out on 10 June via Verve Forecast and Fiction Records. Mulvey recorded the track in Paris with renowned producer Renaud Letang (Manu Chao, Feist, Connan Mockasin). It’s the first song on the forthcoming full-length record.