It’s just over ten years since Mark’s eponymous debut album, and his subsequent releases and consistent live shows have earned him a deserved reputation as one of the finest contemporary writers and performers around. 

‘Little Vigils’ sees him team up again with producer Zack Hickman and a few friends to deliver an album that is full of charm, atmosphere and great songs – in particular  there’s a tangible feeling of warmth and openness here that starts with the bucolic, lazy summer days of ‘August’ and carries on throughout the disc.

The core group of Mark and four musicians provide an informal and natural sound across the eleven songs, the album was recorded in an 18th Century farmhouse, and it’s easy to hear the relaxed air over the disc with songs of love, family and youthful innocence throughout.

The variety in instrumental textures from the band is impressive with a huge range of instruments on offer the album goes from the Springsteen fuelled ‘Basement Days’ through to the delicate ‘Columbus Ohio’ (a song unlikely to be used by the Ohio tourist board, but one which the eponymous explorer might appreciate for its sense of desire, however futile, to move on to pastures new).

‘Little Vigils’ also sees Mark revisit two of his Darwin Song Project songs, and ‘Kingdom Come’ and ‘Mother of Mysteries’ are presented here in evolved forms that have settled down after the hurly-burly of the original 6-day writing brief.  Both are similar to the Darwin recordings, but the extra layers in places, especially on ‘Kingdom Come’; make them more complete and considered readings of excellent songs.

From the back porch feel of the strongest track ‘Everything in Ruin’ through to the atmospheric simplicity of the closing track this is an accessible and friendly album full of strong and varied songs.  This is emphasised by the beautiful adaptation of the Carolyn Curtis’ children’s book, ‘I Took the Moon for a Walk’, it’s a magical lyrical book and it works even better a song – if the liner notes came with the illustrations it would be perfect!

A decade in, and a catalogue of varied and successful albums behind him, this feels like Mark’s most natural and personal album – the perfect disc to sit back with a beer on a lazy summer night and enjoy!

Track listing
1 August
2 Everything In Ruin
3 Kingdom Come
4 Columbus Ohio
5 Basement Days
6 Hemlock Grove
7 Mother Of Mysteries
8 Same For Someone
9 I Took The Moon For A Walk
10 Coming Home
11 Pauline

£12.99