Mundy first emerged into the spotlight as a baby-faced 20-year-old back in 1996, having spend the previous two years busking on the streets of Dublin, writing songs and showcasing them at the legendary open mic nights at the International Bar. His talent was obvious from the very beginning, and the young singer was quickly snapped up by Sony Music, who released his debut album, Jellylegs, to great critical acclaim. World tours followed, including dates with Neil Young, Van Morrisson, Alanis Morrisette (at that time the biggest female artist in the world with her Jagged Little Pill album). One song from Jellylegs, ‘To You I Bestow’ found its way onto Baz Luhrman’s Romeo & Juliet soundrack, which went on to sell more than 11 million copies worldwide.
Despite this success, Mundy was never really cut out for the commercial restrictions of a major record label and he parted ways with Sony in 2000, going back to what he does best, writing and recording songs that leap out of the radio at you, bringing a smile to your face and making your feet tap involuntarily – I can’t count the amount of times I’ve been stuck at traffic lights, singing along as ‘July’ was bursting from the car radio, only to see other drivers doing the exact same.
Mundy’s second album, 24 Star Hotel, proved even more popular than his debut and really put the Birr singer on the map as one of the country’s finest songwriters and live performers, spawning the massive anthems, ‘Mexico’ and ‘July’. It went on to sell over 25,000 copies in Ireland alone, more than double platinum.
His third album, Raining Down Arrows followed in 2004 and entered the Irish charts at Number One. Recorded in Austin, Texas, in late 2003, it showcased a new maturity in Mundy’s songwriting, and brought him even more hit singles, in the shape of ‘By Her Side’, ’10,000 Miles Away (From Harm)’ and the beautiful title track.
Over the last decade, Mundy has been a constant live presence throughout Ireland and Europe, including countless headline slots around the country (he was the first artist to sell out five consecutive nights in legendary Dublin venue, Whelans), as well as incredible festival appearances at Witnness, Oxegen and Lisdoonvarna. More recently he’s played shows with Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Webb, The White Stripes and Oasis in Dublin. Mundy has developed into not just a great singer, but a brilliant performer: every time he takes to the stage, he invites the audience into his headspace for a big party, ensuring that everyone leaves with a beaming grin on their face.
Live & Confusion, the brand new CD/DVD set from Mundy, perfectly captures the much-loved singer and his band at the peak of their powers. With a live set that has been honed at over 100 gigs over the last two years, Mundy is a consummate entertainer, taking the audience on an emotional journey over the course of these 14 tracks (with an extra track, ‘Carpound’, on the DVD), from the sweet fragility of ‘Rainbow’ to the confessional ‘By Her Side’, and showcasing Mundy’s development into one of Ireland’s pre-eminent songwriters.