Mark Pengilly – Nothing Borrowed

“NOTHING BORROWED”: (Released 2003)

Track Listing

1. Gee Geelong

2. Part Time Mormon

3. Pedro Don’t Go

4. A Loner Alone

5. Autopsy In Topsy Turvydom

6. Carla…From Typecast to Typist

7. Sitting Pretty

8. Bully For Me

9. Settin’

10. To The Fields Of Banyule

11. It’s Finally Up

12. I Will Miss You

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AMIABLE folk-pop from Melbourne songwriter returning to musical pursuits from his other interest as a stand-up comic and comedy writer. Pedro Don’t Go indicates the style, with its sunny melody, gentle acoustic setting, Pengilly’s light, smoky voice and his slice-of-life vignettes in the lyrics. And it’s not so far between laughs and tears in heartfelt ballads like Carla . . . from Typecast to Typist. And the famous name? Yes, he’s the brother of Kirk from INXS.

Review by Johanna Bodde

Everything sounds original, relaxed and sunny. The sequence of the tracks is well chosen, ‘Gee Geelong’ is a catchy opener and ‘I will miss you’ will linger on some time as a last song. Strongest point of the album is the beautiful and varied instrumentation. Mark plays the acoustic guitar and is joined by double bass,clarinet, flagolette, mandolin, violin, keys, sax and percussion.The recordings are technically perfect, clear and sonerous.

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Review by Penni Pappas

The listener will be excused for finding themselves mesmerised by “To the fields of Banyule”, the folk inspired moments on “Autopsy” (it’s appeal emphasised by violin) while the topheavy keyboard intro. to “A loner alone” adds to the yearning of the track. Mark has some fine musos aboard, adding a little spice to the CD and giving it a laid-back, raw, acoustic edge.

Mark Pengilly – Nothing Borrowed

CD review by Ian Dearden

Anchored geographically somewhere around southern Victoria (Geelong is name checked on the first song, other Victorian landmarks are name checked elsewhere on the album), anchored musically somewhere in Dave Matthews Band territory, this 2002 album, featuring twelve original songs from Mark Pengilly is pleasant and delightful. Mark has a relaxed vocal style that is easy on the ear (think Jack Johnson) and he has supplemented his acoustic guitar playing with sympathetic sidemen. Travis Dragani on drums and Matthew Dufty on double bass provide a rhythm section that supports but never overwhelms. Allan Gibson on fl ute, mouth harp, recorder and saxophone, Peter Haydon on clarinet, flageolet and keyboards and Damien Robison on classical and electric guitars and mandolin, flesh out the arrangements thoughtfully and melodically. Although Mark has a background in both stand-up comedy and music, this album is squarely in singer songwriter territory, with little comedy (apart from an occasional wry aside) on show. There are songs of love (or should that be lust) lost (Carla), a parent passed on (I Will Miss You) and a tribute to the Heidelberg school of famous Australian artists, To the Fields of Banyule. Bully for Me features some exquisite instrumental arrangements, while It’s Finally Up is a song of hope for a better future. Mark is still performing around the traps and has a more recent album available as well.