In so many ways, it’s a real privilege to be treated to a video clip by a talented musician. It gives us extra insight into the creative workings of the artist, their aesthetic and the emotions they’re trying to emulate with their music. Shoalhaven sweetheart Joe Mungovan certainly delivers on these characteristics with his video for Again.
It’s Mungovan’s first clip in six months, and the second to accompany a track from his latest EP, Way Down South.
Joe Mungovan signposts his rustic charm with the video for Again, set entirely in a cosy-looking wooden house in NSW’s Central Coast.
The video begins with Mungovan sitting across the table from a woman. On closer inspection, however, we see that the mysterious woman is a mannequin. The hollowness of the setting and of Mungovan’s love interest are mirrored perfectly by the sparse textures found in the track.
The camera focuses on simple gestures; the swirling of a wine glass in Mungovan’s hand, the rustling of feet along the ground and the icy gaze of the mannequin are all well at home amongst the music, which derives so much of it’s power from its subtlety.
Once we realise that the song is acting as a lament for a broken man, paralysed and torn apart by his love of a lifeless being, we’re drawn further into the music.
The story and the track all have something lurking just below the surface, as we’re left simultaneously wondering whether the mannequin is symbolic of a lost human love, and whether the song’s energy will climax into momentum.
Mungovan’s reluctance to provide overt answers to these questions results in a profound longing for more on the behalf of the audience.
Luckily, if you’re a fan of Mungovan’s work, you won’t have to wait long for more. A string of tour dates have just been announced for his What Am I Doing To Myself Again national tour. We’re assuming that this name is a reference to a lyric from Again, rather than a comment on Mungovan’s feelings about touring.
Kicking off in Newcastle on September 22, the tour will feature shows in every state and territory bar NT, and will conclude in late November. The shows have mostly been scheduled for small, intimate venues, so an evening with Mungovan promises to be as much of an emotionally effecting experience as the video to which we have just been treated.
As Mungovan’s clip for Again ends the way it began, with a symmetrical shot of the singer at a dining table, we’ll follow suit in this article, emphasising the talent of this singer-songwriter. If he can continue to produce music with as much power as this video clip, we’ve all got a lot to look forward to.
To book tickets for one of Mungovan’s shows, click here.
