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Mangy Mutt is a name that commands attention, but the artistry behind it is even more arresting. Emerging from the grit of Newcastle, this poet turned songwriter has delivered a profound introduction with his new EP titled The Unresolvable Disillusionment of Matthew David Bowman. This six track collection is a masterclass in raw documentation, trading polished production for an unfiltered sonic truth that feels like pages torn from a diary stuffed in a damp pocket.
Collaborating with producer Gareth Hudson at Hazy Cosmic Jive Studio, Mangy Mutt has crafted a 26 minute journey that refuses to offer easy answers. The project is less a performance and more a faithful chronicling of survival. It captures those fleeting moments of clarity found in dark rooms after years of personal struggle and internal battles. The artist admits he hasn’t figured out the man in these songs yet, and that vulnerability is exactly what makes the music so resonant.
The EP opens with the bluesy alternative rock of Old Familiar Game, immediately setting a tone of weary resilience. On the other end of the spectrum, Not Even Love Stayed is a naked piano and vocal ballad that strips away every defense. One of the most haunting moments arrives with Cast A Shadow On The Sun, a track that explores the suffocating grip of psychosis through repetitive, circling rhythms. In this song, the progression barely moves, mirroring a mind stuck in a loop of thoughts and rituals that offer no relief.
Throughout the collection, Mangy Mutt maps the unsettled terrain of his own life. Tracks like Leave The Light On and Count Your Blessings suggest a search for hope amidst chaos, even when the narrative feels intentionally scrambled. There is a beautiful dissonance here; the music is sometimes sparse and haunting, other times swelling with a bruised intensity. It is a powerful testament to a life that rarely makes sense but remains worth living. Mangy Mutt isn’t interested in the pretend. He is simply holding up a mirror to the cycles of survival, letting the shadows fall where they may.
