Joe Mungovan has been one of my favourite musical finds for the year. I raved about his sexy, summery singles “Give Me Your Love” and “Lemon + Lime,” so was delighted to wrap my ears around his debut album, A Flower in the Weeds. My expectations were high, but this collection of cool, romantic ditties is just what the doctor ordered.
Like so many great albums, A Flower in the Weeds was inspired by a great love. It was the kind of connection that bridges distance, that takes hold and refuses to let go even when logic tells you that you should.
“I met a girl while on tour in Europe back in 2019. She cut my hair at 4 am after my show in Berlin, and ended up traveling around Europe with me for the remaining shows. I flew back to Australia after the tour ended a few months later and moved into a house in Kangaroo Valley to start writing an album. I didn’t know if I would ever see her again,” he explained, setting the scene.
But of course, he did. She came to Australia for a carefree summer. They were inseparable, road-tripped along the East Coast, soaking up the sun and sipping wine by campfires. It was all going swimmingly, until the pandemic hit, she returned home and Joe resumed writing this album.
A Flower in the Weeds is a beautiful snapshot of a relationship unfolding. Most tracks focus on the time he spent with “the one that got away,” recreating intimate moments in Germany and Australia. Others are full of longing. He pleads for her to come back and be next to him in “Stella.” He waits for fleeting phone contact and remarks on the gulf between time zones in “Autumn Sun.” The closing track “What Should I Do With All This Love?” brought a tear to my eye.
As someone who’s lived through one, I know how bittersweet long-distance relationships can be. The highs are glorious, but that separation can be torture. I can’t even imagine the extra level of pressure the pandemic has put on couples who live on opposite sides of the world. Joe captures all of those emotions so beautifully. If, like me, you’ve ever loved someone who lives far away you’ll find this collection of songs so relatable. If you’ve never been there, I guarantee you’ll still get swept up in the romance.
A Flower in the Weeds is out now. Joe plans to tour the album around the country next year. Until then, Kiama locals can catch him at Little Betty’s tonight and New Year’s Eve.
Images used with permission from Beehive PR
