Mudsongs are the mud that cools you down, buries your toes, and spawns the occasional lotus blossom once you’ve slogged around in it for a while.   

On her fifth album, Wonders in the Deep, Mary-Kathryn blends elements of soft pop, New Age and folk with world music influences as diverse as the continents to create a spiritual amalgam that transcends musical boundaries. Delving deep into the world music realm, Mary-Kathryn paints word pictures on an aural canvas with exotic instrumentation, adroit production, and lyrics that stir the spirit and excite the imagination. But as one Billboard Magazine reviewer so aptly put it, “the most affecting instrument…is Mary-Kathryn’s lovely voice.”

“Hear My Cry,” the opening number of the 10-song album, begins acapella, relying solely on Mary-Kathryn’s fetching vocals to engage the listener, before segueing into driving, rhythmic percussions and understated strings. Contemporary Latin rhythms and mesmerizing, mystical melodies accentuate “Beyond,” before slipping peacefully into the lovely and pensive, “Deep Calls to Deep,” a classic example of Mary-Kathryn’s singular ability to combine earthy instrumentation with ethereal vocals to produce a visceral, vicarious spiritual encounter. 

“Ships” is another song that combines emotive, intuitive instrumentation with atmospheric vocals to create an experiential environment. You can almost feel the sea spray, washing over the sides of an ancient galley. The song segues appropriately enough into the Middle Eastern influenced “Mediterranean Passage.” Mary-Kathryn points to “Elohim,” a song she co-wrote with Paul Buono, as one of the most personal songs on the album.

The acoustic guitar driven “Nathaniel’s Song” skirts familiar contemporary Americana territory, but also finds Mary-Kathryn using her extraordinary vocals to express emotions that are too deep for mere words. “Where Can I Go” melds sweet piano with synth, strings and percussions to create a moody, alternately melancholy and ecstatic musical environment, while “Into The Heavens” combines Arabic tones with Occidental melodies, resulting in a mesmerizing World Music experience. Mary-Kathryn draws on her own spiritual heritage to imbue “You’re With Me” with sacred impetus. “I see you where I am, and I know you are with me,” she sings. “I don’t have to fear, you’re with me.”

Lyrics: http://www.mary-kathryn.com/music/wonders-in-the-deep


This debut gospel album is a testimony in itself that speaks to the generation of now and yesteryear as it delivers songs of praise and worship as well as songs of encouragement, spiritual guidance, and truth.

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