Moogieman is often to be found plying his trade at Oxford’s various open mic and folk/literature-related venues and events, such as Albion Beatnik Bookstore and the Catweazle Club. That trade, as evidenced by the seven tracks of the Extended EP – aka E2P – is carefully put together, witty, arch lyrics with music arranged around them in a way that more wraps their meaning than acts as their base.
Despite the Moogieman name hinting at some kind of analogue synth-obsessed electronica, the music is routinely straightforward, melody-based pop, albeit constructed with a largely synthetic rhythm section entwined with vocal and guitar lines. On his website, the artist includes (what seem like) tongue-in-cheek brief descriptions of the EP’s songs, backing up the songs’ own brevity and clever, amusing lyrics. So, it’s as if the tune-based representation of these seven pieces is something of an enforced nod to the tradition of a writer setting words or poetic pieces to melodies and turning them into songs; rather than a tunesmith writing songs and then ‘coming up with some words’.
Lyrics first; tunes second. If that’s your bag, this may be your kind of thing.
The Extended EP is released on 3 July 2014, with a gig at the Albion Beatnik Bookstore in Oxford, also featuring Laura Theis and Stuart Noah.