Kaleb Mudrik - Give Me The Moon

Kaleb Mudrik

Give Me The Moon
self-released; 2017

​3.7 out of 5

By Ryan Ansel

Give Me The Moon, songwriter Kaleb Mudrik’s debut EP, showcases the artist’s diverse acoustic repertoire in only five songs. 

​Mudrik is an indie-folk singer/songwriter from Waterloo, Ontario. I have to first mention that I was initially impressed by his vocal abilities. His voice is strong and pretty pleasant to the ear. It’s raspier on the first two tracks, “This Girl” and “Boy” and has a softer tone on “Fountains Of Youth” and “Give Me The Moon.” While I don’t prefer one over the other, I was happy to notice this range in his vocal style. 

Throughout the EP, he strums a crisp acoustic guitar accompanied by subtle percussion on “This Girl” and “Boy.” Mudrik gives an impressive instrumental performance, especially considering how diverse the songs’ moods are. The beginning tracks embodied a Johnny Cash mood while the last brought Damien Rice to mind, yet Mudrik manages to stay true to his own energetic folk sound.

I’m very impressed by Mudrik’s songwriting abilities. The final track “Give Me The Moon” is about a small island in Northern Ontario that Mudrik visited once but still dreams about. He sings, “A solitary structure, just a roof in the breeze / And all my peaceful moments begin under stars like these” in the first verse, reminding me personally of childhood summer nights under night skies. The song is very warm and reminiscent, while it also serves its role in finishing the EP on a strong note.

The whole tape really comes together on “Fountains Of Youth” when Mudrik says, “Why do we measure what we have got / When either way it’s not enough? / Sometimes I ponder what I have not / Doesn’t help my being tough” which shows the musician’s relatability, as well as, his ability to think deeply and express it lyrically.

Later in the song, the artist reflects on prior misperceptions he’s had, “You made me believe that all your dreams were coming true / Fountains of youth / You made me believe that all your dreams were coming true / I’d like the truth.” Everything he’s saying here makes sense and makes me wish that I knew the context of what he’s singing about. When following closely along with Mudrik’s lyrics, there are many different ways to interpret his songwriting, which makes for a more ambiguous, yet more adventurous listen.

Mudrik packs an acoustic punch on this EP. It’s an impressive first release that deserves a follow-up soon. I’m looking for a more focused sound from this artist in the future; a more defining sound. Fans of The Head And The Heart, Johnny Cash, or even Elliot Smith will enjoy this project as I did.

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