Music
Press
"A singular talent...Mynx crafts elegiac tracks that pull in the influence of folk, blues, country and pop, rolling out tales of desperation, death and heartbreak over slow heartbeat tempos. His brilliant album [Vesper] is a gloomy but enthralling collection of songs." OPB Music - OPB
"Great storytelling. An unhurried sound that unfolds slowly over the course of a song." Oregonian
- Oregonian
"Arresting and poetic. It is not easy to define what lifts this remarkable debut above those of the great rafts of other young, male singer songwriters influenced by the American storytelling and songwriting traditions, but suffice to say whatever "it" is, Leonard Mynx has in spades. Mynx seems to be creating his own myths around himself and his characters, not unlike a young Dylan. As with Dylan maybe we are not meant to delve too closely into what is fact and what is fiction. It is so hard to make a listener actually listen and to care. Throughout this record Mynx succeeds. Vesper, recorded with M Ward collaborator Adam Selzer, is a remarkably self assured and fulfilling record. 9 out of 10." Jenny Higham - Americana UK
- Americana UK
"His words are the centerpiece in his music and the guitar, mandolin, strings and piano carry them like a leaf on the wind. His music has a dreamy quality, perfect for a nap in the park on one of these fast approaching fall days." Scott Osler - Hear Ya Music Blog
"A story teller of rare talent. One of the best musicians to come on the scene in recent years." Translated from Italian. Guiseppe Marmina - Happy Days Are Here Again
"Mynx's hypnotically distant delivery makes relentless misery sound pretty damn good." Casey Jarman, Music Editor, Willamette Week - Willamette Week
"Elegant and beautiful music which can carry you with densely woven lines." RSL - Ryan's Smashing Life
"A songwriter you're going to want to pay close attention to. His breathtaking new album Vesper features the talents of many superb Portland musicians. Expert, delicate, acoustic songs, one which darkly weave together stories in the finest troubadour tradition." Ned Lannaman, Portland Mercury - Portland Mercury
Discography
Vesper - LP - 2009
Ball of Fire - LP - 2010
Son of the Famous So and So - EP - 2010
Photos
Bio
Leonard Mynx grew up a half mile from Mark Twain's grave. A half mile past that, an old prison of brick and iron loomed over the headstones and the houses of the town. Its siren marked the hours of the day. During the Civil War, along the river that had served as the life of the town, was the site of the most infamous Union prison camp, or death camp, as it was referred to in Dixie. Once a bucolic and charming little village, in the late twentieth century the town was plagued by floods, prisons and the death of American industry until it rotted and all but died out. It was during this period that Leonard Mynx served his sentence there, until finally, he escaped.
In Portland, Oregon, Leonard Mynx teamed up with fellow journeyman Adam Selzer (Norfolk and Western, M Ward) at his world renown Type Foundry Studio to produce an album of stunning songs. Drawing from the creative minds of Mynx and Selzer, and the abilities of truly incredible musicians form such bands as The Decemberists, MWard, Norfolk and Western, Jolie Holland, Audie Darling, Loch Lomond and many more. Over the last ten months Leonard Mynx has done over 100 shows and completed three West coast tours and one full national tour sharing bills with bands such as Port O Brien, Damien Jurado, Langhorne Slim, Laura Gibson, Papercuts, Sean Hayes, Audie Darling and many more.
Mynx has another west coast adventure planned for January-February 2010 and then a national tour in the Spring of 2010 and then off to Europe in the Summer of 2010. He has also finished recording 25 new songs which he will be releasing over the coming months.
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