The day Melissa Cox and her band mates stop exploring new music is likely the day they'll stop making it altogether.
So it's no surprise that Mythica's latest effort pushes all sorts of musical boundaries, from the band's more traditional Celtic sound, to progressive rock, Hawaiian music and even a form of '60s psychedelic Mexican surf rock called chicha.
As the title suggests, "Live is Good" is an all-live affair, recorded at venues throughout the region, including Kelly's Logan House, the Baby Grand, Blackstones Pub and the Tin Angel.
And what's immediately noteworthy about it is just how pristine the recordings are, especially since they were lifted straight from the mixing board at each venue, and then mastered on a single track.
"We had about 20 songs that were candidates for the record, so we just got the whole band in a room and listened to all of them over a couple hours, taking notes on each song and eventually vetoing certain ones until we narrowed it down to the nine," Cox said. "It was a very collaborative process."
The result is a stunning cross-section of the band's work, from the gut-wrenchingly personal opener "Don't Be" to the whispy, breezy "Maluaka Beach," to the driving, woodwind-infused march that is "For Patrick."
Make no mistake, the worldly Celtic sound that's made Mythica a St. Patty's day staple around these parts remains omnipresent throughout, but it's a building block upon which other disciplines are generously heaped.
The disc's third track, an all-instrumental number called "Mando Chicha," grew out of band member Michelle McCann's recent foray into that genre, yet its Latin influence is complemented by a Celtic mandolin, and the song is played in A-minor, a traditional Celtic key.
"Everybody has so many influences at this point, we're really growing into more world music," Cox said. "As a musician, I think you have the responsibility to listen to new stuff and grow with it. I mean, you take a look at someone like Paul Simon, and he was in a musical rut when he split with Garfunkel and it wasn't until he went to Africa and came back with the sound that inspired 'Graceland' that he made it back."
In total, "Live is Good" features five brand new songs, along with some newer versions of the band's traditional fan favorites. With an initial pressing of 1,000 copies, Cox said the record is designed first as a thank you to the band's longtime fans, but also to introduce the band as a live act to the uninitiated.
The album is available for $10 through the band's website, MythicaMusic.com.
