Four years on from the delightful Won’t You Take Me With You, and baroque pop master Daniel Knox is back. Mercado 48 marks the first album release in four years for the Chasescene songwriter, and those craving a new thrill from Knox will not be disappointed. His consistencies as not just a writer and performer but as a mood-maker are phenomenal, and he shows us just why that’s the case on Mercado 48. Those crucial fundamentals, the warmth of Knox’s voice paired with the remarkable, fearsome tone he can bring to these tracks of finding yourself, of holding those we trust in a moment of reflection on what they did to earn it, that’s a cornerstone of his work. A beautiful collection, and those who listened to the likes of the Jarvis Cocker-featuring Capitol or all of Disaster will know what a magnificent creative force Knox is. He proves he still has it, still knows what to do with those tones and how to make a listener dive deep into their heart with Mercado 48.
All those emotive tones Knox is known for come to a head here. He spent some time digging deeper and deeper into his own interests on the preceding albums, particularly Half Heart: Songs from Twin Peaks and You Are My Friend: The Songs of Mister Rogers. Both are delightful when paired with the context they provide Mercado 48. It’s that blur of sincerity and menace Knox has mastered. Opener Worst of All Worlds still has a thin slice of hope inside of it, while Don’t Fucking Move has a touching, slow piano structure that may seem typical to the passing listener, but the contrast is overwhelming and, quite simply, incredible. Alligator is just as strong, a slow tempo but a call to arms for those sleepwalking through life. You’ll hit a point where you need to wake up, and the urgency found in the slowed charms of a song like Alligator is a masterful, mood-setting experience which Knox has worked into his songwriting before.
What you get from Mercado 48 is a continued maturing of classic Knox style. Anything That You Lost brings about such wonderful closure, throwing out songs of former flames and old friends with that welcoming, tender piano style. It’s an inevitability, but what a warmth it brings. It’s the familiar coat, the friend you can rely on, that’s what Knox has carved out over the last fifteen years, and his work is still as strong here as it was on his debut. But there are natural builds and growth from him as an artist worth hearing, and Mercardo 48 is full of flourishes only those seasoned, skilled, and sincere songwriters can offer. Life is a series of bets and regrets, as Finders Takers makes clear. Knox has such a consistently likeable charm in his writing, and it’s what keeps the familiar baroque tone working. Forcive Habit is a rare beast of a song. A track that will give you that pause, that breathlessness and realisation you’d been searching for. Treasure those songs, they are few and far between.
Subtle instrumental additions, an electric guitar barely audible on Guess Not is sublime. A beautiful voice, a sincerity to the lyrics, and a real flourish on piano that has become a staple of Knox’s brilliant baroque understanding, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better genre album than Mercado 48 this year. Nothing short of beautiful. Knox often has the qualities within his music that make for life-affirming listens. Music that can heal your soul or reassure you, he has always had that passion and spirit within his songs, and this is no exception. Mercado 48 is a sincere gift. A genuine triumph from Knox which to returning listeners will be no surprise, but to those who are marking their first listen of the veteran baroque artist with a voice of liquid gold, this is a perfect place to start.
