Last week, in my review of Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill, I said that in most cases, tribute albums are a hit-or-miss affair. That’s not exactly a controversial opinion, but it is equally true that there are exceptions to every rule. The new charity compilation Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy (Shout Factory) is one of those exceptions — and how.

Mulcahy is the former frontman for Miracle Legion. When his wife Melissa died suddenly last year, Mulcahy was left with a broken heart, a pile of bills, and a whole bunch of high-profile friends who wanted to help out. Their help comes in the form of an album that is not only one of the best compilations of 2009, but one of the year’s best albums, period. More importantly, proceeds from the sale of the album will go to Mulcahy to enable him to raise his twin three-year-old daughters, and continue his music career. Concerts are planned in London and New York to raise more money.

You know how sometimes you’re listening to a compilation album, you hear a track that you like, and you check your iPod for the name of the artist? That happened to me a number of times when listening to Ciao My Shining Star. The only reason I didn’t have to check every time a new track came on is because a number of the artists here are instantly recognizable, including Thom Yorke, The National, Michael Stipe, Frank Black, and Dinosaur, Jr. (more…)