Today LA based, New England bred, Mercies released their sophomore LP, Blue Against Green. It’s an album that reflects on their journey to a new place, to start fresh and how that’s affected them. The songs have a heavy nature theme to them, the title of the album itself referring to the ocean and the trees.
Blue Against Green
There are two very distinct sounds going on throughout the album. Some songs are more upbeat with a surf-rock guitar sound, but filled with echo-y alt-rock vocals. Others are more ballad-esque with slight gritty rock undertones and an ethereal vibe.
I can see “Every Echo” becoming a fan favorite. It’s super sway worthy with head nodding beats thrown in. The vibrato in the vocals creates an echo-y vibe to the song that goes along with the title. “Open Ocean” and “Atwater” could also be pretty popular because of their danceable beats.
Back when I interviewed founding member Josh Rheault, he told me his favorite song off the album was probably “Zalea” because it represents where Mercies is at sound wise, songwriting wise and lyrically. With its haunting vocals full of passion, as well as strong guitar beats, “Zalea” actually combines the two sounds that I heard in their album.
While most of the songs revolve around nature, one of the big themes throughout the album is experiencing new things and doing what you want to do without giving up – a very relatable theme for most of the 20-somethings out in the world right now.
“Something To Lose” is a passionate expression of the idea that we should do what we want to do because that’s what will make us happy. It twists the popular phrase, you’ve got nothing to lose, around and expresses that “we’ve all got something to lose” if we don’t chase our dreams.
My favorite track off the album would have to be “Only At Night.” It has some of the best metaphors and lyrical descriptions of the band’s experience throughout their new journey. “I hear you calling my name. It’s the face of the mountain I blame for these loose-end desires I crave,” the songs goes, alluding to the fact that while LA has a lot to offer them, there are things that they miss about being back home.
Blue Against Green has some of the most poetic lyrics I’ve heard in a while, which I really appreciate, while still having a sound that allows the listener to lose his or herself in the beat of the song.
Check out Blue Against Green on Soundcloud and iTunes
Article by: Merissa Blitz
