The indie rock / forest pop trio, Mercies, will release their sophomore LP, Blue Against Green, on March 31st, 2015 via Randm Records. Drawing on similar thought-provoking lyrics and unique instrumental parts as their previous release, this 11-track masterpiece will entrance you into a world similar to the likes of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and Grizzly Bear, adding their own impressive artwork as the final punch. For more information, please visit: www.MerciesMusic.com.
Mercies began in 2009 as a creative outlet for Josh Rheault and Sammy Dent. After some time of casually exchanging demos, the collaboration turned into a serious musical partnership. Working out of an old tobacco barn in rural northern Connecticut, Rheault and Dent continued writing while Rheault and his family restored “The Barn” into a recording and rehearsal space. In the barn during the harsh New England winter, the band set up drums and amps on dirt floors, running extension cords to the nearby house for power. They would wait until the last minute to unplug the heaters before recording because there were not enough outlets to run both the recording equipment and have heat. As a result, Mercies’ debut LP Three Thousand Days was born and their third band member, Jordan Flower, had joined. Three Thousand Days is a hand-crafted record, devoid of many studio tricks. The pair made a rule of not editing or “fixing” performances in post-production - the record would only include layers of natural instruments, recorded in a natural space, sometimes using various tools that were lying around during the remodel process as percussion. “The Barn” proved to be the creative center point for Mercies, forever influencing the band’s musical approach and overall style.
Since then, the band has toured extensively around the US including multiple trips to CMJ Music Marathon and South by Southwest, as well as releasing The Ballet EP in collaboration with The Charlottesville Ballet and a two-song single, Vultures.
Mercies relocated to Los Angeles in late 2013 and shortly after signed with Randm Records. This time, the band had the new experience of recording exclusively in a studio. Working with producer Mike Butler at Lost Ark Studio in San Diego, Mercies further explored their love of vintage gear and natural space, but this time they were able to play with studio isolation and Butler’s adventurous recording style, giving their new release added depth and dimension. The album contains various subject matters spread across the eleven tracks, such as the concept of persistence and inspiration on “Zalea”, the complexity of growing older on “Deep Sleeper”, and the overall mission of restlessness on the intro track “Every Echo.”
On their sophomore LP, Dent tells us, “Blue Against Green is a culmination of our life experiences, both professional and personal. It’s about our move to the west coast and the subsequent life changes, the desire to venture out into the unknown, and the will to keep moving forward.”
Mercies will release Blue Against Green on March 31st, 2015 via Randm Records.
