The Mercers
Pretty Things Walk
© 2007 The Mercers (825479055128)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
We are at once loud, soft, brit, western, transparent and incomprehensible. We try to be everything by not trying to be anything.
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Pretty Things Walk
THE DEBUT ALBUM FROM AUSTIN'S THE MERCERS
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FORMED FROM THE STILL-SMOKING ASHES OF CHOKING AHOGO IN MAY OF 2006, THE MERCERS CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE BAND'S PENCHANT FOR MESMERIZATION
While comparisons to early Peter Gabriel, the Who, and Guided by Voices are apt, the Austin group is perhaps most proud of the occasional country influence. “Combining our brit-pop inspired melodies with the occasional pedal steel or country/western chord progression gives our songs a sort of eerie quality” says front man Peter Wagner. “We're from Texas, but it's obvious our minds have wandered elsewhere.”
Peter, born and raised in Austin, met the Ray brothers in college through a shared membership in several bands with Bryan Ray. After nearly crippling his left hand opening a can of paint thinner with an exceptionally sharp knife, he asked Erik Ray to help out on guitar. Erik eventually found a permanent spot in the band's lineup, playing both guitar and keyboard. Ethan Herr joined the band after he and Peter were introduced by a mutual friend.
The Mercers' brit-pop sensibilities, whining pedal steel, eclectic influences, and affinity for sad, haunting melodies give this talented quartet's efforts on PRETTY THINGS WALK a strange but accessible beauty listeners will quickly find themselves drawn to, again and again.
THE MERCERS IS:
Peter Wagner - vocals, guitar
Bryan Ray - bass
Erik Ray - guitar, keyboards
Ethan Herr - drums
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Buy this CD
author: JenniferThis band is really growing - they sound polished yet fresh, listenable yet quirky buy it - you will enjoy it -and see them live - it is quite a treat
More Excellent Music Out Of Austin!
author: wbbrilliant, instantly catchy...
author: Whoopsy MagazineAustin Indie stalwarts The Mercers have somehow survived the ongoing evolution of the Austin music scene by simply letting it catch up with them. This three piece turned micro-symphony is particularly note-worthy because there isn't a band in this town that comes close to sounding like them, in fact they're one of the few bands in the live music capitol that bears little or no resemblance to the influences they cite in their bio (which includes Guided by Voices, Wilco, and oddly enough The Psychedelic Furs). Despite their immense talent, they're not famous yet and aren't in any apparent hurry to ink any deals, choosing instead to focus on writing brilliant, instantly catchy songs that make you almost wish they were pop radio sweethearts, tastefully drowning out all the crap we're force fed by Clear Channel and their ilk on any given day
The shady crossroads of swagger and sensitivity...
author: Andy Langer - Esquire MagazineMySpace friends of Nada Surf and Dr. Dog, these Austin misfits claim to be influenced by “cheap beer, big dreams; sad, sarcastic pop bursts.” Who isn't? The band's best MySpace MP3, “Sexy Youth,” sits at the shady crossroads of swagger and sensitivity; one day this one's gonna be an excellent soundtrack to a show-closing montage on Grey's Anatomy. ...