REVIEW : Fistful Of Mercy's As I Call You Down - Glide Magazine

October 14, 2010 by Shawn Donohue


Stop me if you heard this one; a group of successful folk-tinged singers come together to put down breezy album in-between solo projects. Yeah this undertaking is pretty common, dating back to the beginning of pop music and probably continuing this very moment in a studio somewhere. Fistful Of Mercy are Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur who collaborated on tracks for the groups first album, As I Call You Down during all night sessions. Recorded in Los Angeles this disk has California flowing throw its grooves; never in a hurry to go anywhere musically instead relishing the trios harmonies and vocal interplay.

More akin to Crosby Stills and Nash then the recent Monsters of Folk, Fistful Of Mercy play with light and airy textures minus CSN’s political bent. Songs about love dominate as do violins and ultra repetitive choruses that allow the trio to mesh harmonically but never say anything lasting. The exceptions are the Harrison led “Father’s Son” and the quirky “Things Go Round” which wiggle into the ears. Too often the overloaded string production and acoustic guitars meander behind the trio of voices before floating away without leaving an impression. In the end you have a fine summer album that just doesn’t live up to the talent involved with its creation