Blue Merle - Burning In The Sun
Rating
RIYL
Nickel CreekColdplay
DMB
Label
IslandTracklist
1. Burning in the Sun2. If I Could
3. Lucky to Know You
4. Stay
5. Every Ship Must Sail Away
6. Boxcar Racer
7. Made to Run
8. Seeing Through You
9. Places
10. Part of Your History
11. Either Way It Goes
12. Bittersweet Memory
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Some releases are just so good they are haunting. Everyone can think of some hauntingly beautiful, or chaotic, or powerful albums that they own. These albums stay with you. They are playable over and over, even years later, are equally powerful and meaningful. Some of these albums are haunting because of their lyrical content, others are musically beautiful and thats what makes them stay with you, and others are a beautiful voice, while sometimes its just an overall feeling you get while listening. Blue Merle's major label debut Burning In The Sun is one of those albums that will stay with you for all of the above reasons.
The album starts out with the title track "Burning In The Sun." From the very first line you get an idea of what Blue Merle has to offer. Within the first 10 seconds you hear slide guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo, not to mention the bands most powerful instrument: singer Luke Reynolds voice. It soars from note to note in a way that most vocalists can only dream of. His unique delivery is part Dave Matthews at his best mixed with Chris Martin of Coldplay. The disc would be worth listening to even if it was just him singing a cappella.
The band's sound lies somewhere in the realm of "not what you're listening to." They have a sound that is equal parts country, bluegrass, rock, pop and soul. The instrumentation is precise and subtle while never being understated. On tracks like "If I Could" the band incorporates an orchestra and on ones like "Every Ship Must Sail Away" they are equally effective with just a piano, upright bass and slide guitar. Thats the beauty of the band, they make it work no matter they are trying to do.
Critics of this album will jump on the fact that Reynolds' voice is similar to Matthews or Martin, or that this is a country album on Island Records. Both are valid arguments. I'm not sure how I feel about Blue Merle on Island. It is a situation that could either work out great or disasterous depending on the support they get AND where they are marketed.
Blue Merle is a band that is fresh, exciting and new in a scene that is filled with screaming, heavy riffs and breakdowns. This is the perfect album for those of you who are tired of sameness of todays music. Give it a listen and if you don't dig it, give it to your mom, because she will.
JohnnyL
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