Mercury Program - A Data Learn the Language
(Tiger Style)
The best moment of the Mercury Program's new album occurs right at the beginning. The opening track, "Tequesta," slowly fades in on ringing tones, unfolding into a languid, twisting tune as electric piano and vibraphone dance around one another, to clipped electronic beats mixed with the live drums (mad props must be given to drummer Dave Lebleu who never fails to hypnotize through rhythm). It's otherworldly and enchanting, however, over the course of seven-plus minutes, it doesnąt progress towards any destination. And therein lies the weakness of this album. For all of its carefully wrought beauty, its shimmering tones, its intricate weavings of melody, it lacks the intangible vibrancy that energized their earlier albums.
I'm not just talking about the rock. The Mercury Program are smart enough, talented enough, and innovative enough to give us a charge without resorting to the cheap theatrics of rock gimmicks, as their last record, the fantastic All the Suits Began to Fall Off demonstrated. It seems, however, that they have been distracted (lets hope temporarily) like Narcissus, by their own beauty. The result is an album of even tone, with an emotional flatness that, despite the detail, comes off as bland. They demonstrate thoroughly what they are able to do, but fail to justify why it should be done, except for its own sake.
|
