FISTFUL OF MERCY - AS I CALL YOU DOWN (Universal)
I'm sure as soon as these three started singing and playing acoustics together, they went "Ooo, we sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash!" Now everybody's saying, "Ooo, they sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash." Ya, maybe the so-stoned-we-can't-sing 80's version, sure. These ears find the blend of Dhani Harrison, Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper's voices positively grating at times. None of them are exceptional singers, often the parts they sing are thin, and the harmonies have no spark. Apart from some occaisional strings, a bit of drums and lots of handclaps, its all voices and guitar strumming, like any bunch of hippy kids in any town. I'm sure this will go over well with the younger side of the Dave Matthews crowd, but it's the kind of project that gets completed only because of the hip names involved. There is hope for the future on one track however, the only different song on the disc, the ballad Fistful Of Mercy, which wins because of its haunting melody, and the delicate strings. Finally the voices sound right, massed on the chorus, intent on making a good song instead of a concept. Oh ya, the Dhani kid sounds like his father.
I'm sure as soon as these three started singing and playing acoustics together, they went "Ooo, we sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash!" Now everybody's saying, "Ooo, they sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash." Ya, maybe the so-stoned-we-can't-sing 80's version, sure. These ears find the blend of Dhani Harrison, Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper's voices positively grating at times. None of them are exceptional singers, often the parts they sing are thin, and the harmonies have no spark. Apart from some occaisional strings, a bit of drums and lots of handclaps, its all voices and guitar strumming, like any bunch of hippy kids in any town. I'm sure this will go over well with the younger side of the Dave Matthews crowd, but it's the kind of project that gets completed only because of the hip names involved. There is hope for the future on one track however, the only different song on the disc, the ballad Fistful Of Mercy, which wins because of its haunting melody, and the delicate strings. Finally the voices sound right, massed on the chorus, intent on making a good song instead of a concept. Oh ya, the Dhani kid sounds like his father.
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