Small Mercies - Beautiful Hum (Album)
Brisbane four-piece Small Mercies, who are signed to one of Australia’s biggest record labels (Sony BMG), have dropped their debut LP Beautiful Hum, recorded under the guidance of producer Matt Wallace, who has worked with Maroon 5, Bowling For Soup and Sugarcult, amongst others. So, with an internationally-recognised producer and a major label behind them, you’d expect the band’s first full-length effort to be pretty awesome, right?
Not quite. First and foremost, it should be noted that the energy that Small Mercies’ put into Beautiful Hum is evident. Opening track, the anthemic Come On sets off the album at a steady, confident pace, and certainly grabs the listener’s attention. Following this comes Sorry, a lethargic, love-induced cut that almost borders on nasal at times. The band redeems themselves with Innocent, one of the album’s highlights, an epic rock ballad that beckons for lighters and mobile phones to be raised in salutation.
It is after this that the album begins to fall apart. The band seems to run out of steam, with most of the songs ending up sounding the same as the last. This is the key undoing of Beautiful Hum. The record isn’t by any means bad. It does, however, lack a certain quality that leaves a lasting impression.
Fans of hands-in-the-air Aussie rock are likely to be impressed. Others will be disappointed that Small Mercies have created an album that does not give an entirely precise indication of their capabilities. It will be interesting to see where the band heads for album number two. Ultimately, Beautiful Hum is worth listening to purely to acknowledge a band with much more to give. So go on, have mercy. No pun intended.
