With their 5th full-length release, New York City’s Mooney Suzuki have put a concerted foot forward to shed any semblance of their loud and trashy garage rock roots. While their previous records rattled with raw, 60’s inspired nods to bands like the Stooges, MC5, and New York Dolls, Have Mercy is filled with quieter, more soulful sounds. Fueled by numerous shake-ups, including a drop from a major label, loss of guitarist Graham Tyler, and the death of his father, vocalist Sammy James has put lyrics at the forefront of this record - and much of the musical backdrop driven by acoustic guitar. Despite such dire inspiration, Have Mercy is still an upbeat affair from the laid-back, Stones-y riffs of “99%” and “Mercy Me” to the hilarious and raucous bar room sing-along “Good Ol’ Alcohol.” James even dabbles with honky tonk on the country-blues tinged “Down But Not Out” - a track that perfectly captures the band’s shaken, yet optimistic spirit. “This Broke Heart of Mine” is the obvious single with its instantly memorable refrain and classic rock backdrop that - dare it be said - sounds like a long-lost Three Dog Night track! Mooney Suzuki fans expecting a return to the band’s familiar brand of searing garage rock may be a bit thwarted, but from an artistic standpoint, Have Mercy is a confident and worthwhile step in a new direction.
--Jeff Shelton
It’s a brazen band that proudly trumpets a wretched review from the New York Times on the advance copies of their new CD… the very same copies that will be sent to critics for new pronouncements no less. “Loud, boring and utterly charmless,” the headline proclaims, hardly the sort of notice most groups would want to share. Then again, how many bands actually get the attention of the Times? Okay, so the Mooney Suzuki don’t deserve that trashing, but their unusual methods suggest there’s a certain quirkiness at work here. The band’s earlier efforts were undeniably retro, paying tribute to their hard rock heroes - the Who, the Stones and the MC5 in particular. However, this time around the band veers off towards a pure pop stance which finds them emulating - get this! -- mid ‘60s radio regulars like Tommy James and the Shondells, Mungo Jerry and the Buckinghams! Think I’m kidding? Check out the ‘nah nah nahs’ that supply the catchy refrain to the ebullient “99%,” or the fawning homage offered in “Rock ‘N’ Roller Girl,” a wide-eyed rehash of pure, classic kitsch. They’re unabashed bubblegum, but the bouncy choruses and irresistible hooks make an immediate impression. Confusing matters even further, they venture into Tin Pan Alley in praise of excess for “Good Ol’ Alcohol” and resurrect the Dead with “Down But Not Out.” The unlikely combination of these disparate sounds speaks not only to their tunefulness, but their genuinely offbeat attitude. If the New York Times is listening, please heed the title’s plea and see this set for what it is - rousing good fun and terrifically entertaining.
--Lee Zimmerman
