Mercy Creek Recorded Music
"Bonfire of Vanities" the 4th release from Mercy Creek available now. 2 CD Set
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"Bonfire of Vanities" 2004/2005 A double album, featuring 10 new studio tracks on disk 1, and 11 live tracks on disk 2. Recorded in Bloomington, Indiana by Paul Mahern at Echo Park Studios. "Bonfire of Vanities" is a hallmark album for Mercy Creek.
The studio album(disk 1, "Bonfire of Vanities") features production and recording work of Paul Mahern on 10 new Mercy Creek songs and adds another fine studio recording to our music catalogue. Tracks span from "Born to Rock" an ac/dc hard rocker...to "Freedom" exploring a calypso hippy world groove and theme. "Treasure" a feel good saddle up swing alt-country take time to smell the roses, "I'll Find a Place" banjo foot stomping gospel fun, and "Take it Away" a dreamy sorrow tinged middle eastern oddesy. Vess Ruhtenberg plays electric guitar and bass and Paul Mahern's production work is world class.
Disk 2 , "Two for the Show" presents our "live" sound, stripped down but full with 2 musicians using vocals, guitar, and drums to present Mercy Creek music born from 6 years of hard touring. Hard hitting drums and percussive guitar with Cheryl's vocal easing thru 11 live songs. Live versions of classics such as "Almost", "Match","Hill of Fools", "Shadow Dance" and "4th of July" capture the full, organic sound that has become the hallmark of Mercy Creek's live shows. The record was recorded at Echo Park Studios on a July 2004 afternoon by Paul Mahern.
Both disks 1 & 2 create an album of which we are especially proud. It features a history of our songwriting, showcases our live musical talents, presents our unique 2 piece road sound, and lays the groundwork of our future with a studio album that we are very proud to have created.
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"Storm Has Blown Over" 2003 - a warm body of music, positive and up beat. Mandolin and violin lead some tunes into hints of new grass, while songs such as "Hypnotized" and "4th of July" continue to cut into the band's progressive folk rock traditions. "Closer" is a haunting of pedal steel and train groovy beat against Cheryl's vocals. "Outside the Line", "Storm Has Blown Over", and "Half Way There" play out hopeful anthems.
10 Tracks: Mastered at SEA Digital, Mixing Echo Park Studios, Production Paul Mahern, All songs Mercy Creek, Additional Musicians Vess Ruhtenberg, Heidi Gluck, and Megan Weeder.
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"the name of the record is mercy creek" 1999 - an artful mixture of music, flavored with hints of folk, colorings of disco, cutting electric guitar work, and snaps of swing. All the songs are solidly laid in the foundation of Nystrom's percussive guitar, her beautiful voice, and Ball's dynamic drumming. This is a record that does what so many albums fail to do. It delivers a strong, interesting body of songs. The performances are excellent, the production is tasteful, and the sound is uniquely Mercy Creek.
Features: Never Forget, Almost, Laughter in the Rain, Ms. Virginia, Match and a Conversation, Part of You, Sparked Fire, Drawn to the Fire, Lost Love Heart, Shadow Dance, Almost a Dance Mix
All songs Nystrom/Ball - Mercy Creek is Jim Ball and Cheryl Nystrom - Additional Musicians: Vess Ruhtenberg, and Paul Mahern - Studio: Echo Park Studios, Bloomington, Indiana - Production: Paul Mahern Additional Production: Vess Ruhtenberg, & Mercy Creek - Engineering: Paul Mahern - Mastered at SAE Digital Mastering Services
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"Dirty Water" 2001 Mercy Creek's sophomore album. As with the first record, the music of "Dirty Water" flirts with many musical styles, but the songs are more mature, hardened, and aggressive. Mahern describes "Dirty Water" as a "John Cale blues experience, meeting bits of Credence Clearwater". Nystrom's vocals are again world class, and like the music written on long late drives on the road, the songs and voice are less innocent.
Features: Life in Review, Dirty Water, West of Bluefield, Circles, Sacred Danger Zone, The Only One, Takin A Ride, City Walls, What's Your Vibe, Hill of Fools, Freeze, Miles Away
All songs Nystrom/Ball Mercy Creek is Jim Ball and Cheryl Nystrom Additional Musicians: Vess Ruhtenberg, Heidi Gluck, Paul Mahern, Kevin Loyal - Studio: Echo Park Studios, Bloomington, Indiana - Production: Paul Mahern Additional Production: Vess Ruhtenberg, & Mercy Creek - Engineering: Paul Mahern Additional Engineering: Vess Ruhtenberg, Kevin @EchoPark - Mastered at SAE Digital Mastering Services
M
e e t P a u l ! (the
yogi behind the curtain).
Paul Mahern's credits include engineering and production work for a diverse cast of musicians, (John Mellencamp, Lisa Germano, United States Three, Julania Hatfield, Blake Babies, Over the Rhine, and Iggy Pop). Paul and Indiana guitar wizard Vess Ruhtenberg have help Mercy Creek create 4 outstanding records. Our thanks to the great studios at Echo Park, and to Paul for his help in making our songs live as artistic recordings.
