Album Review: Mercians - Your Words

A lot of care is taken on these slowly shifting offerings. Polite chimes imbue this ambient, fluid alt-rock with an experimental lounge vibe, its trickling, fluttering tones fuelled by  frontman Jerome Green’s dominant, soulful vocals. While endearing, his earnest grooves and husky gymnastics divert too much attention from these meandering soundscapes. These are at their best when taken off the leash, as in segments of Questions. But the subtle longing of Green’s quiet howls on The Island showcases Mercians’ knack for restrained moodiness, flaunted again in the title track’s probing riff. They play The Workers Club, 12 Sep.