I came a long way with this album. Because it did not start all that good for Mercy and me. In fact, it started as badly as it did with Shifty Adventures In Nookie World and M:FANS. Only this time it did not just end there (for the record, I still find Shifty Adventures underwhelming and M:FANS downright terrible). For reasons I cannot quite explain, Mercy turned out to be a grower and Cale's most musically satisfying work in 20 years.
Mercy is an engrossing experience. The album is dominated by cinematic, narcotic, lush grooves that put ideas into your head. If you let Mercy get its hooks into you, it will keep revealing itself with every listen. It will envelope you, it will shed its 'difficult' skin to disclose something welcoming and even accessible. "Time Stands Still", for instance, has a pastoral melody that, with a slightly different arrangement, could easily find its way onto Paris 1919. And while some of it is just difficult ("Marilyn Monroe's Legs"), there are some undeniable tunes featuring hooks both vocal and instrumental ("Everlasting Days").
There are quite a few collaborations here, and they mostly work. I am especially partial to "Story Of Blood" (featuring Weyes Blood) that opens with a beautiful piano theme and then transitions into this lengthy dreamscape that stays hypnotic all the way through. Then there is "The Legal Status Of Ice" with Fat White Family that is operatic, robotic and at some point absolutely euphoric. There is also the relative respite by way of the collaboration with Tei Shi ("I Know You Are Happy") which is almost catchy and radio-friendly and fit for your soulful sunshine radio.
I am not going to say that John Cale is relevant (then again, who or what is relevant these days?) but what an expansive, bold, inspired work Mercy is. When you get to the exhausting closer titled "Out Your Window" with the desperate, beautiful chant at its heart, you feel properly entertained. Or should I say challenged? Whatever it is, Mercy is an experience.
Rating: ★★★★
