Spokepoker - Mercy / Firepan FLAC download

From the first note "Mercy" takes itself seriuosly - a dark-tinted Indie Rock track, ballad-like bringing DOLL BY DOLL circa "Remember" to mind - not as enthralled by it's own isolation, but in a similar area of emotional fire. It would be quite bland if the vocalist wasn't so far-ranging in the way she thrashes her angst-soiled lyrics. I must admit, I thought the vocalist sounded masculine, deep tonal. Not immediate, but I imagine a grower. The'B' side again has a medium-paced Rock structure with tints of Blues & even Funk, bass heavy but hard as nails, again with the vocalist turning what might have been mundane into something powerful. Again a record which isn't really METAMORPHIC JOURNEYMAN fare, but deserving a rosette for entertainment & effort anyway. Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.