Hey Mercedes

Unorchestrated (2005)

Jesse Raub

This EP is officially being released posthumously, I guess. It's five songs, with some apparently intended for Loses Control, and others written after the album. And while there is lots of growth on the release as there is, I can't help but feel that original Hey Mercedes vibe that I got from Everynight Fire Works that seemed to be missing amid the slightly darker and harder sound of Loses Control.

The album starts out with a kick in the form of "Roulette Systems," which easily could be my new favorite Hey Mercedes track. It's fast, quick, witty, and features some kickass falsetto in the chorus. Yeah, I said it. Kickass falsetto. There is a little play with time signatures, but overall it sounds to me like a B-side from Everynight Fire Works.

The next three songs – "Warm Chords," "Own Up," and "We Lie Half The Time" – all have a very toe-tapping pop quality to them. "Warm Chords" features tons of drum fills from one the most talented drummers in music today. Also, lots of fun bass slides. "Own Up" makes me bob my head like a Beatle. "We Lie Half The Time" is my favorite of these three tracks, with awesome uptempo guitar melodies.

The EP closes with "Unorchestrated," a live track (also the title track). If you don't know, this song features a monologue from "Wake The Dead." It's really a damn powerful monologue, and the integration with this slower song is flawless. The song feels in the same vein as "Qué Shiraz" or "Haven't Been This Happy," building from bass and drums to the full band. Again, another song that feels like a B-side from Everynight Fire Works. But perhaps the most powerful part of the CD is the repeated line, "It's over," especially at the end of the song when it's sung low and quiet. And it's true, it is over. It's been a blast.