polaroids of androids

For some time now Sydney's Mercy Arms have - whether they like it or not - been walking the thin line between young, talented local act and 'next big thing' international stardom. If anything though, the long delay of their debut album has helped them. The band have obviously worked tirelessly on creating different avenues for their sound to travel, and in doing so have successfully avoided being just another over-hyped blip on the radar. Thankfully, the initial buzz that seemed to overshadow the band's talent early on has well and truly worn off and their debut release can be judged on it's own merits.

Right from the triumphant introductory notes of Down Here, So Long the group make their objective clear. The frantic guitars showcase their desperation, anxiety and - given the agonisingly long wait - is a brilliant way to kick off the album.

Although not always on the same grand scale as the opening track, the band playfully jump from the safety of daylight to the beckoning call of darkness in the blink of an eye throughout the course of the record. In many ways, their continual restlessness perfectly sums up the city which they call home. While the shadows of the alleyways which house their haunting compositions sound unsafe, the polished and almost angelic vocals drown them in a floating feeling that perfectly fits the carefree late night party spirit of this town.

The only undoing of Mercy Arms' sound is that while the album comes alive through it's use of contrast - it doesn't always fit. At times the music gives off a stronger emotive nature than the lyrics, overshadowing them to the point where they sound incredibly unexpressive and impersonal. Although the group sound completely free in regards to the large soundscapes they create, they appear to be somewhat reserved with their lyrics, seemingly unwilling to let people into their complicated world. This line that they draw between themselves and their audience unfortunately weakens the overall impact of the album.

While not without it's small flaws, this is a thrilling and incredibly exciting debut album. Mercy Arms have traveled down a rocky road to arrive at this point and not only have they come out the other side with a stronger and more unique sound but they have also managed to shrug off the early hype pressures without any signs of apprehension. These guys are only going to get better.