Mercyside's
Jennifer Brunetti composes a romantic and theatrical piece of work on her debut,
Truth Is. Lyrical stories of her Detroit upbringing are deeply personal and intricately shaped around
Mercyside's ethereal dream pop, allowing
Truth Is to immediately take on a life of its own.
Mercyside is seductive and brazen on the album's title track and the inquisitive "The Prisoner," similar to the likes of
Violet Indiana's
Siobhan de Mare. Trip-hop threads and worldbeat percussion frolic over
Brunetti's aching vocals. She's searching and conscious of her most personal desires, yet they're untouchable. She struts with a new wave/punk attitude like
Poe on "If You Knew Her," while matching a spunky appeal to the song's zany twist. The jazz-tinged "Your Time" is spiritually climbing over self-deprecation, but also a warning of love.
Mercyside psychologically taps into the darkest secrets and makes them artistically enchanting on
Truth Is. It's not earnest or over the top. The album as a whole simply arrives while relishing the sweet pop sounds of the psychedelic '60s, matching a different innocence for modern rock. ~ MacKenzie Wilson