Mercury Crowe
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Mercury Crowe

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"MERCURY CROWE"

Mercury Crowe are hot hot hot. Did I say hot?

They are young, talented, their live show is on fire, and they are up-and-coming in the best sense of the phrase. Sadly so many local bands seem destined to struggle with the local gig circuits for a wee while before it all gets the better of them and they retreat back into bedroom jamming. Mercury Crowe appears to be one of the rare exceptions - these guys are Going Somewhere. Happening. It.

With enough pop catchiness for instant appeal and enough indie cred to back it up, Mercury Crowe's songs are a mix of California-esque surf rock, blues and pop rock. Strong harmonies dominate the arrangements - one of the stand-out elements of their live performance. With singer/guitarist Allan Mansfield sharing vocal duties with lead guitarist Hamish Mckoy and bassist Rowan Clark, backed up by drummer Nick George, Mercury Crowe's finely crafted arrangements are refreshing. All four are excellent musicians and display their talent without showing off.

I've seen Mercury Crowe a couple of times before, and they just keep getting better and better. And they were great to start with. Mostly upbeat songs, their enthusiasm is reflected in a tight and energetic show, and in the crowd at the Dogs Bollix all eyes were riveted to the stage. A couple of darker numbers kept the pop element under control and showcased the dynamic range Mercury Crowe are capable of.

Currently Wellington based, Mercury Crowe tour regularly, so make sure you catch them next time they're in Auckland.

www.mercurycrowe.com
www.myspace.com/mercurycrowe

Words and Photos by Charlette Hannah - http://aucklandlivemusic.blogspot.com/


" Review - e.p. release November 07 - Sarah H"

Bar Bodega, Wellington - Friday, 30th of November 2007.

Have you heard of Mercury Crowe? If not, you’re missing out on a superb band and if you were in Wellington and didn’t go to their EP release gig on Friday night (30th November) then you also missed out on one of the finest and top quality gigs I had been too. Set up in Bar Bodega created the best atmosphere for this tasteful gig. The new owner of a mere five days had already updated and vastly improved the sound system. He’d also moved the doors from the middle area to allow the music to bounce down to the very back for all you timid listeners.

The gig started off with ’The Andrew Moore Trio’, a cruisey start while the crowd started to settle and chatter. This four-piece band sounded slightly similar to Pearl Jam with a velvety twist. They started the gig off with a professional approach that continued to be the main flow with the rest of the bands.

Second up was ’Moonlight Flit’. This band had a slight deep soulful sound and I did overhear one listener say they sounded a bit like Silverchair. This Four-piece band comprising of Tim on vocals (who was trained at Massey’s Music school) Mike on drums and Simon on base. Tim’s vocals musically married the electric guitars to produce an almost haunting sound that resonated in your eardrums. They all got the crowd standing like a pack of cats just noticing a trio of humming birds. They had a defiant clear sound with Tim’s voice virginally smooth it sounded like no cigarette butt or potent stream of alcohol had grated the satin lining of this guy’s throat.

Next up the stars of the show – Mercury Crowe!

These guys had some fans and they sure knew it. Standing up to the crowd there didn’t seem to be a nervous twitch amongst any of these four guys. My last reviewed gig was head banging punk so these guys were a definite fresh sound. Listening to them was like biting into a crisp new season apple in mid February. These guys were super professional and instantly I knew that what I was listening to now was probably exactly what I’d hear on their new EP.

Allan Mansfeild’s vocals where clear-cut and for once my ears clapped with delight at actually being able to hear each lyrical word he sang. A perfect combination of a great sound system and Allan’s polished vocals.

Knowing most of the crowd Mercury Crowe had a personal stage presence and introduced most songs, so there was no excuse to miss anything that was going on. Their song ’Little Love’ could easily be a first single and if you like a band that can provide a musical shopping experience of a variety of tunes – you’ll like these guys. Rather experimental in their sound they had enough variety in their set to please the equally mixed crowd of all ages.

Of course there was an encore, which is always is the best part of a gig and Mercury Crowe’s encore was no exception. They powered it through saving some of the best blazing guitar and thumping bass sounds I had heard all night for last. That, including the amazing drum performance by Nick, finished off the night on a high quality note.

It was a seamless night, with a dynamic sound system and three musically dedicated bands. The small line up was just enough to entice without overload. The crowd who came to enjoy and support these three bands had a proportion of sheer sophistication about them. It was a rock gig with class and niceties. Tidy with only a thin dusted layer of rough rock.

By Sarah H. (theset.co.nz): Wednesday, December 12, 2007

- www.theset.co.nz (now inactive)


"Review - e.p. release November 07 - Craig Johnson"

On Saturday night, bluesy rock band Mercury Crowe gave a delightfully surprising and outstanding performance at Bar Bodega. Along with a solid opening performance by Moonlight Flit (who seem to be improving every time I see them), Mercury Crowe really showed how an underground rock band can be true to classic rock music without having to play a generic live show.

These guys really let loose from the get go, with two high energy jams which showcased the guitarists’ skills and engaged the audience right from the start. Mercury Crowe had gone all out for their E.P. release party. Everyone seemed to be in complete adoration of them and their front man was lapping up every inch of it. The middle of the set provided some slower ballad type songs which was successful in mixing up the set so it wasn’t so much of the same, which can often happen with local rock bands. After coming back from the shortest break of all time, they let the audience have it one more time with an encore that had even more of the same energy they started with and left us all hanging on a high note.

For those who enjoy stereotyping, I guess Mercury Crowe could be described as rock in its base form, but I felt, intentional or not, that Mercury Crowe had a large blues rock segment which helped create a dynamic performance which wasn’t all just guitars and solos.

Mercury Crowe are a tight band that are definitely worth catching if you’re into honest rock music with an exciting live performance. Grab a copy of their E.P. too, which will also be sure to stimulate.

Craig Johnson (muzic.net.nz) December 07 - www.muzic.net.nz


Discography

'Mercury Crowe' - Self Titled Ep, released 2007

'Carolina' - Single from EP, radio play on 'The Rock' and '91ZM' - major radio stations in NZ

Carolina has also been featured on most NZ university radio stations.

Photos

Bio

Mercury Crowe is a blues-rock band hailing from Wellington, New Zealand. Formed in 2004 while studying at University, the four song-writers wasted no time, playing a string of live shows all around the country. A regular schedule of gigs over the next few years allowed the band to finely hone their music, producing a sound which reflects the blues, rock and pop that they’ve all grown up on.

2008 has been a busy year for the Crowe who have played over fifty shows spanning the length of the country. The first single ‘Carolina’ gained nation wide radio play prompting a second run of their debut e.p. (Mercury Crowe. 2007) to sell out earlier this year. The band are currently in the studio recording their second release due out in November.