(Ichiban)
Little treasures are hidden everywhere if you can find them. Lisa Cerbone's Mercy is certainly one of those chests full of glowing jewels. The 12 gems on this album are tender glimpses of life at its most delicate moments. Cerbone writes of the tenuous bonds in relationships and paints them on a musical background that ranges from fragile to writhing.
The title track, "Mercy", captures all of the album's various moods. The main character is a women who looks back on a past pregnancy. It starts quietly with the fetal heartbeat of an unborn child (the producer's) and slowly grows into an expanding, moving groove. Cerbone sings, "When she walks across the street / they push right past her / can't see what she's seen / they don't know that her hands have touched inside the earth / felt a heart start and stop beating."
"Mercy" is typical of the entire album. Cerbone's narratives are seductive in their honesty. Her degree in English serves her well since each lyric could stand on its own without music behind it. In "Passing This Train", she writes, "I was always scared of you / and today I still am too. / We're from haunted houses / We've got haunted hearts / and everytime I walk through yours / I just get lost in the dark." Cerbone approaches each story from the perspective of a tiny but defining spot in someone's relationship with the world. In the space of a song, she gives just enough of a glimpse for you to capture the big picture.
Vocally, Cerbone is enticing. Her voice is quiet and expressive without losing itself into airy nothingness. Producer Edd Miller has helped the band create a near perfect recording. The sound is crisp and fluid, and Mercy nearly sounds as if it were recorded live. The style of music ranges from Cerbone backed only by guitar and piano to a full band with acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer, and strings.
Only one track, "Between Hi and Good-bye", fails to live up to its peers. Lyrically, the song holds its own, but the strange harmonies and synthesizer aren't very easy on the ears. Still, your mileage may vary. Besides, one average song mixed in with 11 terrific tracks isn't too bad.
Mercy is worth buying on the strength of just one song, "Places of My Dreams". It features Cerbone on acoustic guitar with Don Conoscenti backing her up on recorder. In the song, Cerbone, herself a young woman, vividly captures the essence of a naval veteran going through his old things: a crumbling uniform, a picture of his old best friend, and his artwork collecting dust. "Places of My Dreams" is the last track on Mercy, and it never fails to make me want to press repeat.
I get goose bumps from albums like Mercy. They're my personal favorites. Now I have to make a little more space on my CD rack next to 10,000 Maniacs (now just Ms. Merchant), Suzanne Vega, Ani DiFranco, The Sundays, The Katydids, The Story, The Innocence Mission, Sarah McLachlan, Blake Babies (now just Ms. Hatfield), and... well, you get the point. What started out being a tiny niche has turned out to be a major part of my collection. Lisa Cerbone has started me wondering when my luck will run out. How many more incredible female songwriters are out there? Well, I suppose I'll enjoy this treasure while I can.
For lyrics, pictures, concert dates, and sound clips of Lisa Cerbone, point your browser to http://www.hidwater.com/cerbone/
