Mercy (John Cale album)

Mercy is the seventeenth studio album by Welsh musician and composer John Cale. It was released on 20 January 2023 by Double Six Records, making it Cale's first album of new songs in over a decade.[1] It features collaborations with Tony Allen, Laurel Halo, Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Animal Collective's Avey Tare and Panda Bear, Dev Hynes, Sylvan Esso, Actress, and Fat White Family.[2] It was inspired by current events such as Donald Trump's presidency, Brexit, COVID-19, climate change, civil rights, and right-wing extremism.[3]

Mercy
Studio album by
John Cale
Released20 January 2023 (2023-01-20)
Studio
  • ARM Studios (Los Angeles)
  • EastWest Studios (Los Angeles)
  • Vox Studios (Los Angeles)
  • Snap Studios (London)
Length71:34
LabelDouble Six
Producer
  • John Cale
  • Nita Scott
John Cale chronology
M:FANS
(2016)		 Mercy
(2023)

Background

Cale has hinted at a new album numerous times over the years following the release of M:FANS (2016), his previous studio album featuring reworkings of old songs, and Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood (2012), his last album with all new songs. When M:FANS was released in January 2016 Cale said that another new album with new songs would be released by the end of the year.[4] According to a November 2017 interview, the album was set for a 2018 release.[5] In September 2018, Cale said it will be released the following year.[6] The album was subsequently completed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but its release was delayed.[7]

On 1 August 2022 the first single from the yet-unnamed album, "Night Crawling", was released along with an animated video by Mickey Miles.[8] The second single, "Story of Blood" featuring Weyes Blood, was released on 19 October 2022.[9] The music video, directed by Jethro Waters, was released on the same day along with announcing the album title and track listing.[10]

The standard edition of Mercy contains twelve songs, while the special edition includes a bonus 7" single with two more songs.[11]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Mojo[12]
Pitchfork7.8/10[13]
Uncut9/10[14]

Mercy was named the album of the month by Uncut with Tom Pinnock calling it "the most out-there work Cale has made in some time, a hermetically sealed, hallucinogenic journey that's as neon-lit and gothic as its cover art."[14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by John Cale

Mercy track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Mercy" (featuring Laurel Halo)7:00
2."Marilyn Monroe's Legs (Beauty Elsewhere)" (featuring Actress)6:53
3."Noise of You"5:15
4."Story of Blood" (featuring Weyes Blood)7:31
5."Time Stands Still" (featuring Sylvan Esso)5:20
6."Moonstruck (Nico's Song)"5:31
7."Everlasting Days" (featuring Animal Collective)5:02
8."Night Crawling"4:53
9."Not the End of the World"6:17
10."The Legal Status of Ice" (featuring Fat White Family)7:24
11."I Know You're Happy" (featuring Tei Shi)5:15
12."Out Your Window"5:13
Total length:71:39
7" vinyl bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Pretty People" 
14."Mercy (mercy-full mix)" (featuring Tony Allen) 

Personnel

Musicians

  • John Cale – vocals, string arrangements (all tracks), bass guitar (1, 4–11, 13, 14), drums (1–5, 7–11), piano (1, 2, 4, 7–9, 12, 14), synthesizers (1–3, 8–10), noises (2), vintage keyboards (3, 5, 13, 14), Swarmatron (5), keyboards (6, 8, 11), acoustic guitar (10), guitar (11), additional strings (12); drone, percussion (13)
  • Laurel Halo – additional vocals, effects, synthesizers (1)
  • Matt Fish – cello (2–4, 6, 7, 12)
  • Ian Walker – double bass (2–4, 6, 7, 12)
  • Actress – synthesizers, effects (2)
  • Joey Maramba – bass guitar (3, 5), bowed bass (4)
  • Deantoni Parks – acoustic drums (3, 7), timpani (3), additional synthesizers (5), electronic drums (7), additional drums (8)
  • Dustin Boyer – guitar (3), bass guitar (4), noises (7), backing vocals (8, 11); rhythm guitar, guitar solo (10); guitar (11)
  • Caroline Buckman – viola (3, 4, 7)
  • Leah Katz – viola (3, 4, 7)
  • Rodney Wirtz – viola (3, 4, 7)
  • Eric Gorfain – violin (3, 4, 7)
  • Marissa Kuney – violin (3, 4, 7)
  • Jenny Takamatsu – violin (3, 4, 7)
  • Nita Scott – additional drums (4), additional percussion (9); additional drum programming, backing vocals (11)
  • Weyes Blood – vocals (4)
  • Nick Sanborn – acoustic guitar (5)
  • Amelia Meath – vocals (5)
  • Destani Wolf – backing vocals (6)
  • Brian Weitz – synthesizers (7)
  • Dave Portner – vocals (7)
  • Noah Lennox – vocals (7)
  • Tokimonsta – effects (9)
  • Dev Hynes – acoustic guitar (10)
  • Tei Shi – vocals (10)
  • Jack Everett – acoustic drums, backing vocals (11)
  • Adam J. Harmer – guitar, backing vocals (11)
  • Nathan Saoudi – Juno, backing vocals (11)
  • Lias Saoudi – vocals (11)
  • Tony Allen – acoustic drums (14)

Technical

Visuals

Charts
Chart performance for Mercy
Chart (2023) Peak
Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] 41
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 14
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] 145
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 16
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[19] 34
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] 11
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 61

References
  1. Eede, Christian (19 October 2022). "John Cale Details First New Album In A Decade, 'Mercy'". The Quietus. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  2. Richards, Will (19 October 2022). "John Cale announces first new album in a decade 'Mercy' and shares Weyes Blood collaboration 'Story Of Blood'". NME. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  3. "John Cale & Band". Porgy & Bess. October 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. Dwyer, Michael (18 January 2016). "John Cale's Music for a New Exorcism". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. Amorosi, A. D. (10 November 2017). "John Cale to Celebrate 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' With Special Guests MGMT, Animal Collective, Kurt Vile (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  6. Chow, Andrew R. (11 October 2018). "A Walk Through Velvet Underground History With John Cale". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. Aston, Martin (November 2022). "John Cale Brings His First New LP in a Decade". Mojo. No. 348. p. 18. ISSN 1351-0193.
  8. Minsker, Evan (1 August 2022). "John Cale Shares Video for New Song "Night Crawling": Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  9. Rettig, James (19 October 2022). "John Cale Announces New Album Feat. Animal Collective, Weyes Blood, Sylvan Esso, & More". Stereogum. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  10. Blistein, Jon (19 October 2022). "John Cale and Weyes Blood Embrace the Surreal and Spiritual on New Song 'Story of Blood'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  11. "John Cale: Mercy". Domino Music. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  12. Segal, Victoria (February 2023). "Throwing shades (John Cale: Mercy)". Mojo. p. 85.
  13. Dorris, Jessie (24 January 2023). "John Cale: Mercy Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  14. Pinnock, Tom (February 2023). "John Cale: Mercy". Uncut.
  15. "Austriancharts.at – John Cale – Mercy" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  16. "Ultratop.be – John Cale – Mercy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  17. "Ultratop.be – John Cale – Mercy" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  18. "Offiziellecharts.de – John Cale – Mercy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  19. "Portuguesecharts.com – John Cale – Mercy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  20. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – John Cale – Mercy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
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