Since I bought tickets to see Thirsty Merc in a couple of weeks, I figured it was about time I picked up a copy of Slideshows. As I listened to the opening track’s crunchy guitar chords and clever lyrics I wondered why it took me so long.
The opening ditty, “She’s All I Got” is a corker, with straight-up riffs and a sing-along chorus. It’s backed up by the anthemic radio hit “20 Good Reasons” and new single “The Hard Way.”
There’s a reason why radio loves these guys. They’re genuinely good fun, with cleverly crafted melodies and quirky lyrics. They’ve also become a very safe band, seemingly unwilling to take risks.
That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it does make some of the later album tracks, including “Hey Jacinta” and “She’s My Brother” feel a little tired.
While their self-titled debut showed plenty of cheek in “Emancipate Myself” and “I Wish Somebody Would Build a Bridge,” Slideshows presents none of this naughtiness. It’s a shame.
Slideshows feels like a natural progression for Thirsty Merc. It’s not likely to win them any new fans, but there’s certainly enough here to entertain the ones they have.
For me, it doesn’t have quite the same spark as their first disc, but it’s still a whole lot of fun.
Image source: BigPond Music