It helps to check expectations at the door when approaching Glenn
Mercer’s surprising and delightful new solo lp, “Incidental Hum”. Sure, there is a bit of the urgent jangle of the
Feelies’ leader’s work with his main band, but these are instrumental pieces that
show off Mercer’s compositional prowess first and guitar heroics second. Composed and recorded alone, the twelve
originals here create an aural travelogue of sorts, name-checking places whose
image, essence or memory inform the sounds that Mercer confidently coaxes from
his guitar, synths and other assorted instruments. The Western motif of “Yuma”
perfectly encapsulates the arid feeling of its titular Arizona namesake, while “Mobile’s”
chugging and squealing guitar pays tribute to the rich and greasy musical
legacy of the region, equidistant to Muscle Shoals and New Orleans. This is music steeped in tradition, highly academic
while maintaining a practitioner’s heart and muscle.
Even more fascinating are the trio of cover songs that close
out the record. The languid synths and sleigh
bells “Over the Rainbow” sound like one of R.E.M.’s early-aughts b-side
explorations and bleed into a church-organ indebted cover of Eno’s “Here Come
the Warm Jets”. Best of all is the murky, extended concluding cover of Hendrix’s
“Third Stone From the Sun” – when Mercer’s squalling and unhinged lead cuts
through the drum machines and rhythm at the 3-minute mark, it is nothing short
of thrilling, and is evidence why he remains an inspiration to indie rock guitarists
to this day.
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