Cry For Mercy – This Machine
Cry For Mercy – This Machine
Self Released
Release Date: 04/04/2025
Review by Mare Grills
10/10
I’d like to begin by saying that this album is, in my opinion British Bluesy Rock at it’s finest, and if you don’t normally ‘get’ this type of music, then please, put your preconceptions aside and challenge yourself to give it a listen as you might be surprised and inspired by what you find that you like – or ever grow to love.
I love this band – the lead vocalist Kev Plant has an amazing voice and everything they do is intelligent, beautifully crafted and a joy to listen to, so imagine my delight when our Editor asked if I’d like to review their new offering. They played Pentrefest in North Wales this year, as they have previously, but it was the first time I’d seen them as I do tend to have the occasional ‘Nanna Nap’ at the most inconvenient times. Their performance blew me away as you might have surmised if you saw my ramblings in the review of the Festival.
This self released album is a wonderful collection of musical stories – not the ‘oh I was in love and it all went sad’ kind of the normal Blues stories, but gritty stories of growing up, driving forward, support, self belief, consideration, conflict and probably the most beautiful song that I’ve heard in years in ‘Nothing at All’. The songwriting is poetry, delivered in such a way that I actually have listened to it all night – love it, love it.
It kicks off with ‘A Thing About Me’ a solid Rock introduction to the pleasure to come, immediately showing their individuality in the genre, soaring guitar (Andy Cutty), proper solid and skillful drumming. This three piece band is tight, outstanding guitar and percussion (Aled Plant). It’s a mark of how good a band is when you can’t pick out an individual, they meld so well together and give you a whole experience of spine tingling guitar, chest thumping drumming and just, well…
A real stand out for me is ‘All My Life’. For me, it’s an inspirational song about hope, people and the need that we have to be someone to rely on. It just hits all the right spots, catchy, well written and well executed.
‘Nothing At All’ is a beautiful ballad, a lovely story of travelling through life, a reflection of what may have seemed important at one point comes to mean less as time moves on, the guitar winds its way perfectly throughout the track, it’s sensitive and thought provoking and I love it.
‘Moments In Time’ is a banger too, incorporating probably the best lyric in Rock (Kev’s words, not mine, but I agree – ‘my indifference was so natural I never had to try’).
I love the message in ‘My Foolish Pride’ – something that perhaps we’re all guilty of in one way or another. It’s another great song. And then ‘Gone, Gone, Gone’ does the sad bit but beautifully, empathetically and heartrending – time for a touch of Single Malt, JD won’t cut it for such a British Blues Rock Band. Lyrically, vocally and musically this is a masterpiece, and the band deserves every success with it .
On the first run through, my eyes wee’d a little bit at the beauty of some of the tracks and lyrics, the musicianship is amazing. Every song tells a story, not all of them comfortable. Kev, Andy and Aled should be extremely proud of this offering, every track is consummately performed, and the little bit of sadness that one has finished is set aside knowing that the next is going to be just as great. There are changes of pace and tone that kept me enthralled and then made me play it all over again, and again. I’m really looking forward to seeing this band again and until then I can listen to this album in anticipation. Oh – and I’m buying it as soon as it’s released. Support our musicians!
Mare Grills
TRACKLISTING:
01. A Thing About Me
02. Show Me
03. Walking With The Enemy
04. All My Life
05. Let Me Be
06. Nothing At All
07. Moments
08. Saving Grace
09. I Don’t Mind
10. Sometimes
11. You Can’t Help Me
12. This Time
LINKS:
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