Merry - M.E.R.R.Y

If there is one genre that the Japanese have done superbly other than rock, it is jazz - and Merry is a band that fuses the two together with utter brilliance. Their 2007 studio album release M.E.R.R.Y is a celebration of just that.

The band's performance on this album is impressive. The lead singer, Gara, has a distinguished and controlled sound; he does a vibrato with the best of them and can also sing gracefully with each note. In contrast to some other prominent vocalists, there is little yowling in his singing. Whenever he does holler, like in Coq d'or Mama, he is careful to not go over the top and places these loud bursts cautiously. The two guitarists and bassist have produced confident tabs that are sure to be mimicked by aspiring musical fans, and Nero struts those sticks across his drums like nobody’s business.

The first sound off M.E.R.R.Y is a dramatic drum roll like a soldier's march in procession; the track is aptly named M.E.R.R.Y MARCH. Then, the music suddenly starts skipping like a broken record and bursts into a rock and roll fueled jazz scat, giving listeners a hint at what’s to come. The song files down to a single tune, and it carries onto the next track. The rest of the album follows a pattern of consistent rhythm and catchy guitar hooks, but most of the songs have enough unique flavor to keep it interesting. One such notable song is Seinen himitsu kurabu, a bass and drum influenced track that is full of heavy and distorted sound. Then there is Last Snow, which contains the addition of a light choir melody that provides a great contrast. At the very least, it will have you dancing in your chair.

Were each track a sheep, then Hi no dechou, machikado tsunderera ~2-ban home hen~ is the black one. Its change in tune from the prior tracks seems a little drastic, but it’s a refreshing break from some of the more monotonous tunes. The jazz sound returns more effectively, and with the accompaniment of an accordion and mandolin, it sounds as if the band had set up next to an Italian circus. You can almost see a Pierrot like clown stumbling along the street to the unusual beat. It isn’t keeping with the rest of the album in its entirety, and it may be more difficult to take for people who are not enthusiastic fans of Merry, but arguably it’s the track that best highlights Merry’s experimental talents.

With Saihate no Parade and Coq d'or Mama, Merry takes another step forward, using a roller coaster of aggressive noise and melodious bluesy harmonies that are packaged very finely. The tangle between the two extremes has the potential to be overdone, but they’ve managed to pull it off. Anyone who likes to headbang will undoubtedly love these two songs. There is a bonus track included on the CD only version called Poezy, and it's a welcome bonus indeed. The tune is a fun, campy, 60's style rock and roll fueled piece, and the backing vocals help to highlight this affect. It doesn't quite keep with the flow of the album, which is probably why it's added as a bonus track, but it’s definitely not a song to be skipped.

Overall, with M.E.R.R.Y, the band has maintained their reputation as a pioneering group of unusual and fantastic musicians. There are one or two tracks that are a not noteworthy, but some very remarkable ones as well. If you are new to the band, then this is definitely a great album to listen to for some of Merry’s best, and if you’re a fan you already understand that this album is a must have.