Fierce Mercy

Colin Hay

Compass Records, 2017

http://www.colinhay.com

REVIEW BY: Mark Kadzielawa

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 02/26/2017

Many moons ago, Colin Hay emerged as a force behind Men At Work. The band was successful, had some massive hits, and established Hay as writer and a very charismatic performer. Since then, Hay forged a very successful solo career.  my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 Fierce Mercy is his 13th solo album.

The beauty of Hay's music lies in his art of storytelling, and he's quite excellent at that. Whether reflecting on his own experiences or telling tales about someone else, Hay finds the right words to communicate his message with ease.  Add in his instantly recognizable voice and his one of a kind charisma, and you’ve got yourself some great music. 

Fierce Mercy is exactly just that: Hay at his sincere best. There may not be the massive hits he once displayed on MTV, but it's a great album all the way through. The songs have a very inviting quality, and it makes you want to play this record again and again.  And as you do that, you pick up on the new musical and lyrical aspects. After all, Hay has lived a very interesting life and has a lot to share. 

In many ways, what Hay is now doing parallels another artist from the same timeframe – namely Mark Knopfler, who also had massive success with his band back in the ‘80s but now records great solo albums that are just meant to listened to as a whole.  And just like Hay, he shares an excellent lyrical wit for effective storytelling. Perhaps the Hay and Knopfler should tour together one day.

Fierce Mercy is just a superb album.  It shows Hay as a matured artist who simply gets better with age.  It's hard to pick a favorite song here because all the tracks flow so nicely and create a very powerful statement. Whether listening to it in the car or at home, Fierce Mercy works in every setting and is sure to leave the listener in a good mood (and if there is a fine wine around, the mood only gets better).

Rating: B+

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