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Fistful of Mercy: As I Call You Down

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When solo musicians come together and form a group for the sake of art and not commerce, the result kept can often be silenced due to contractual obligations of the participating artists. However, when it’s good art, nothing can hold it back, as is the case with As I Call You Down, the eponymous debut from Fistful of Mercy. The mellowest power trio besides CSN, the band consists of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison, who are all gentle souls known for their tender vocals. Recorded in one weekend in Los Angeles around last year’s Grammy Awards, the release doesn’t come off as a piecemeal offering featuring three different voices. Rather, it is focused, vibrant and most of all, a team orientated endeavor, as evidenced on the blues burner “Father’s Son” infectious psychedelic pop of “Things Go Round” featuring Harper on bass, Arthur on percussion and Harrison on keys. However, it’s the warm, lush, and seemingly effortless harmonies throughout the record, specifically on the title track and the closing beauty “With Whom You Belong” that make an obvious case that these cats belong together.