Paisty Jenny Spilling Mercury
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
You know you are in for a life lesson when you read the words of wisdom on Paisty Jenny’s CD liner: “Sometimes you need to get drunk to feel sober, cry to see clearer and fall down a few times before you learn how to pick yourself up. We would like to add that you have a spill a little mercury to know you can survive the contamination.” Their new CD, aptly titled Spilling Mercury, is at times touching, other times extremely pissed off, but for the most part, it’s bare-bones, no-frills, unpretentious Rock ‘n ‘Effin Roll.
“Noose” opens Spilling Mercury, one of the heavier songs the band has ever recorded, especially during the chorus. The unique bass tone from Gabe Matthews comes from the fact they recorded the bass parts by smashing a drum stick on the bass while someone else fingered the notes. In a recent interview with Hardrock Haven, singer/guitarist Gregg Lee described the recording experience. As a singer, Lee owns the ability to snarl and croon all in one song, and you’ll hear both styles on “Noose.”
The next track, “Cryin’,” is one of the songs that has garnered them some radio airplay. The verses are lower, menacing, and the chorus has Lee showing off his upper range. “Would you believe I could lose all my faith. Is there even a trace!” bellows Lee on the second verse, the lyrics matching the acid-tinged anger and desperation of the music.
You don’t have to be angry to be introspective, though, and you’ll hear that on “All Around,” a slower, more melodic composition. The song is written for anyone who’s ever been in a relationship that died, meaning, Everyman. “When will you realize that, there was no compromise. Everything you need you have found. When will you find your way, and satisfy this aching … all of this she said without a sound. It’s all around …” Main songwriter Lee touched a little on his personal journey to pen this track, and his honesty serves to create one of the most memorable songs on Spilling Mercury.
For sheer animalistic rockin’, “Chain Smokin’ Mutha” fills that prescription. Basically, it’s about shooting for the stars, never giving up, and taking advantage of every waking second. The simplistic rhyme scheme in the chorus is catchy as all get out, and guitarist Johnny Ray rips into one of his most searing solos on the release.
It’s difficult to paint Paisty Jenny into a corner, and that’s exactly how they want it. At times, you’ll hear the edge of band like Disturbed, and then, you get to “Crush Alot,” and you are on the Sunset Strip, circa 1988. For pop magnetism, “Crush Alot” nails the chorus with sweet melodies and an almost Def Leppard-like guitar lead during the chorus. It’s got “hit song” spilled all over it.
If you have ever seen the band live, they know how to party. And drinking songs are a prerequisite for this kind of music. So, they recorded “Take It Like a Shot” just in case you forgot music is supposed to be a good time. Lee vocalizes a quirky passage at light speed, saying “Jack and Coke, a little bit of Bud Light.” He follows that with the line, “All you got to do is swallow when you love it.” And there ya go …
The bonus track on Spilling Mercury is called “Bigger Man.” The band hails from Lincoln, Neb., and they knew people who were killed in the Von Maur mall shooting in Omaha. Lee wrote the song the day after the shootings. This is an acoustic song, and the words in the chorus tell the tale: “I’m gonna be a bigger man, ain’t going down like this. They’re gonna know I lived. Ain’t gonna use a gun, ain’t gonna kill no one … gonna be a bigger man.” The song also talks about the mass slayings at Columbine and Virginia Tech. It’s the kind of topical song that gives you chills, and yet, is there to maybe give hope to someone who’s life is so empty, they think their only option is to go out, guns blazing, and taking as many souls with them as possible.
Spilling Mercury is a CD loaded with should-be hits, strong musicianship, top-shelf vocals, but most importantly, stellar songwriting. The ups, downs and mercury spills of life are something you’ll connect with as you listen to each track. There is a reason why Paisty Jenny was Hardrock Haven’s original Band of the Month, and you’ll hear all of those reasons on Spilling Mercury.
Online: Official site and On MySpace.
Label: Direct Hit Records
Track listing:
1 Noose
2 Cryin
3 Give In
4 All Around
5 Chain Smokin Mutha
6 Start Again
7 Days of Your Life
8 Down to Size
9 Crush Alot
10 Right Into Mine
11 Take It Like a Shot
12 Young Love
13 Always & Forever
14 Take
15 I’ll Get By
16 Bigger Man
HRH rating: 8.4/10