After years cutting his teeth as a guitarist alongside heavyweights like Booker T. Jones and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, brave new blues genius Troy Mercy steps into the solo spotlight with Let The Night Begin. Produced by Tim Carman (you saw his name previously in these columns as a member of Parlor Greens, Canyon Lights, and GA-20) and recorded live through glowing tubes in a wood-heated cabin, his debut full-length is a fuzz-soaked jolt of raw, vintage-toned rock ‘n’ roll in a loose blues jacket.

While he’s a certified six-string master, the Massachusetts-based musician puts sharp songwriting first. Lyrically, the ten original tracks wrestle with the nagging pain of the human condition, weaving gritty tales of  escapism, fractured love, and the urgent drive to outrun the past. Yet, beneath the road-worn heartache, an undeniable current of vibrant optimism and resilience anchors the record. This hard-won hope is most fiercely championed on Better & Better (the video premieres below!), a stomping anthem of perseverance that urges the listener to keep moving forward: “Dig a little deeper // You have to do the wrong thing // Till the right thing comes along.”

Layered with formidable vocals, a deeply grooving rhythm section, and the sudden wail of a jaunty harmonica, this effortlessly cool throwback proves Troy Mercy isn’t just reviving the blues, he’s carving out a gritty, thrilling territory all his own.

Let The Night Begin is out tomorrow, released on vinyl LP through Gitcha Records. Featuring Troy Mercy (vocals, guitar, harmonica), with Harrison Foti (drums, percussion), Tim Carman (drums, percussion), and Marty Ballou (bass) on select tracks.

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