Mercurius is a father-and-son musical duo from Morpeth in England, and they’re back with a third album of music filled with personal themes as well as musical adventurousness. Recorded in Newcastle at Blast Studios, ‘Maybe You and I’ confronts some heavy topics such as death, loss, and heartbreak but holds on to melody and the power of human connection as a bright center to its sound. Mercurius is James (who leads on vocals and songwriting) and Paul (responsible for the sound design, guitar, bass, and ukulele), and guest contributions on the record come from Luke on piano, Shelley on vocals, and Farrar on violin.
Recorded with the production team at Blast, the opening track “Maybe You & I” features a sound reminiscent of a horn that slowly builds and drops you right into a space that is cinematic in scope. “Think About It” follows with reflective lyrics and strong melodies. “Dear Friend” adds warmth and a more direct sense of intimacy to the proceedings, while “Our Enemy” brings the sound down into more tense and discordant musical territory. “Great Evil Love” is beautiful and unnerving and sure to haunt you in a truly wonderful way. “White Flash (Rock)” is all driving energy and rock edge to keep the listener from feeling bogged down by the weight of some of the earlier songs, while “Fickle World” becomes much more stripped back and down-tempo and with violin becoming a mainstay of the track.
“Heaven & Earth” builds out into a more expansive and truly otherworldly-sounding song in the most beautiful and almost religious way. “Fear” is another album standout, with the plinking of piano, added layers of voice in the background, and a total absence of guitar to make the space of the music feel completely open. This is one of the most impactful and affecting songs on an album full of great ones. “Forever Fall in Love” is a very bittersweet song but not without some hope for the future and a great way to close out a full record. Overall, ‘Maybe You and I’ is a testament to the power of storytelling and musical empathy. Mercurius is a force to be reckoned with, and this new record is both bold and tender in the way it is willing to look at some of life’s uglier truths without denying the importance of love.
