MARK MERCER: "Nothing Like It" - A Review

Let's face it: '80's pop music (in particular, music without an "agenda", or music which was just about feelin' good, escapism, and gettin' up and dancing-- or at least moving!) never got as much respect as it deserved. Recently, thanks to the surge in '80's nostalgia, people finally (?) accepted the fact that if the music sounded good, it was good! And, despite the criticisms of that era's music being largely "trivial" and "fluffy", those trivial and fluffy pop tunes of the '80's continue to hold up through the years. Just go to the standing-room only party "1984" at the The Pyramid Club on Friday nights or any weekend at The Culture Club in downtown NYC if you doubt that. Similarly, today's dance music doesn't get as much respect as it should. MTV, still one of the main avenues of introducing new music to the masses, usually doesn't play videos for dance music or remixed videos of songs. To make matters worse, with record sales reportedly waning over the past few years, there has been a decline in the number of releases by the dance music divisions of major labels. This is ironic, because the club scene is an unyieldingly integral part of New York City nightlife... and New York City is where so many new artists are discovered, both inside and outside the dance club. Mark Mercer, who has been getting a good response at live shows-- not just for his music, but for his energy and dance moves-- has captured the spirit of both '80's pop and Hi-NRG club music on his debut CD "Nothing Like It", even playfully injecting some 80's high-school-era ennui into one track, "See Ya" ("See ya, see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!"). Retro influences aside, the music is impeccably polished and sharp-sounding for 2005. On his official website, he describes "Nothing Like It" as "a blend of the best sounds from 80's pop & 70's dance-- updated with today's hottest grooves & sleekest production... an uplifting, sexy, and fun collection of lyrically inspiring, mid-tempo jams and rousing dance tracks that will get your groove back on." We learn this immediately with the first song, the CD's title track, which sets the stage for his unique sound: Mercer's supple voice set to upbeat pop tunes-- ripe with assorted clicks, whirrs, chirps, and electronic special effects. Even on "Nothing Like It"s two instantly likable "message" songs-- "Chapel of Love" and "Embrace"-- Mercer never sacrafices the listener's pleasure. Like Madonna's early stuff, this is feel-good music. Mercer's voice undeniably evokes not only the blue-eyed soul vocal style of Boy George and Limahl, lead singer of Kajagoogoo (1983's "Too Shy")... but at times, the youthful romanticism of his voice makes him sound astonishingly like George Michael-- a comparison that Mercer might get tired of hearing as "Nothing Like It" catches on to the public. Track 2 is "Chapel of Love", and no, it's NOT a remake of the DIxie Cups' 1964 song of the same name. Rather, it's a lively track that makes the case for equal recognition of same-sex marriages-- complete with wedding bells, a preacher's voice, and simple lyrics that get the message across:

"You can call me a criminal and keep me in chains
But at the end of the day my love still remains;
You can take away everything I possess,
No matter how you treat me -- you just can't keep me from love..."

Hey, when it comes down to it, equality is a simple issue. "Chapel of Love" boasts a Culture Club-influenced sound, complete with a belting Helen Terry-esque female background singer and Mercer's soulful vocals backed by bubbly electronic effects. It's not overtly political, but rather a celebratory tune reinforcing the message that's echoed in the chorus of the song: "Love is love". What would really be criminal is if "Chapel of Love" doesn't catch on as an anthem for marriage equality. The song escalates into an all-out finale, with the grandness of the conclusion of Madonna's "Like A Prayer". Of course, Wham! and Boy George weren't "permitted", given the political/cultural climate of the '80's, to sing about such issues as equality in sexual orientation. With "Chapel of Love", Mercer seems to pay homage to such artists, yet usher in some of today's relevant cultural and political themes. Another real treat on "Nothing Like It" comes with "Embrace", a relatively unadorned track. If "Chapel of Love" makes an instantly accessible plea for marriage equality, "Embrace" does the same for peace and tolerance on many levels-- with the ultimate interpretation being up to the listener:

"Embrace the knowledge-- ignorance is far from bliss,
Embrace tolerance-- there's no other way to exist;
Embrace the differences between you and I;
We're not so different..."

In these war-minded, reactionary times, the song couldn't be more timely. "Embrace" also displays Mercer's technique of layering several vocal styles within the same track, a stylization he repeats on several of the other songs on "Nothing Like It". Mercer wrote all the words on music for the 12 tracks on the CD, and the results are impressive. The delightful "Illusions", the mid-tempo "Who Do You Think You Are?", and "Magical Things" have more casual pop radio appeal than so much of the stuff that's marketed for mass release nowadays. The CD also features two versions of the track "Exclusive Club":

One version is deliberately paced, seductive, and romantic (Think George Michael's "Too Funky", but less dirty-minded); and another is an extended (almost 10 minutes long) dance remix, the Out on the Floor Mix. The CD also features another adrenaline-infused dance remix, "Heartbeat" (the Classic Club Pulse Mix). If you get the impression that Mark Mercer conceives a link between self-love and self-empowerment, and the feeling you get when when your shaking your ass on the dance floor, then you got it right. In that way, "Get My Groove Back" may be the most emblematic track on "Nothing Like It". The listener will definitely agree: This music will set you free!

REVIEW BY - JED RYAN (PM ENTERTAINMENT)