Lys Guillorn & Mercy Choir - Trouble EP

This review of Trouble, by Lys Guillorn and Mercy Choir, was submitted by guest columnist Maxx Hillery. Enjoy his review below:
Firstly, I'd like to say that the importance of album art is vastly underestimated in the world of music and I am always ecstatic to see someone who gets it right. Not only is the art on this EP, Trouble, elegant and simple, but its appearance makes reference to and comments on the style of music and the lyrical subject of the songs, and it is designed by one of the artists herself (Lys Guillorn).

This collaborative EP is made by musicians who know how to construct a duet solidly and with adamant experience. It leads with the indie-folk tune Trouble, which would be the 'single' of the three songs, in my opinion, leaning towards an optimistic and lighthearted sound in which both Mercy Choir's Paul Belbusti and Lys contribute equally. This track is the hook, the attractor, as it should be. It sets the stage for them to complete the story, its light enough to not ask too much of its listeners yet but strong enough to initiate and begin the emotional reaction that is built and brought to fruition by the whole of the collection.

Communion is the medium, the balance between the first and the last song. It is dark and airy to start and leads into a lighter mood, though remaining perfectly solemn. Paul does not sing in this song, leaving it to Lys to damper our hearts in this somber yet alluring transitional jam.

I Wanna Destroy You is yet another airy song, and certainly a fine one to end the EP on, I think. It has an air of conclusion as Paul rejoins Lys vocally, yet ends in a musical cliffhanger. The violent nature of the lyrics and the gentle timbre of the song clash in a way that leaves me equally dissonant and satisfied, and hunting for more from these two. I recommend spending the meager three dollars on their bandcamp, mercychoir.bandcamp.com, for a collaboration that will keep you company throughout your many natural and forested adventures. Slap this on your Ipod and go for a hike. Seriously, you won't regret it, unless you run into a pack of wolves. Then you might be in 'trouble.'

Ha. Really, though, enjoy it.