More about: John Cale

Dancing synths float around the stereo as the title track and album opener of John Cale’s Mercy pull you into the mind of a man that’s seen and done it all. The soft electronica is a continuation of where Cale left off from 2016’s M:FANS, which was a reworking of his 1982 album Music For a New Society. Mercy is a complete collection of new tracks which maintains Cale’s wisdom, solemnity and sheer musical prowess.

The album is woozy and dreamy and feels almost disassociated from the world it is recorded in. The album makes you feel like a spectator just taking it all in. ‘Noise Of You’ is particularly poignant. The synths and contemporary production keeps the music exciting, while the guitar parts seem to echo Robert Fripp on 1977’s Heroes. The music video is intercut with lines of Cale giving an interview (which isn’t present on the album) in which he confirms the track as being a love song, but it seems to be more bittersweet than endearing. Perhaps a love song for those that only exist in memory.

Mercy is an elegiac album. Songs like ‘Night Crawling’ and ‘Moonstruck’ recalling Cale’s relationship and awe at David Bowie and Nico respectively. Cale now being 80 years old has seen plenty of great people, fashion trends and music scenes live and die. A great strength of Cale’s music is his refusal to be complacent. In a similar vein to someone like Bjork, John Cale’s music seems to fit in its own pantheon of uniqueness. There is no singular genre or influence to pin this music down but instead, having lived a life of discovery and inspiration is what informs the music.

The lyrics for ‘Night Crawling’ and ‘Marilyn Monroe’s Legs’ appear to highlight the indulgence and excesses of celebrity life. One which Cale has certainly flirted with. But this finds a contrast in other songs such as, ‘Everlasting Days’ and ‘Time Stands Still’ where Cale explores the very real and current issues of civil rights, right-wing extremism and climate change, things that make celebrity culture seem like a shallow husk of focus in the global world. When Cale asks, ‘will we see the past that haunts us now?’, he appears to be assuming a level of guilt and remorse for having lived and partaken in a world that has neglected the more important issues that face the world.

"Cale [is] reaping the seeds he’s sown in the contemporary brain..."

While much can be said of the reflective nature of the album, it certainly wouldn’t be the same beast if not for the scores of contemporary features that punctuate the album. Weyes Blood on the single ‘Story of Blood’, Fat White Family on ‘The Legal Status Of Ice’ and Tei Shi on ‘I Know You’re Happy’ all add a certain flavour to those songs. Cale seems to sound his best when collaborating. It is curious to think many of those featured on this album would cite the Velvet Underground as an influence, but now it is Cale himself almost reaping the seeds he’s sown in the contemporary brain.

I imagine those who have been ardent admirers of Cale’s career will find moments brilliance in this album, including some of his best yet. But it is by no means the definitive John Cale album and at 80 years old, hopefully there is still more to come.

Mercy arrives 20th January.

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More about: John Cale