Book review: Fierce Mercy by Colin Hay

Men at Work frontman Colin Hay releases a solo album next month which is full of gentle and beautiful songs.
Fierce Mercy by Colin HayFierce Mercy by Colin Hay
Fierce Mercy by Colin Hay

Fierce Mercy was recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles and is just a lovely album to listen to. His PR tells you the album “is an epic cinematic step forward and explores themes of love and loss, mortality, and even the odd UFO sighting, but always with the singular perspective and insightful wit that defines his work.’’

Hay has created a new classic in his impressive repertoire, using a palette of pop songcraft, American flourishes and soundtrack-ready strings and 10 of the songs were collaborations with Michael Georgiades, who contributed to Hay’s other albums Gathering Mercy and American Sunshine.

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Some of the songs are deeply personal, “She Was The Love of Mine’’ is an elegy for the singer’s mother, who died three years ago and “Frozen Fields of Snow’’ recounts the story of a war veteran returning to his childhood home after outliving the other members of his unhappy family.

Hay takes his new album on tour next month, playing at The Dancehouse Theatre in Manchester on Thursday, April 6th.

Fierce Mercy by Colin Hay, released via www.compassrecords.com on April 7th.