Album Review: Planet Parade, Mercury

At the start of the decade, this Kildare based twosome looked certain to conquer the hearts and charts of the country with their genre-straddling, hook-laden, cerebral pop. However, after a string of well-received support slots and much critical acclaim, the pair took the decision to temporarily halt the public life of the band, in order to create their debut album without distractions. Well, they are now finally ready to unveil Mercury, the product of many months holed up in their home studio.
Comprising 11 tracks, the record is immaculately produced, resenmbling a welcome shot of sonic sunshine. Given the right breaks, it could easily soundtrack this summer’s festival season. Soulful and filled with synths, saxophones and super-smooth vocals, ‘Zodiac’ – which riffs on Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’ – and the ’80s-pop informed ‘History Lesson’ are particular standouts. Elsewhere, the calypso guitar-led ‘Blue Sky’ could be a monster hit, while the dub-tinged ‘Jump Ship’ is an enjoyable slow burner. These guys could yet be huge.