Merk – Whammy March 11, 2020

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He calls himself Merk. Real name Mark Perkins. Until very recently this upcoming singer-songwriter was planning his trip to Texas to perform at SXSW. This gig at Whammy was meant to be a warmup for that auspicious occasion, but then the virus hit and those plans are off.

So now the Whammy show has a little more resonance to it as there are no gigs in Texas to follow. Merk and his band (bass, keys, drums) takes the stage at 10pm and begins with Ash & Sand, a tune from Merk’s one and only album, Swordfish, released way back in 2016. Merk sings in a fragile falsetto for most of the tune and throws off a rather impressive guitar break at the end.

Although it’s been four years since his album was released, Merk has some new songs to present to the rather healthy-sized crowd that turned out on this Wednesday night.  In fact two of them follow immediately. Manchuria is a friendly sounding song that begins with a false start, then comes the new single, HNYB (or Happy New Year Baby) a simple repetitive songs that is effortlessly charming.

Then next is My Love, a quiet ballad, tentatively sung. Merk tells us of his dismay at missing SXSW.

Things get more upbeat (just in time) with God and its disco beat. Then comes Deep Dive another disco inflected tune but more sparsely arranged.

“We’re about to play a rock song” Merk announces, and the slide into No Better Reason from Swordfish. I must say with its loping beat, and Merk’s falsetto, it doesn’t really rock. However, that can be said for the next song. I’m Easy is bouncy, breezy and features another groovy guitar break at the end.

“That was fun” says Merk, and he’s right.

The 55minute set wraps up with two more from Swordfish and three more new songs. It sounds like there’s plenty of prime material for a second album. Let’s hope the SXSW cancellation doesn’t keep these tunes from seeing the light of day.

Marty Duda

Click any image to see a gallery of photos from Todd Buchanan.

Merk

Imugi

Antony Jeffares

Merk setlist:

  1. Ash & Sand
  2. Manchuria
  3. HNYB
  4. My Love
  5. God
  6. Deep Dive
  7. No Better Reason
  8. I’m Easy
  9. Melody
  10. Laps Around The Sun
  11. Hang
  12. But She Loves You
  13. Treehouse Club

 

Marty Duda
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