...And The Mermaid is Dave Hause's eighth full-length solo album if I’m counting right. The big news with this new effort is that it features a full band. No, it isn't The Loved Ones Pt. 2. But we do get Hause mocking nu-metal and rap-rock, which was probably the second thing on everybody's bucket list.
I'll build off that idea, using "Revisionist History" as a starting point. While Hause's solo work will categorically fall into the folksy singer-songwriter terrain, the full band fleshes out each tune accordingly. It's not a hard rule on the 10-song album, but most of them lean into a genre that befits the subject matter. "Revisionist History" is about the MAGA mindset, with a fitting nu-metal stamp to highlight lyrics about Hummers and automatic weapons, "Mockingbird Blues" has a piano rock element, "Bible Stories" is a little bit countrified, and "Rumspringa" has some Irish traditional influence. While not a genre, per se, even "Enough Hope," has some clever nods to The Clash.
That depth of sound is neat and all, but other than the single verse of Hause rap-rockin' us, it's mostly a subtle compliment to his staple folk-rock meets whoa-oh punk sound. Hause has always been a master of the whoa-oh, whether with Loved Ones or The Falcon, and songs like "Cellmates" and "Rumspringa" keep that tradition alive.
Ultimately, what stands out about ...And The Mermaid for me, though, is Hause's ability to speak directly to the heart, whether solo or with a backing band. It's authentic, which is something that continues to separate real art from the imitators. "Look Alive" is a poignant track, everyone can relate to "Cellmates," and "Enough Hope" teases of positivity. The record is an experience, a mood, and adding a full band successfully enhances the sound instead of distracting. My first thought when hearing of the concept was, "will it still sound like Hause as compared to The Dave Hause Band?"
And it does.
PS, I guess he's been playing live, off and on, with his backing band The Mermaid for a few years now. But this is my first exposure.
