Following his breakthrough 2007 debut City Blood, Country Heart, rootsy singer/songwriter Patrick Brealey is back with Mercury in Songbirds. In this full-length excursion, Brealey takes an all-encompassing journey through the great American songbook – starting with the bluegrass rouse My End of the Deal and the ‘50s shake-and-roll swagger of I Don’t Want To Hear Another Love Song. After briefly visiting Tom Waits’ cabaret blues in Some Days Aren’t Very Good, Brealey launches into the clever, finger-picked, Dylan-esque Blessing in Disguise, followed by a heartbreaking country tune. And while the superior playing is commendable, it’s the suave charisma of his voice that makes the record drive. Although Brealey’s wit and songwriting idles out towards the end, Mercury in Songbirds is definitely a trip worth taking with him. Check him out when he plays the Royal Albert this Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Published in Volume 64, Number 3 of The Uniter (September 17, 2009)