Tough Cookie - Mercy!

Released yesterday, Mercy! has echoes of the core of grunge, something that has clearly been experimented with, not only through visual arts but also the auditory, with frontperson August using their eclectic ability to create, to paint the cover. The constant use of DIY throughout this singles creation process only builds upon the ethereal experience that follows you when listening. You can hear the raw scream of guitar that carries the flow of the track so beautifully. You can see the paint strokes that are meticulously built upon to match the songs emotion. All of this creativity stems from inside the band. The emotions are captured through each careful stroke. The emotions experienced - first hand. These tedious dances of the paintbrush is comparable to each component of the track individually. The cries of August’s voice, a perfect blend of passion and applaudable vocals. The vehemence of a erratic drum beat, and the beauty of both the bass and the strangled guitars. All elements built to create the art that is Mercy! just as the paint strokes creates the art to visually represent an empty, desolate feeling of dissociation catalysed by the blandness of a ceiling fan. The music video too captures this feeling beautifully, the constant spinning of the roundabout relating to the fog that fills the mind when stuck in a paralytic state of loneliness and ambiguity. Tough Cookie are one of few who blur the line between music and artwork, and do it well, leaving each musical decision with the same impact of a splash of ink on a page.

Tough Cookie are just as good live as they are on streaming platforms, the ability to have this talent transferrable from live shows to our headphones is stunning to see in a modern band, and definitely one of the reasons for the devoted following they have gained over the past year.

Since the release of their mixtape, The Countryside Is Good For You, the band have returned sharper, with a window into what the future of Tough Cookie will look like, and if Mercy! truly is something to base new tracks on, then we are in for a treat.

Thank you for reading, Stream Mercy! and follow Tough Cookie on Instagram under @toughcookie to keep updated!