Traveling Wilburys, Jr.

Fistful of Mercy

As I Call you Down

2010, Hot Records

Dhani Harrison
Ben Harper
Joseph Arthur

singles -

• Fistful of Mercy

This "super group" was a very pleasant surprise for me.  I've been a huge Ben Harper fan for quite some time, and got into Joseph Arthur after catching his song In the Sun in a movie soundtrack.  Fistful of Mercy has paired up these two neo-folk/neo blues artists with Ayrton Wilbury, also known as George Harrison's son, Dhani.  

Harrison has called this project his own Traveling Wilburys, however, the comparison stops there.  I so very much want to love this album and collaboration, however, I wish there was more Ben Harper rhythm and less Arthur/Harrison schmaltz.  The songs are very soft and sometimes uninspiring.  Also, I'm not sure what to think of bands that name themselves the same thing as a title of a song they wrote.  Fistful of Mercy the song is one of the better tracks on the album.  Father's Son should have been a single, and is the best track, having an upbeat rhythm unlike the rest of the music, and very much like Ben Harper's work with the Innocent Criminals.