Mercy Street - Let Me Live (Album Review)

Scott Sellers fronted the fantastic California pop/punk band Rufio for four solid albums, an original run of three albums from 2001-2005 and then a reunion album in 2010. The reunion line-up was composed of new members and original members Scott Sellers and Clark Domae. Domae parted ways with Rufio shortly after the reunion album and Sellers put the name to rest for the time and formed Mercy Street. Mercy Street released a promising sounding EP and now they're back with the Scott Sellers recorded and mixed debut album Let Me Live.

Sellers picks up with Mercy Street mostly where Rufio's 2010 album Anybody Out There left off. There are some differences, but they are mostly minor. This is fast paced pop/punk, which is Sellers bread and butter. He delivers big with Let Me Live. After a couple solid listens this could have easily been a Rufio album. In some ways it almost sounds more like vintage Rufio in production and style as opposed to Anybody Out There did. Sellers does a great job with the recording and mixing. The guitar sounds great on the album. There are lots of really good catchy sounding riffs on this album.

It's hard not to judge this in line with Rufio's albums because Sellers is most known for Rufio and this sounds a lot like Rufio. That is not a bad thing. I, for one, think it's great. He continues to refine his sound and his vocal performance continues to improve. The lyrics are pretty solid throughout the album as well. I'm hoping that people give this album a good solid chance because if you're a fan of Sellers previous work you're probably really going to dig this album. "Building Tolerance" is a great first track for the album. I like it lyrically and it's a great start to the album. It sets the tone nicely. The album, as a whole, definitely has that vintage early-mid 2000s pop/punk feel and I really like that.

Overall, if you're a fan of Rufio you've got to check this out. I think some listeners might have been disappointed with the Rufio reunion record, but I enjoyed the album quite a bit. Taking that in mind I think if that album fell short for you this one may be more up your alley. This is really cool and well done pop/punk. I sometimes think Sellers and Rufio, as a whole, may not get quite the respect they deserve for how great they were/are. Just listening to this album easily shows why Scott Sellers deserves to be in the conversation for one of the better frontmen in the pop/punk genre. Check this out; it doesn't disappoint.