In 2008, following a series of stops & starts, Mercer created Skin of Evil, his second Blackout Beach full length. Composed, played and recorded entirely by Mercer alone, the album contains a story arc based loosely upon the classic Greek notion of the ideal woman. --Mercer's bio on Soft Abuse
There was a brief, totally out of place discussion of this in the Salmon thread when "Cloud of Evil" leaked, but there should be a thread, especially now that Stereogum has released a second track, "Astoria, Menthol Lite, Hilltop, Wave of Evil, 1982".
So far, I'm pretty excited about this album. The heavily reverbed production on these two tracks creates a dreamier feel that softens Mercer's sharper edges and makes him a bit more accessible without subtracting from the weirdness or complexity. Plus it's everything's "of evil."
What do you think of these tracks so far?
