Merit

This article appeared in the March issue of Table Hopping Magazine, Syracuse

Sounds of Syracuse:
Merit

by Tiffany Bentley

Music journalists are always trying to compare new bands with old bands or more familiar bands as a way to provide a frame of reference for the new listener. While this is helpful to the audience, sometimes artists feel pigeonholed by it.

Listening to Merit, one could be reminded of popular alt rock band Paramore, whether all Merit members agree with this comparison or not.

“Until Paramore, who would you have picked out and said Merit sounds like x?” commented lead singer Brenna Merritt. “Especially in a male dominated industry. When you’re a female-fronted band, you’re kind of lacking as far as bands to be compared to because it’s such a male dominated world.”

While male members may think that the band sounds nothing like Paramore, the band has offered their new album, “Arson is for Lovers,” on their website, gomeritgo.com as a free download, so music fans can decide for themselves.

Merit members came together at Syracuse University and decided to all stay in the area to work on music together. Under the direction of Ulf Oesterle of Aux Records, the group produced their first two albums. While Ulf has decided to still mentor them, the band decided to go Indie with their third release, “Arson is for Lovers.”

With this release, Merit has finally come into their own sound. Band members agree that the first album may have been a bit schizophrenic, but that their later compilations are a bit more refined to a specific sound.

While playing live in Syracuse has been somewhat of a challenge, as far as bookings and getting the CD promoted, elsewhere the band is receiving love and selling downloads like crazy. The band agrees that the Syracuse scene has been hard to break into because of the local hype that the area is only into hardcore rock music and cover bands.

But this has not stopped this energetic group. Made up of members Brenna Merritt, Hal Appleby, Will Mecum, and Jeff Nelson, they stay close-knit and regularly practiced. A downtown studio remains their practice home and Aux Records one of their faithful gathering places. With no plans of a specific tour as of yet, Merit has set up some local dates. They will perform at Empire Brewery on March 20th and co-headline the Aux Records Fifth Anniversary party at Funk ‘N Waffles April 18th in celebration of their latest CD release.

Tracks to note from “Arson is for Lovers:” “Cut and Run,” “Arson is for Lovers,” and “Bring Us the Sun”
The full album is available for free at gomeritgo.com.