Sean’s instrumental CD “Electric Storm” is available on Amazon.com
Electronic Storm
Musicians on “Electric Storm” & CD Cover Art are below the sample tracks
Title | Track Notes | Full Track |
---|---|---|
Elation |
You can’t fail to get swept up in this one. I tried to capture the unmistakable uplifting feeling in the title. | 3.27 min. |
The Festival |
This piece started off with the main intro riff in E minor and developed from there. I was pleased with the way the acoustic guitar lines blended into this piece. I know I’m going to do this more often on the next album. Listen for some especially tasteful bass parts from Johan– we recorded his Steinberger direct to tape with minimal EQ. | 4.22 min. |
Juicy Lucy |
The keyboardist at the time didn’t care much for this piece – I think he felt it sounded too upbeat. He started to refer to it as “Juicy Lucy” (ironically, a quality local sandwich shop) and it stuck. I get a lot of questions about this title, but it’s all very mundane really. There are some nice chromatic lines in the solo and sweep picking galore. | 3.56 min. |
Shades of Blue |
This piece has a bluesy feel, hence the title. I particularly enjoy the keyboard solo. | 3.07 min. |
Reflections |
A catchy riff, memorable melody and some hectic solo parts. What more can one ask for? | 3.17 min. |
Ilana |
A beautiful and majestic melody that had to be named for my wife, for obvious reasons. I like the key change to D minor with the acoustic guitar and cello parts before the keyboard solo. So does she. | 4.50 min. |
Electric Storm |
The main melody for this one I composed while sitting in my car waiting on a friend. I jotted down the rhythm and melody on a scrap of paper and when I got home to my guitar the piece came together pretty effortlessly. It’s one of my favorite tracks and the solo is a bit of a technical workout. | 3.59 min. |
Celtic Belt |
This was the first instrumental composition I completed and actually kept! The name hints at the piece’s Irish pedigree and my own same heritage. The Jethro Tull influence is palpable. There is a triplet feel throughout except for the solo where we changed to a sixteenth note feel. | 4.01 min. |
Last Time |
Drums were left off here; I was attempting something a little more laid back. The electric guitar solo is double tracked. It took me about two hours to capture those two electric tracks, with harmonized bends, to tape. | 2.17 min. |
Holding Back |
The drum groove that Neil came up with for this track really sets it apart from the other triplet rhythm melodies on the album. “Beautiful” describes the melody here: it’s seamless, yet wonderfully nuanced, which sharpens the emotional quality. Holding back is really only half the equation here. | 4.29 min. |
Mushrooms of Fire |
This A-minor workout is explosive all the way. The solo is hectic and I got to play with the Floyd Rose a bit. I like the way Steve’s keyboard melodies complement the guitar lines. I really enjoy the intro riff in this piece. | 4.09 min. |
Opus 2 |
No prizes for guessing how this one was named! Must be the engineer in me. I love the harmonies on the triplet E minor sections. The half-time solo is one of my favorites on the album. | 5.10 min. |
Musicians on “Electric Storm”
Sean Mercer
All compositions, all guitars, keyboard programming
Johan “Yoyo” Buys
Bass
Neil Sebba
All drums except where noted
Neil endorses Promark Sticks and Peace Drums.
Neil currently performs with Jamestowne and Brian Robbins
Andrew Green
Drums on tracks 1,2,4 & 6
Nigel Mercer
Drum performance on track 10.
Steve Philpott
Keyboards on tracks 1,2,4 & 6. Keyboard runs on track 11
Richard Kessel
Keyboard programming
CD Art
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