Named for a gas-guzzling Mercedes Benz owned by frontman Rai Thistlethwayte, Thirsty Merc made a strong case for radio-friendly Australian rock early into the new millennium. Arriving around the same time as kindred spirits Wolfmother, the Sydney band loaded 2004’s platinum-selling self-titled debut with the epic earnestness of heartland rock and the bluesy flourishes of The Black Crowes. Observe the rousing nostalgia of “In The Summertime”—punctuated by then-guitarist Matt Baker’s grizzled licks—and the pining romance of 2007’s skyscraping power ballad “20 Good Reasons.” Thistlethwayte leaned on his college-level study of piano for 2010’s “Tommy and Krista” while advancing his character-driven storytelling, and he continues to moonlight as a respected jazz player. But accessible, romantic rock remains Thirsty Merc’s speciality, as proven by 2015’s polished Shifting Gears.
Members of Thirsty Merc include, or have included, Phil Stack, Matt Baker, and S. Carey.
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