The Mercury Seed

Formed in the classic rock tradition, New York’s the Mercury Seed features vocalist Volker, guitarists John Jackson and Joe Nemchek, bassist Gary D'Andrea, and drummer John Chiechi. The group refined its approach through performances at Manhattan venues including the Knitting Factory and Sine-é, acquiring the ability to shape intelligent, assured material that effectively carries classic rock elements into the 21st century. After an eponymous debut album, the band issued Dust in 2002, a pleasant enough effort. Yet the much-praised and impressive Throwing Rocks at the Sun, released in 2007, confirmed that this fiercely independent and resilient outfit possessed a genuine and workable vision for the classic rock lineup.