Mt. Crushmore Records and New Jersey-based rock band MercyUnion are pleased to present “Be Honest,” a new track released today that comes on the heels of White Tiger, the trio’s second full-length studio album (vinyl and merch available HERE). Inspired by the newfound interplay between co-vocalists and guitarists Jared Hart and Rocky Catanese, “Be Honest” reveals a major breakthrough in how the longstanding writing pair approach the sharing of ideas.
“Sometimes when lyrics are as personal as these are, putting them under a microscope with someone else can be wildly uncomfortable and can even turn defensive,” Hart says. “This time the exact opposite happened, and Rocky allowed me to poke and prod through his headspace to mold some of these lines and melodies. In the end, we ended up with the most collaborative song in Mercy Union’s playlist, and probably my favorite to play live.”
Catanese adds, “Looking back, it’s funny that we landed on the title of ‘Be Honest’ because the lyrics are some of the most honest I’ve ever had in a song. When I brought the original idea to the band, I was speaking from a very real and dark place that I had reached. I, thankfully, was able to vent some of those feelings into the song, and the way Jared took what I had done and helped turn it into the vocals you hear has made it continue to be a relief from the bad days. I’m so happy that other folks will finally get to hear it.” Stream “Be Honest” on YouTube HERE.
Inspired by memories of Hart’s formative years and the connection to late-nineties/early-aughts radio rock his older sister would blast in her car, the songs on White Tiger not only capture the spirit and essence of those years and the powerful magic of its music, but are bursting at the seams with it. A homage to that pivotal time in Hart’s life, White Tiger is a wide-eyed and windows-down rush that ties in his newfound confidence as a musician with the music of his youth.
