New Music | Declan Welsh and The Decadent West - Mercy

George Ward

Freelance journalist based in Bristol. Can be found at the Grain Barge, Rough Trade or in his tiny basement bedroom writing for CLUNK.

Glasgow group Declan Welsh and The Decadent West announce their 2nd LP, which is due out next year and drop a banging indie-rock single

Declan Welsh and The Decadent West (or DWDW as their logo helpfully shortens them to) are on a roll. Not only have they been longlisted for 2022 Scottish Album of the Year, but also have supported Twin Atlantic, sold-out 3 headline shows at King Tut’s, Glasgow and have their biggest ever headline show at Barrowland Ballroom this November.

This new single, ‘Mercy’, should therefore make you very excited to catch them live. The single, the first ahead of their 2nd Album, is a short but sweet indie banger. The verses are very stripped back instrumentally, utilising only Murray Noble’s playful drumming, the occasional distorted guitar and Declan Welsh himself providing energised vocals with some lovely harmonies thrown in too.

The chorus picks up the energy, with full-blown guitars taking over the mix and Declan’s falsetto showing off his range. As the track progresses, the energy keeps getting bigger and soaring guitar lines mirroring Declan’s vocals.

According to Welsh, the song sounds like “The last remnants of the high… when you are still getting something from it but you’re starting to know you’ve got to give it up sometime soon.” The band’s energy is filled with this feeling; huge highs that are just far enough on the edge that you don’t know quite where they’re going next.

DWDW’s new LP is set to drop next year via Frictionless Music.

Listen/watch ‘Mercy’ here: