Rocco DeLuca & the Burden:
Mercy

[Universal Republic/Ironworks]

Paste Rating

forgettable

Your Rating

Unoriginal group pimped by celebrity label-head makes sophomore album even more boring than its debut was obnoxious

More reserved and amorphous than its predecessor (2006’s scattered, grating I Trust you to Kill Me), Mercy induces an Ambien-like trance that’s difficult to wake from. And it’s just as well—if you doze while playing this record, you’re not missing much. Sure, DeLuca & the Burden can play the notes, but as artists, they have little to say, instead alternately aping Coldplay, Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams and the John Butler Trio. Mercy achieves the astounding feat of being both pretentious (musically) and dumb (lyrically). Not that you need heady wordplay to make a great rock record, but DeLuca deals exclusively in vacuous lyrical clichés that’ll make you want to stub out a cigarette on your arm to combat the boredom. He’d be well-served by burning his rhyming dictionary and losing his overly breathy vocal affectations, which sound far too concerned with dropping panties to carry any real emotional weight. I’d venture that if Ironworks label head Kiefer Sutherland hadn’t used his celebrity to pimp the band, the Burden would still be annoying otherwise content drunks every Friday night at some Southern California bar.

Listen to Rocco DeLuca & the Burden on MySpace.

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8 Comments

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By josef on March 11, 2009

you may not like the cd (either of them) but you don't seem to be focusing on their actual musical talent. his use of voice and guitar is brilliant. see him live or watch the documentary "i trust you to kill me". i'm going to see them live again tonight and plan to enjoy them again.

By what up? on March 12, 2009

you obviously didnt listen to the album. play it and then write your review

By M on March 12, 2009

You are dillusional. You must not like him because you can't fit him into one of your "categories". He doesn't fit, he just creates music...and he does it brilliantly.

By Ryan on March 12, 2009

Well I haven't listened to the new album, but I feel I can comment because obviously you are just reporting on the band and not the album. I'd have to agree, Rocco is so cliche, I mean you just can't turn on KISS FM without hearing that same old dobro technique!

Seriously though, listen to the record, let it sink in, then report to us what you really think about it.

By chris on March 16, 2009

Rocco wont let you staple him under one category and that's what pisses you off. If you don't think the lyrics are good, then go praise Nickelback, Brittany Spears, and/or The Jonas Bros. Go to Itunes and look at the ratings... last I checked there were 69 ratings.. there are 1 *, 1 **, 2 *** 9 ****, and 56 *****... so, who do you think has it backwards? you or just about everybody else?

By Marty on March 18, 2009

I honestly think this album "Mercy" is amazing..and overall the band has huge talent. Some people don't like them though and that's fine. Everyone has different tastes..but you can't honestly defend or take part in a fight if you don't know what you're talking for. Listen to the album or at least watch a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj-JBfnVehc

By Elle Evans on April 21, 2009

Obviously, we all have the right to have & voice our opinions, but I'm not convinced that your opinion/review is actually based on the works of RDTB.
I am far more inclined to believe your opinion is based on the very common cynisism many have toward famous actors/models/etc., who venture into the music industry.
So Kiefer Sutherland co-creates a record label, signs RDTB & instantly, this very talented band is met w/ contempt prior to thorough & open-minded investigation.

I am a FIRM believer that Kiefer's involvement w/RDTB is the ONLY thing standing between RDTB & the height of success the other bands mentioned in your review have reached.
And NO, I am not knocking Kiefer at all. Quite the opposite!
I'm grateful to him for finding such a talented band & exposing those not from L.A. to their music.
SHOW ME ANYONE WITH WORLDWIDE EXPOSURE who can play a Dobro w/such talent as Rocco, that has come out in the past decade, I dare you!

NOW: Your comments re: Rocco's lyrics?
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!
I am actually a very well established, award winning lyricist - one your review reveals you HAVE heard of.
And it is MY opinion that Rocco is one of few lyricists to have emerged in YEARS that is awe inspiring & very original.

How did you land a gig writing music reviews for Paste? Twas obviously not your understanding of the music arts.
Did you marry into the PMG family, or did you use blackmail against them?

It simply must be one or the other.

By JML on May 19, 2009

The person who wrote this review obviously hasn't listened to the records or seen Rocco DeLuca live. Unoriginal?? Have you heard anyone else playing a dobro like Rocco does? This reviewer either has incredibly poor taste in music or is just a biased ass who hasn't given Rocco's music a chance simply because of his connection with Kiefer Sutherland. Either way, it's his loss. Rocco DeLuca is a brillant artist, live and on record, and he has a strong fan base to prove it! I enjoy Paste Magazine, but this reviewer is dead wrong.