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The Mercenaries
Alternative / Pop / Folk

		"The Mercenaries" LONG ISLAND CITY, New York United States Profile Views: 3838 Last Login: 7/19/2008
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The Mercenaries: General Info

Member Since	11/29/2005
Band Website	the-mercenaries.com
Band Members	Altogether Steve Rutyna- Vocals, Guitat, Harmonica, cool vibes. Brian Elliott- Bass. Alex Morales- Lead guitar, vocals. Mark Marone- Drums. Neil Thomas- Keys, Piano, Accourdian. Philip A Watt- Trumpet, vocals.
Influences
Sounds Like	Stonsey, Dylanesque, G.b.v. original indie rock, pop folk.. Click Here For The Mercenaries Blackfoot Tribes
Type of Label	Indie

Upcoming Shows

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Jul 24 2008

10:00P

Lakeside Lounge

New York, New York

Aug 28 2008

10:00P

Lakeside Lounge

New York, New York

Sep 25 2008

10:00P

Lakeside Lounge

New York, New York

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About The Mercenaries

The Mercenaries 8th album,"REPACKAGED TO SELL AGAIN" collects 16 b sides from various singles from 2000-2007 with insightful liner notes for each song by Altogether Steve. Despite the fact that this is essentially an album of outtakes, most of these songs are as powerful as any of the ones on their proper albums, and if anything, show a more diverse side of styles that the Mercenaries are capable of playing, from pure rock'n'roll "Ride", instrumentals "PS1 Factor", zydeco "Alligator Man", country/rockabilly "Start spreading the blues", folky ballads "Two sided street", to their glorious cover of ABBA'S "S.O.S.".

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CD Reviews

How Sweet The Sound By: Alex Steininger ("In Music We Trust" magazine, September-October 2000)

Shimmering, shiny pop hooks that sparkle coupled with a strong rock aesthetic. The Mercenaries deliver a powerful rock that isn't afraid to get timid and soft before blasting out the noise that will floor you.

"How Sweet The Sound" is a soft folk jaunt through acoustic guitars and tender vocals, while "Oh, What A Time We Had" is a jangly rocker. "All That I Need" is a piano ballad that will bring you to tears, while "Stormbirds" is a complete guitar rocker sure to light a fire under your ass and get you moving. And, of course, there is "Stop The Clock", an ambitious rock sure to turn some heads.

The Mercenaries blend pop and rock perfectly, serving up something that can be felt and move too, which is a hard equilibrium to reach. The album is jangly and tight, punchy and powerful, and most important, lively. I'll give it a B+ The Last Resident In A Tourist Town By: Alex Steininger ("In Music We Trust" magazine, April 2002)

Rootsy rock 'n' roll brought up on pop, The Mercenaries capture peacefulness and infectious-ness on The Last Resident In A Tourist Town. An album filled with cliches like the line "Of all the things I've lost, it's my mind I miss the most" ("What You Think and What I Know"). Even with a few things against them, they still make it fun enough to ignore their downsides, as you bop your head along to their seemingly easy hooks and simple beats. This is carefree pop-rock you can put on, feel a smile creep across your face, and know that things will be alright. I'll give it a C. The Last Resident In A Tourist Town By: Rich Kaminsky (WPKN - FM Bridgeport, Connecticut, 2001)

Earnest and well-crafted pop-rock pours fourth on "The Last Resident In A Tourist Town", the second disk from NYC's The Mercenaries. Altogether Steve Rutyna has really honed his songwriting skills, clearly evident throughout the 17 tracks. Sure, you'll find the 'standard' Mercenaries trick of pairing amusing twists on standard clichés with driving pop rhythms and sweet harmonies. But the music really stretches out this time, ranging from some tasty horn arrangements to even some reggae beats. And the subject matter moves beyond the instant appeals to the female of the species to songs of varied social commentary. Where are the Mercenaries headed? It'll be well worth your time to listen and find out. 4 out of 5 stars: Highly recommended Outpatients On Patrol

Their latest release, a double CD titled "Outpatients On Patrol" is their most sophisticated effort to date, with longer songs, beautifully crafted melodies and poetic lyrics, like "Along The Shakespear Row and "The Ocean Is The Rain", which blend well with the more raunchy "Feed The Fire" and "You Can Take the Girl Out of the White Trash, But You Can't Take The White Trash Out of the Girl". The Hanging Tree By: Chris Kriofske (Splendid magazine 9/24/2004)

The Mercenaries wouldn't easily win a Battle of the Bands contest, especially in their New York City home base. Inevitably, the judges would give some younger, flashier, more polished and technically proficient outfit the grand prize, but I'd bet these guys could emerge as underdog audience favorites. Who wouldn't take to musicians with this much bar band passion, lack of pretension, and undeniable warmth, save for the most elitist of rock aesthetes?

On their fourth album, the sextet fleshes out their straightforward guitar-bass-drums-keyboards line-up with accordions, fiddles and mandolins (the latter two courtesy of new member Diane Stalkwell). The results are a Celtic rock hybrid not unlike Black 47, although "Altogether Steve" Rutyna is a less mannered, more natural vocalist than Larry Kirwan. Owing just a little to Joe Strummer's exuberant, tune-wavering punk troubadour style, Rutnya and his band are most effective at excitable, rollicking tempos. "Starlet" gets a lot of mileage out of a near-killer hook, a Los Lobos groove and charming lines like "And at the bar you always ask / for something strong in a dirty glass". A martial beat opens and propels "Out On the Town Tonight", and no matter how corny Rutyna's lyrics, about someone's 98-year-old father, read, they're delivered fervently enough that you'll want to dance and drink a few pints anyway. "Missing, Presumed Dead" (which essentially retells the plot of the classic film noir Laura) benefits astutely from Stalkwell's searing, sawing, distinguishing violin, as does the story-song "The Toast of Jonestown". Halfway through, after a false ending, a lone acoustic guitar and her violin slowly creep back in, gradually re-joined by the rest of the band, all building up to a grand, burning finale.

Comparatively speaking, the album's ballads seem either a little hackneyed ("Bury Me Back Home") or pretty but dull ("O, Wild Wilderness"). If the reactionary, apparently irony-free "Old Tradition" feels out of place and the epic, eight-minute closer "Everything Is You / Slowly, With Feeling" stumbles a bit, they're minor faults, easily overlooked. Fortunately, the mid-tempo "Old Picture, New Frame" emphasizes the band's strengths, undulating through a neatly woven guitar tapestry that strikes an ample balance between the traditional and contemporary elements of their sound. The Hanging Tree showcases a band in transitional mode, but its strongest moments seem like encouraging stepping stones to something possibly victorious. 5 Star Hotel Some bands slog on year after year and eventually stagnate. Some fly from trend to trend, style to style, without any consistency. And a rare few actually get sharper, more focused and progressively better. Their 5th LP shows the Mercenaries to fit into the later category. Still planted firmly in the "rock" bin, and working themes familiar to those who spend a good portion of their time in bars - either working, drinking, playing or all three. The gorgeous ballad "Barmaid" is a case in point. "Everything's Harder Than It Looks" has a serious Clash/Strummer dub feel, chronicling the mishaps of some poor n'er do good, with the disarming dubbed out harmonium evoking some sympathy for the sap. There are plenty of hard luck stories of relationships gone bad (Keep On Walking", "Closer To The Light", "When You Let Go...") and bitter swipes at worthy targets, all with a sense of justice and purpose (in "Old Models", "My Dear", "Useless Interventions", "It's Not Over..."). "Traveling Slowly Downhill" recalls an earlier, darker, "Darkness On The Edge Of Town"/"Racing In The Streets" era-Springsteen. All clean except trk 7 @ -1:16. Locks, Looks and Hooks

On "Locks, Looks and Hooks", their 6th and latest CD, New Yorks The Mercenaries showcase their brand of boozy melodic rock anthems that are begging to be played for a stadium crowd. "The Fortunate One" (trk 6) and "Down On The Tracks" both move like a choo choo train chasing after a defenceless baby deer, while "Give My Reguards" (trk 1), "Clocktower" (trk 3) and "No Voodoo, No Madman, No Preacher" (trk 9) acheive a grandiose gospel feel with added horns and female backing vocals remeniscient of Van Morrison and The Stones - Exile period. All tracks clean. We Built It And No One Came

* Rich Kaminsky - WKPN "We Built It And No One Came" is awsome! Okay, I suppose I should have expected more of the same voluminous spirited rock from these guys, but it is simply great to hear new Mercenaries music.

I particularly liked "Waiting Up", "A Man With More Than One Thing On His Mind", "Your Face Tells The Story", "Bullets Fly", "I Gave You My Name" but this is a great, consistent listen. I'll be highlighting on my New Music Review tonight. * * * * out of five stars.

* On their 7th album, New York's The Mercenaries deliver an appealing mix of styles from sly elements of vintage Who "Don't Call Off The Search" (trk 2), catchy power pop gems so addictive they should come w/ methadone chasers, "A Man With More Than One Thing On His Mind" (trk 4), "Blackfoot Tribes" (trk 7), stadium ready rock "Your Face Tells The Story" (trk 5), "Destiny Decides" (trk 16), alt. country "Deep In The Dirt" (trk 9), to ballads that could bring a tear to a glass eye "Land, Air & Sea" (trk 17), "Picture Me Perfect" (trk 3), & the Burt Bacharach like "A Parting Of The Ways" (trk 14). All clean. Recommended for fans of The eels, G.B.V., Replacements, Stones, Wilco, Dylan.

The Mercenaries's Friend Space (Top 7)

The Mercenaries has 251 friends.

Tom

VICTORIA POPTRASHBABY

JOHNNY ANDREW

El Claustro

PATTI

Valen : : : DJ Lady Verse

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The Mercenaries's Friends Comments

Displaying 37 of 37 comments ( View All | Add Comment )

Carol	Jun 16 2008 6:01 PM Hi Guys--Thanks for the request and the kind words. Any friend of Rick's is a friend of mine :-)
Beluga	Jun 14 2008 5:25 PM Oh Steve,thanks so much for coming to our show! your so sweet :) im sorry you got lost... your stuff sounds great. see you around x Beluga
Joy Vision (be "LALORY")	Jun 12 2008 2:22 AM hi thanks*
Pascal	Jun 11 2008 9:04 AM Bonjour thanks for the friendly add great sound in your music i like it best wishes from France Pascal
Ally	Jun 10 2008 6:58 AM Was rad seeing you the other night, Steve! Thanks for stopping by!
Ana Lola Roman	May 20 2008 6:05 PM pretty fierce..
Hoosier Mama	Jan 31 2008 8:28 AM
Sassy Psychadelic	Jan 9 2008 8:05 PM Hi Guys..a friend of Brians here..love the new cd cover and the tunes you have on this page! keep rockin...peace! Eve glitter-graphics.com
~♥Laurie♥~	Dec 23 2007 10:22 PM Myspace Comments @ 123glitter.com
Lysa Fina	Dec 19 2007 7:43 PM happy holidays! thanks for the new cd!
Husk	Oct 20 2007 11:43 AM Respect! Southern Rock fans come check us out ! ____________00________________ ___________000________________ _________00000000000000000000_ _______0000000000000000000000_ _________00000000000000000000_ ___________000________________ ____________00________________ ____________00________________ ___________000________________ _________00000000000000000000_ _______0000000000000000000000_ _________00000000000000000000_ ___________000________________ ____________00________________ ____________00________________ ___________000________________ _________00000000000000000000_ _______0000000000000000000000_ _________00000000000000000000_ ___________000________________ ____________00________________ ____________00________________ ___________000________________ _________00000000000000000000_ _______0000000000000000000000_ _________00000000000000000000_ ___________000________________ ____________00________________
Ande from Indiana	Sep 28 2007 7:04 AM
David Newbould	Sep 14 2007 12:44 PM Hey Mercenaries - if you can, come out to Arlene's this Thursday. I'm on tour, playing there with my band. 8 pm. -Dave.
Macross	Sep 12 2007 5:46 PM Mercenaries.. come to Texas. Poker and Vodka after, at my place!!
queens college organs	Sep 12 2007 2:19 PM thanks for the request. i appreciate it. dig your sound. quite stellar music. hope you like my noise. thanks again. qco.
World of LISMOEFF	Sep 12 2007 11:32 AM Hi alltogether, it reminds me of the good old BOMP! Sound. Excellent ! Go ahead ! --> World of LISMOEFF
Daniel Persson	Jul 16 2007 3:27 PM Thank you much for your friendship, Cheers
Grasshoppa, LMT	Jul 15 2007 12:03 AM How am I not possibly in your top 8?
Grasshoppa, LMT	Jul 15 2007 12:00 AM Hey! I saw you guys' last show and I was sure it would be...
Husk	Jul 14 2007 1:13 PM hey steve thanks for the CD! Digging the tunes, really like blackfoot tribe!! see ya soon
~♥Laurie♥~	Jul 3 2007 9:18 PM MyHotComments :: HotFreeLayouts
Ande from Indiana	May 26 2007 9:38 AM hey you! sprry its been a while since we've spoke... I haven't felt good for the past couple days... Anyhow, when are you free next? I'm working saturday and sunday (might stop by after if im up to it but this loser has been going to bed at 1:00am lately!-- early!)anywho-- gimme a call or ill call you and we'll work something out talk soon! -Ande
Ivan	May 13 2007 1:11 PM see you there// xoxo. Ivan :)
Jennifer Clarke	May 11 2007 1:40 AM lonny had something that he diden't want me to tell enyone.Did you know that most females are not telling the truth when it comes to a guys package,i can tell you this from an experience that i had.but now that lonny is such a player with all the females,an has no time for his so called best friend i will tell you how he did it.He went from having a tiny thing and in a couple months his tiny thing is like nine inches and get this, it is still getting bigger.He has been taking secretly these white things from CABHE.COM I found out when i was at his pad and he was in the john, I went in his room sneeked under his bed and booya there was like six full packs and five empty ones all from CABHE.COM I was laughing at first but then when he came in the room and caught me looking at them, he freaked out and made me sware to not ever tell anyone about them, especially females from school or work that he has been dating for the past while, now that I think of it, he has been rather busy with all the popular females around here, when just last year he was the shyest when it came to females. I just never put two and two together until he explained it all to me, I did see his johnson and yes, it is huge, monster huge, the thickest and longest one I ever seen. I know this sounds really shallow, but I am considering ordering 6 packs from the website at CABHE.COM for you know who.. he does not have a web page, so he is not gonna see this. They guarentee that the packs will work on any man, or they give you your money back, living proof that they do work on any guy, seeing is proof.CABHE.COM W06261781
THE MAHONES	May 4 2007 3:57 PM
Lysa Fina	Apr 15 2007 10:00 AM hey Steve..... sounds good! ya comin' to Toronto anytime soon? my cd release is end of June
Grasshoppa, LMT	Feb 22 2007 7:53 PM
Husk	Feb 10 2007 5:29 AM work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!! work it!!
Tom McKean & The Emperors	Jan 11 2007 2:38 AM Hi, Thanks for listening to our music and becoming our Myspace friend! We hope that 2007 will be a happy and successful year for both of us. All the best, Tom McKean & The Emperors
Are You My Friend ?	Dec 29 2006 10:17 AM HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 ! ROCK ON !! XOXO
Mercury Rev	Nov 29 2006 5:56 AM
Josie Cotton	Nov 6 2006 9:03 AM HEY MERCENARIES ! REALLY LIKE YOUR STUFF !!
Grasshoppa, LMT	Sep 21 2006 6:42 PM Sure thing darlin'... Hey, did you end up hooking up with that cute little thing I saw you with when I left?
Grasshoppa, LMT	Sep 8 2006 11:35 PM I was surprised we were able to get a room so last minute...and I thought it strange that the maid greeted you with "Hey, Stallion" when you said you've never been there before.
Grasshoppa, LMT

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