The Merrier – Green Mages | EP Review
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Lonely Ghost Records
Perhaps it’s because I was born on Thanksgiving Day, but something in my soul begins to really awaken during the fall. My favorite albums suit the dreary weather and shortened days, lending themselves to the innate hibernation of these months. Crunchy, fuzzy guitars, screamo vocals, and dense instrumentals are my ideal backdrop for rainy commutes and chilly weekends at home. Naturally, when Jake Stephens of The Merrier sent me the project’s new EP, Green Mages, back at the peak of summer, I knew it was perfect for autumn even then. When we were chatting about the release, I mentioned this to Jake, who was in agreement and excited that I had picked up on this.
Bridging the genres of dreamo, chiptune, bedroom pop, and electronica, The Merrier is known for his immersively warm music and stellar collaborations. And when I say ‘collaborations,’ I mean it: practically every Merrier song features vocals from another artist, usually from within the online DIY sphere. His release If We Fall Asleep Too Early was one of my favorites of 2023, featuring underground heroes like exciting!!excellent!! and Equipment. One year later, Jake released an album titled i hope i'm with my cats when the flood comes, which was the project’s first full-length release. Genre boundaries are pushed throughout the album, verging into neo-soul on “iso,” flirting with hyperpop on “the mid outdoors,” and even offering a couple of the project’s first fully solo songs without accompanying features. This constant experimentation and expansion continues onto Green Mages – Jake is compelling, fresh, and innovative as ever, acting as architect and mastermind as he constructs seven brilliant songs.
The EP opens with a blast of chiptune notes on “jester,” a charming and upbeat track featuring fellow Cleveland rock band Mud Whale. It’s dotted with cozy electronic sound effects that make you feel like the main character in a video game. I love a rowdy album opener, and “jester” pulls you in with raucous vocals like “Get on your feet and dance with me!” and “TWERK UPSIDE DOWN ON THE WALL!” Even though I can’t do any of that on my daily commute, it’s deeply cathartic to scream those lyrics while I wither away at yet another red light. As chaotically as “jester” begins, it immediately ends and transitions into the groovy track “timing,” featuring neo kiio. “timing” is a little more mellow, and I feel my shoulders relax as the beat dances through my ears. This is a delicious amalgam of genres: screamo melds effortlessly with hyperpop and hip-hop influences, decorated with Jake’s guitar lines that spin like sugar around the track’s core.
When I was little, my family would regularly take our Land Cruiser up to the high country of the Sierra Nevadas. As we wound up incline after incline, I used to close my eyes and watch the muted colors of the autumn sunlight dance across my eyelids. It was just us five up there, golden aspens whispering to each other as we explored the deep forests and quiet lakes hidden above the tree line. Listening to the second half of Green Mages reminds me of these days: “we saw it!” featuring Gabbo is soft and tender. Cascading melodies and sumptuous reverb surround the listener like a fleece pullover, cozy and warm. If only music were a time machine – I’d give anything to transport myself back to one of those adventures, just for an hour. Even so, I suppose “we saw it!” brings me as close as it gets to time travel without atomic reassembly. The energy of Green Mages amps back up with the closing track “eclipse!,” featuring Midwest emo stalwarts Short Fictions. This is a song for blasting out your car windows as dusk wraps the horizon. Brash and raucous, “eclipse!” makes me feel brave: proof that sometimes medicine comes in the form of a good emo song.
The wizardry of The Merrier is proven on every magical track of Green Mages. Creativity and innovation are woven through the entire EP: Jake’s emotive writing is complemented brilliantly by each guest he brings on board, no matter their niche. And as the days get darker and colder at last, Green Mages is autumn’s welcome herald.
Britta Joseph is a musician and artist who, when she isn’t listening to records or deep-diving emo archives on the internet, enjoys writing poetry, reading existential literature, and a good iced matcha. You can find her on Instagram @brittajoes.
