Merrick Section is a new band hailing from West Springfield (and named after part of that town). The members include Jim Walsh, Tom Doherty and Jeff Burch. Merrick Section's music is a roomy brand of Americana rock, easygoing but polished. It's got pop hooks but an expansive musical sense that probably comes courtesy of Walsh's playing with Doherty for years in projects like Catfish Jam, Summit House, Blueshead and Someone's Land. Their long association led to the new project.
"We started doing the occasional cover/jam gig as The Four Horsemen with Tom's college roommate Jeff Burch on bass. We all really enjoyed the collective vibe, both musically and personally," says Walsh. "I knew Tom and Jeff were the two guys I needed to make the record I wanted to make, and so we went in the studio in January, not yet a band, really. I thought at first it was going to be a 'Jim Walsh' record, but I've always been more of a band-minded guy, and the musical contributions they were making were so significant that I decided it was way more a band record than my record, and so—Merrick Section."
In the liner notes to said record (also called Merrick Section), Walsh thanks "Wilco and the city of Austin, Texas for the original inspiration that became these songs."
About that connection, he says, "The summer of 2007 I thought I was moving to Austin. I made a couple of trips there, and fell in love with the city and its music. While waiting for the move to happen, I went to the Wilco show at Look Park—my first.
"I became a Wilco freak and zealot. & Between my newfound love of Austin and my newfound love of Wilco, I found myself writing bunches of songs with a definite country flavor and an almost deliberate simplicity. So, thank you Austin, and thank you, Wilco. But fate being fate, a family tragedy derailed my plans to relocate to Austin. I took the money earmarked for the move and went into the studio."
You can hear the results of Merrick Section's stint in the studio at myspace.com/merricksection, and the CD is for sale at CDbaby, iTunes, and Amazon.
