Brisbane Folk and blue-rock troubadour Jordan Merrick is back with his thought provoking new single, Two Hands.
Merrick is not one be found idle; constantly questioning the world around him. When he entered the studio alongside his bandmates to record Two Hands he had one question burning in his mind. “As I’ve grown older, I’ve found myself questioning what being a good or bad person actually means,” he confesses. “Is it as black and white as it seems? Are bad people capable of good things and vice versa?”
The rumbling 4-minute track became an ode to this query. Clad with wiry guitars and a pounding backbeat the instrumentation provides a fitting tension to Merrick’s provocative lyrics.
It was only through collaboration with the members of his band the Merrick was able to complete his thoughts. “Together we found a way to not only create some magic, but found the answer to the question that I’d been seeking for years. With a last-minute change of lyrics – the song found its truth. ‘Let one hand hold the other. Let one hand hold us both. Two hands belong to us all.”
The epiphanic recording session took place under the guidance of Powderfinger’s Ian Haug at Airlock Studios, with producer Cody McWaters (King Stingray, The Chats). Merrick ultimately describes the experience as “collectively coming together and choosing the good over bad.”
It isn’t just worldly questions that keep Merrick awake, but also the struggles of those around him. Which is why he’s heavily involved with mental health charity, Listen Up Music. “I am on the board of directors at Listen Up Music and work closely in the events side for the charity”. The singer-songwriter is intensely passionate about empowering people in the industry to seize control of their mental health.
It’s why touring the new single in major cities, Sydney and Brisbane, is so important to him. “During the pandemic, these two cities were my musical homes, and it feels so fitting to bring this new song to life and celebrate it with the people who kept me afloat over the hardest years Australian music has seen in some time.”
Merrick is a veritable storyteller on stage – having captivated audiences at Torch Fest in the aforementioned cities and opening for homegrown acts, C.W. Stoneking, Mia Dyson and Alex The Astronaut.
Jordan Merrick is master of matching music to lyrics. The mood he creates in the studio on Two Hands, sets the perfect stage for his vocals, calm yet apprehensive, to deliver a rousing message.
SHOW DATES
Saturday 1st April – Single Launch @ Factory Theatre – Sydney, NSW
Sunday 9th April – Single Launch @ Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane, NSW
Tickets are on sale now and available HERE
FOLLOW JORDAN MERRICK
Thanks to Wildheart Publicity