Fistful of Mercy

If you prefer your music with loads of strings and harmonies by sweetly throaty men, then this new “folk supergroup”—consisting of indie jam darling Ben Harper, George Harrison’s son Dhani Harrison, and artistic overachiever Joseph Arthur—will fit like a glove. The trio, who came together at a skate park, hit the studio to quickly produce a mostly subdued album that’s somewhat unfortunate, considering that they peak when picking up speed on songs like “Father’s Son.” It’s nowhere near the Traveling Wilburys, as the younger Harrison has uttered, and it’s got some seriously clichéd lyrics, but Fistful’s promise is that relatively unconnected dudes can still find each other by happenstance, collaborate in a studio, and produce a record worth your ear-time. Let’s hope they jam a tad harder on record number two.