Troy Mercy doesn’t introduce himself on Let The Night Begin so much as he kicks the door off the hinges and dares you to keep up. 

Produced by Tim Carman (Parlor Greens, Canyon Lights, formerly of GA-20), the record thrives on economy and intent. The guitars are gloriously blown-out without turning sloppy, the grooves stay lean, and the songs never confuse volume for conviction. Drummer Harrison Foti contributes a muscular backing, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. 

The sound is road-worn, lived-in, and fueled by decades of blues DNA filtered through a modern, no-bull rock & roll lens.

The lead-off single, “Traveling Light,” thrives on economy and intent. Mercy’s playing carries the swagger you’d expect from someone who’s shared stages with Booker T, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Muddy Waters’ inner circle—but it’s his songwriting that separates him from the retro revival pack.

“Traveling Light” sets the tone: fuzzed-up freedom, runaway momentum, and the kind of reckless joy that reminds you why rock & roll once felt dangerous. Mercy balances blues muscle with hooks that stick, vocals that sound earned, and performances that value feel over flash. Harrison Foti’s drumming drives like a stripped-down engine—direct, urgent, and impossible to ignore.

This isn’t nostalgia cosplay. It’s a shot across the bow and a great intro to the full album, which comes out on May 29th on Gitcha Records.