Mercyland - Mercyland

Mercyland, led by David Barbe (Bob Mould’s Sugar), was a foundational post-punk trio from Athens, Georgia. Formed in 1985 and dissolved by 1991, the band left behind a body of work that never saw a wide release. The band was nourished by a steady diet of the Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime, Husker Du’s Metal Circus, Meat Puppets 2, Dinosaur Jr’s Yr Living All Over Me, Volcano Suns, and Mission of Burma. “Mercyland” unveils eleven tracks recorded from 1985-1987 that are raw, urgent, and deeply tied to the American underground. Produced and curated by Barbe, the collection draws from early 8-track recordings, studio demos and live performances. This is a necessary historical document of the earliest material of the criminally unknown band, which captures the spirit of a band ahead of its time. Fully remixed and pressed on vinyl for the first time.

“Before he was in Sugar or became the Drive-By Truckers’ producer-of-choice, David Barbe led Mercyland, finding a raw but tuneful midpoint between British post-punk and American rock & roll.”- UNCUT 

“When Bob Mould was casting around for foils to flesh out his post-Hüsker Dü power trio Sugar, he didn’t look far past David Barbe as a melody-carrying bass player. Until then Barbe was singer/ songwriter for Athens, Georgia’s Mercyland, a band caught between being a turbo-charged R.E.M. and less lung-busting Hüsker Dü.”- MOJO

Propeller Sound Recordings is proud to present Mercyland, a treasured yet long-unreleased archive of songs produced by David Barbe, recorded from 1985 to 1987. The collection includes eleven tracks, such as “Amerigod,” “Black on Black on Black,” and “Western Guns.” It showcases raw, powerful post-punk energy from the Athens underground scene, fully remastered and restored from the original tapes. This release is dedicated to fans who have patiently awaited these gems, now presented with enhanced sonic clarity and curated passion to tell the story of this overlooked post-punk trio.

Formed in 1985 in Athens, Georgia, Mercyland was fronted by David Barbe, with original guitarist Mark Craig and Harry Joiner on drums. Inspired by the raw power of punk, the melody of underground alternative, and the do-it-yourself ethos of the Athens scene, the band began with live gigs, rehearsals, and early recordings that reflected youthful urgency and DIY creativity.

Initially recorded in studio sessions at John Keane Studios and mixed and engineered in 2025 at Barbe’s Chase Park Transduction, Mercyland captures the band in its formative years. (continue reading full bio on our DISCO)