I really enjoy this new effort a LOT, and for me it was a big step up from the style of music thenewno2 was doing. The acoustic sound and sentiments expressed in the songs appealed to me a lot, and still do. Comparing the two bands is not realy fair, as they are two completely different entities, but i will confess i also tend to lean more towards 'Mercy's sound stylings.
I enjoyed Fistful of Mercy's music even more when i saw them perform it live a couple of months ago when they toured in my area. The tracks were even more impressive live, and they had a nice vibe going on with the audience. My experience seeing The Twos was the complete opposite..with the music striking my interest, but being somewhat lost in the agressive 'grunge' sound i heard at the venue.
Fistful of Mercy is a very enjoyable project in my opinion. Their music has a nice laid back feel, and although thenewno2 material is also enjoyable and puts you in a mulling mood, i just prefer the more 'real' sound of the 'Mercy' tracks. I guess i like it 'old school'....the less digital manipulation present, the better i seem to like it.
I recommend checking them out live....next time they tour. Even if you are not overly keen on the album or bits of their music you have heard, i can pretty much guarentee you will better enjoy their efforts in a live setting. The show i saw was the 2nd best concert i ever saw...it was amazing.