Australian indie rock quartet Thirsty Merc formed in Sydney in 2002 -- singer/guitarist Rai Thistlethwayte, lead guitarist Matt Baker, bassist Phil Stack, and drummer Karl Robertson co-founded the original lineup, which in 2003 issued its debut EP, First Work, notching the hit singles "Wasting Time" and "Emancipate Myself." Thirsty Merc's self-titled full-length followed in 2004, cracking the Top 20 on the Aussie LP charts and generating the hits "My Completeness" and "Someday, Someway." Despite the record's success, Baker resigned from the lineup soon after its release and the remaining trio recruited ex-Midnight Swim guitarist Sean Carey as his replacement. In mid-2005 Thirsty Merc issued an expanded edition of the album, scoring a minor hit with the additional cut "When the Weather Is Fine." ~ Jason Ankeny