Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
1998
Album Summary
Deserter's Songs is the fourth studio album by rock band Mercury Rev, released in late September 1998. British music magazine NME named Deserter's Songs album of the year for 1998. Limited edition copies of the album came in a brown cardboard envelope-like package, with a stamp on the cover postmarked with the release date, as well as two art postcards. The success of this album was a pleasant surprise for the band. After the commercial failure of their previous album See You on the Other Side, which frontman Jonathan Donahue considered to be the band's best album, they decided to make one more record entirely for themselves, ignoring commercial influences, and expecting to split up shortly afterward. Surprisingly, Deserter's Songs was their most successful album, and made them big celebrities in the UK and Europe, also making a smaller mark in the US.
WikipediaThis sounds like the Flaming Lips' lesser known cousin. A little bit more delicate, a little more misunderstood. I can envision someone putting this on in an apartment in 2004, taking a massive bong rip, sinking into a couch, and fantasizing about making out with Zooey Deschanel. Take that picture, put it inside a snow globe, add a healthy dusting of glitter, and you've got yourself this album. All kidding aside, this was a quite nice surprise, especially after the garbage lineup from last week. A little too precious at moments for me, so not a full fiver, but definitely gets me as hard as a leaked Zooey Deschanel nudie.
J'ai bien aimé Deserter's Songs même si le sujet abordé me paraît assez léger. Cet album raconte l'histoire d'un jeune lycéen fumant des chichas goût double pomme un soir où ses parents sont sortis au cinéma. Après un geste maladroit, il renverse le charbon sur le parquet, qui se retrouve brûlé. Il décide alors de casser l'ampoule qui éclaire la chambre et de disposer ses morceaux sur la partie noircie du parquet. Ses parents rentrent vers minuit et découvrent avec stupéfaction les dégâts causés par la pipe à eau. Il ne croient pas un mot de ce que leur raconte leur fils, le chanteur des Mercury Rev, et lui ordonnent de faire ses valises et de quitter le domicile familial.
This is one of those albums that has grown on me over the years. From originally thinking of it as a good album but not holding much sway over me, to sinking into my brain and becoming a favourite of mine. In this album they come off as a psychedelic R.E.M. swirling around the edges of dream pop tinged Americana. At first I found Jonathan Donahue's vocals left me on edge but now they have a calmling quality over me
This is probably Mercury Rev’s most popular record and for good reason. The amalgamation of alternative rock, pop tendencies and weirdo instrumentation is pretty great here. I had heard some Mercury Rev before this but never a full album, glad I listened to this one. Favorite song: Goddess on a Hiway Least favorite song: Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp
Sounds like Flaming Lips a bit. (Turns out this album was being made in the same studio with the same producer as Soft Bulletin :0)
Man, that's an album that feels dated. And not dated to 1998, when it came out, but dated to somewhere around the middle of the 60s. And not in a good way. I was going to give it a "meh" 3-star review but there were multiple saxophone solos which lost it another star.
That first song has some amazing vocals. His voice sounds a lot like a different singer I know who's name escaped my mind. Love the harmony of the music and the voice. It's quite soothing.
Never heard this album before—maybe the first song on a Pandora station once. It was like Daniel Johnston and Flaming Lips but with better composition. Like the flaming lips simple but thick bass lines and drum beats filled the back end and twangy voices and guitars, saws, synths, theramyns filled the high end. A lot of weird but well made compositions, very fairytale fantasy, but also with an edge of darkness—a magic mushroom fantasy land. I would love to see this band live, their breakdowns and crescendos are something to behold, almost god speed you. Kitschy, odd, cool, psychedelic, playful, dark, satirical all words I’d use to describe this, all things I love. I want to ding them for “Opus 40s” melody being ripped off of the Beatles “Golden Slumbers” chorus. But I’m not. Added to the library and Unexpectedly a 5.
very good stuff i will listen to this bands other discography this was a good album!
wonderful example of the nineties psychedelic/shoegaze pop. in the same vein as flaming lips and mazzy star. really enjoyed the spaced out instrumentation and ethereal textures. feels like im stoned or dead
Another band I was familiar with by name only so I had no idea what to expect from this Buffalo NY band - within 20 seconds I thought of the Flaming Lips (having been introduced to them by the otherworldly "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"). Apparently the two bands are or have been connected so I wasn't too far off... ...and in terms of immediate impact on me it is/was the same: I immediately had to stop what I was doing to listen to "Holes" which has a cinematic feel to it, almost visual in its melodies, which continues throughout the album. A vast array of instrumentation - strings, horns, woodwinds, keyboards - make each song consistently engaging; the songwriting keeps each song evolving. If there's a negative that I'm sure will be noted, it could be the fluttery and maybe... not-so-textbook lead vocals :D - I could definitely see that being a turnoff for some but instead for me it works perfectly with and for the music, bringing a vulnerability to the gorgeous and haunting melodies. Overall this is an amazing experience and - like many great albums - not too long at 45 minutes; like "Yoshimi..." before it this album was a revelation for me. If you look for something a bit different yet terrifically melodic and ultimately re-playable (assuming so - I'm on my 3rd spin of it today) this is an absolute keeper. 9/10 5 stars.
that album was so gosh darn beautiful that I listened to it again immediately after finishing it the first time definitely one of those albums too good for me to rate it’s not my FAVORITE album but it’s absolutely in the top five its got so many diverse songs that hit that sweet spot of different genres I’m a sucker for Holes reminded me of Beach House I Collect Coins gave me major Caretaker vibes and The Funny Bird kinda sounded like Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy overall just such an incredible album I’ll try looking into their other stuff if it holds up the same quality
I remember getting a dodgy copy of this out of curiosity from a lad at our school who'd got a CD burner, on the strength of Goddess on a Hiway. Holes, Tonite It Shows and Endlessly are a great opening trio, and open up this world of slightly pop, slightly odd miniature symphonic pop. It's so wonderful. I Collect Coins is a nice, slight palate cleanser after that, then Opus 40 is straight back with the beauty again. Then, finally, a did, with the bland Hudson Line. Then another palate cleanser with The Happy End - given its subtitle it's surprisingly enjoyable! Then the sublime Goddess on a Hiway. Just a perfect single. Every note, every play on words adds to it's slightly sinister beauty. It then goes very dark, and slightly less food for a couple of tracks, before going big and joyous to finish with Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp. All in all, a joyous, moving experience.
The half-sister of the Flaming Lips' 'The Soft Bulletin', I've had a soft spot for this album for many years. Delicate and emotive music that rises and falls, with Jonathan Donahue's feeble and vulnerable voice sitting beautifully amongst the quiet moments and riding the crescendos of the weirdly instrumented music. Listening with an objective and critical ear, it could be said that about half of the tracks are quite forgettable. However, as a piece it is much greater than the sum of its parts and is really quite sublime. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: Goddess on a Hiway Date listened: 26/04/22
Very chill, beautiful and an easy listen. I really liked this. Some of the songs here make me feel emotions that don't exist. "Goddess on a Hiway" was amazing, so were all the songs after it, finishing off with "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp". "I Collect Coins" reminds me of something and I can't put my finger on it.. really, there were no bad songs here. I don't have anything to complain about.
Had MR down as a fairly experimental band. Their previous albums were fine, but then they suddenly came up with a highly accessible pop album. Perfect sequencing. Perfect atmosphere and very strong song-writing. My favourite record from 1998.
WOW. This hit much harder than I anticipated. Dynamic, perfectly sequenced, powerful, interesting, emotional. Can't believe I'd never heard of them before. I was going to write about how they share the same vibe as the Flaming Lips, but then I read their wikipedia page and saw that was way more accurate than I could have thought!
This album is what I think psychedelic sound like, the great combination of instruments and the changes in the voice give it a beautiful sound. The first song alone it's great, however the following songs are just good too. In between some songs there are some recordings that gives the album a more natural look.
An album which grows greater the older it gets. The links with The Band are clear here - Levon Helm appears on one track - with this an updated ghost tour through American history. I like to imagine they're driving through deserted gas stations and tumble down wooden shops on Highway 66.
WOW. the website made a strong first impression. holy wow. how is this totally my shit...? wowza.
Never heard of this album or group. - Sounds like a movie soundtrack - Very dreamy and melancholic - During "Endlessly" there's a part that sounds like 'Silent Night' - Opus 40: "Tears in waves, minds on fire"
kinda weird I played that right before flaming lips as they sound so similar. Feeling generous but I feel like this album is a good 4.5
This album pulled me in immediately with Holes and it didn’t disappoint from there. This is a beautifully intricate album, it sounds meticulous and messy at the same time. The vocals accompanied the breezy notes perfectly. I really enjoyed their use of what I thought was a Theremin or straight up saw but apparently they patented their own instrument called a Tettis Wave Accumulator, so that’s pretty neat. I didn’t expect to be handing out a 5 to this one but here we are, this was great. 5 stars
This helped me understood what made Mark Linkous and Sparklehorse so wonderful. The vocals took some getting used to. Certain instruments came across as cheap, especially the flutes at the beginning and some of the organ throughout. But while I can do without cheap flute, give me cheesy organ licks seven days a week.
I had to double-take that this wasn't a Flaming Lips album. Recording history makes sense. Holes, Opus 40, and Goddess are particular highlights. Great album overall.
This band flopped commercially and decided to make one album for themselves before breaking up, and this was the result. It grabbed my attention and didn't let go. There's a bit too much of the musical saw, and the singing is a bit weak, but they don't lack for heart, and it shines through. Not what I expected when I spun it up. Best track: Holes
Ret spændende album. Nærmest som et film musik album til en Tim Burton film. Lugter lidt af Queen og har mange gode numre på. Kunne sagtens tåle et genlyt
Surprisingly good, got lots of Pink Floyd vibes from the instrumental parts
Another cool post-punk pre-alternative album. I thought this one was interesting. There are times when it sounds like Bruce Springsteen, albeit with much different subject matter. It's easy to see the seeds of a lot of the music I grew up with in the 90s in this album. It goes by really fast, but every song is solid 4/5
floaty, ethereal. there were saws and possibly theramins at parts. really interesting album and I enjoyed it a lot.
Didn’t have time to get all the way through but it was intriguingly weird. 3.75
Like the flaming lips made sgt peppers. Very full sound with interesting choice of instruments
I didn't appreciate this album at the time because I was 🤘 VERY METAL 🤘 but these days it really hits the spot. You could definitely make some Flaming Lips comparisons. Fave track - while "Goddess On A Hiway" and "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp" are contenders, I have to go with "Holes"..... so b e a u t i f u l . . .
took me back. not sure that I'd ever actually listened to the whole thing
Wasn’t expecting much, and didn’t get much from the early album. But the second half really turned it up! Loved the way it moved between genres. Excited to play this again
A lot of it sounded cool and sad but I lost interest in most of the sound just over halfway through. 7
8/10. Really chill, and pleasant to listen to. Had some fairly interesting instrumental sections. Lyrics were present when they needed to be, and were well written when they were present.
Very nice, fantastic background music to listen to while working. I'll save and re-listen to the album for that purpose. Still 4 and not 5 stars, because after one listen I find it hard to recall much of the music apart from that it was enjoyable.
Beautiful, lush orchestral indie with a good variety of songs and sounds.
beautiful - psychedelic and fun. love the trumpets, so pretty. feels like a mix of shoegaze and American folk music. good to work to!
Le générateur est en réelle perte de vitesse en ce moment, Nikos parlerait même de "bad buzz" pour l'outil de Robert. A suivre.
I dig how cinematic a lot of these arrangements are. I totally hear the similarities to The Soft Bulletin, it’s like they’re two sides to the same coin. Very cool.
Nice little gem here from Mercury Rev. They're often compared to a mellower Flaming Lips which is understandable. Some great post rock, psychadelic song-writing and melodies here and Holes, Goddess on a hiway and Opus 40 are highlights.
Spotify has sent me "Holes" a few times in the last year & I had Goddess on the Highway on high rotation back in the day. The rest I hadn't heard. I'm impressed with the arrangements/orchestration and background vocalists. I like the blend of electronic and traditional instrumentation - and it seems like the members of The Band influenced the sound - although I'm sure mostly in my mind, since they only played on two tracks. The song-writing is great, The Funny Bird is epic, and I may have given a higher score with a stronger lead vocals.
Some really great moments on the album that overshadow some of the lesser “trippy” elements
Great vocals. Smooth vocals and harmony. Chamber pop indeed. Loved the use of strings.
We had not heard of this band. Some really neat moments, very Beatles inspired, but some parts were a bit uninspired - they could have added more variation and countermelodies instead of more theremin.
yeah mostly enjoyed this. Goddess on a highway is one of my all time tunes, rest is a 2/3 out of 5 so 3.5
Melodic, and somewhat eccentric musically as well as lyrically sort of imposing a feel that it is a time for stories. While it certainly is not Pink Floyd, one cannot at the least make a weak comparison before dismissing the idea altogether as rubbish, and then have an existential crisis of why this happened at all. Given how a flute is featured pretty heavily, one almost feels a bit offended when they resort to whistling on "Opus 40" but whatever. The flute is actually quite nice, contributing heavily, if not entirely, to the melodic tendencies of the band. "The Happy End" did end up including a saxophone but in the minimum effective dose, which this listener is grateful for. There are moments of obvious repetitiveness, speaking to the rise of experimental rock that one might have encountered within the independent rock scene in the late 90s, "The Happy End" being an example of that in its final minute(s). Overall, the album is pretty good. Music is a prime example of where its beauty is certainly in the ear of its listener. Mercury Rev's "Deserter's Songs" is a beautiful album but if it were to be accused of being bored, one could understand why someone else may feel that way and not hold it against them.
Very Tim Burton-esque soundscapes. Their formula wears a little thin in the middle, but the album is better than I remember it.
Kolejny ciekawy albumik na liscie, tym razem cos bardziej rokowego, ale dosyc eksperymentalnego, wiec idealnie wpisuje sie w alternatywe lat 90, jak czwarty album w dyskografii bandy Mercury Rev, pochodzacej ze stanu nowy york, plyta wydana w 98, to skad pochodzi banda ma znaczenie, bo w liryce przemyconych jest sporo nawiazan do danych miejsc, wiec tutaj jakies skalki sie pojawiaja, tam linie pociagowe, no i najwazniejsze, nie jest to kolejny brytyjski album zalany synthami, ktore ustepuja na tym materiale miejsca bardziej symfonicznym brzmieniom, wiec pojawiaja sie zarowno smyczki, flety i przedziwne instrumenty ktorych nazwy widze pierwszy raz w zyciu, a buduja one klimat niesamowitej dziwnosci, ktory wydaje sie byc motywem przewodnim nagrania, dla ktorego inspiracja mialy byc tale spinners for children, wiec opowiadania bajeczek z orkiestra robiaca do nich muzyke, dodatkowo album powstawal po komercyjnym fiasku poprzednich plyt, wiec rownie dobrze moglo to byc ostatnie bandy, wiec z takiej depresji Jonathan Donahue, ktory jest autorem prawie wszystkich tekstow i glownym wokalem, postawil na proste brzmienie, ktore bedzie mialo w sobie cos filmowego, bo momentami, zwlaszcza tymi calkowicie instrumentalnymi slucha sie tego jak jakiegos tajemnicznego soundtracka, moze to przez niecodziene wykorzystanie tasmy filmowej jako nosnika nagraniowego, bo jest cos unikalnego w dzwieku tego nagrania, co najlepiej slychac na dobrej jakosci flaku prosto z soulseeka, 3 kawalki na plycie to instrumentale, wiec jesli wczoraj byl albumik, ktory skupia sie wokol liryki, tak dzisiaj strona instrumentalna zdaje sie byc ta wazniejsza, ku mojej niespodziance album ukazal sie rowniez w wersji instrumentalnej, wiec widze, ze moje odczucia nie byly osamotnione, bo same instrumentale moga robic za dzielo same w sobie w tym wypadku, po guglowaniu dziwnych gatunkow wyszlo, ze deserterowe songi mozna takze przepchnac jako chamber pop, wiec muzyka popularna, ale bogata o przemyslne kompozycje oparte o wieloinstrumentalne brzmienia rodem z wystepow orkiestrowych, co dosc dobrze oddaje kompozycje tego krazka, ciezko sie doszukac jaki byl sklad bandy podczas nagran, ale wydaje mi sie, zespol posiada czterech glownych czlonkow, wspomnianego Donahue, Grasshoppera i Chandlera i Dave Fridmanna, ten ostatni razem z Donahue wyprodukowal albumik, a jest to ta sama osoba ktora czuwala nad sukcesem MGMT oraz ich oracular spectacular, wiec wiadomo skad takie ciekawe podejscie do dzwieku, z plejkowych pickow dodam 3 najbardziej popowe songi, ktore wedlug spotifaja sa takze jednymi z najlepiej odtwarzanych piosenek zespolu, a bedzie to otwierajacy kawalek holes, opus 40 i goddess on hiway, czuje jakby ostatnio za duzo dobrej muzyki losowalo, ale to przeciez lista topowych albumikow, wiec slabych zawodnikow nie ma zbyt wielu, chyba ze synthy wyspiarskie
Delicate without being wishy washy. Weird without being too 'experimental'
12/13/2021 Today's Album: "Deserter's Songs" by Mercury Rev - This album is incredibly interesting. It sort of reads like if the Moody Blues did a psychedelic rock album along the lines of the Flaming Lips or Ween. It's very colorful and full of life and rich instrumentation at some moments, and in others it can get simply haunting or scary. The ambient track "I Collect Coins" almost like Everywhere at the End of Time, with crackly ballroom music with creepy chord progressions. I was road tripping when it came on and it literally made the world feel fake for a second. This album is definitely very backloaded, with a lot of the best songs being on the second half. The album really kicks off with Opus 40, with a really fun psyche pop song with some fun vocals and soloing. Hudson Line is a very similar mood, almost feeling like a rock version of a Paul Simon type song. Goddess on a Hiway is a nice swinging rock track with lots of ringing bells and a really solid chorus. The Funny Bird is a killer song just strictly talking about the performances and solos, but I'm not crazy about the vocals (which are fortunately in about only a quarter of the track). Pick Up If You're There is another ambient this track, but this one has these really cool synth lines and piano chords. It almost feels like if treefingers by Radiohead was good. Finally, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp is a great finisher to this album. Although, I could see how the ending could be annoying to some. To me, it was probably extremely weird and innovative at the time, but now it just sounds like random bits of penis music. Its actually hilarious. This album overall has some really good tracks, but a lot of it seemed like it was trying too hard to be experimental and it didn't really pan out. The first few songs also drag on a bit long and are a lil too samey. Score: 7/10 Weak start but solid finish. Overal decent. Highlights: Opus 40, Goddess on a Hiway, Pick Up If You're There, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.
I can't really detach this from the halcyon days of XFM etc. Still a good 'un.
I really enjoyed this & will be spending more time with it! There is some very beautiful music in here- especially liked Tonite it Shows, the poetry that is the lyrics of Opus 40 & highlight for me is Endlessly. So melodic, it's the sound birds make when twirling around Cinderella or Snow White's beautiful kind head. And I've spent so many hours playing the eerie melody that is Silent Night just so lovely.
Great album. Really like the arrangements and instrumentation used on the songs
Singende Säge und Weihnachts-Kiffness. Teils mit den Flaming Lips zu verwechseln, aber dafür dann doch noch mehr Kautz statt Hubba Bubba mit Hang zur tiefgründigen und doch nicht völlig überfrachteten Soundschichtung. Live an einem Primavera Sonntag haben sie alle müden Feierzombies in eine warme und liebevolle Umarmung geschmiegt 3.5
I've heard a couple of tracks at the time on the radio and liked them but never listened to the whole album until now but it's quirky and upbeat. I can understand the singers voice might grate for some but I think it works in the context of the band. Wildly differing tracks and sounds (eg: listen right to the end of Delta Sub) but I kinda think it hangs together ok. Favourite tracks Holes (love the theramin), Goddess and Funny Bird.
4.3 - What an exciting discovery! I never knew "The Soft Bulletin" has a sister album. The parallels between the two records is undeniable. I heard it from the beginning not knowing much about "Deserter's Songs." David Fridmann's discography is vast and impressive. The flow of this album is amazing, from gently orchestrated pop songs to instrumentals featuring theramin. It's dense with atmosphere and explores a vast emotional landscape.
I really like Mercury Rev. If anything more than Flaming Lips who they share much of their DNA with....and production duties. This album is their poppiest and the songs never outstay their welcome and are enjoyably melodious.
How is the album almost 25 years old? Gosh. I knew the singles from back in the day, but never really explored the album. My loss. Holes and Goddess remain outstanding. Such quality, crafted songs. The understated vocals draw you in. Quality listening.
An absolutely gorgeous album, perfectly paced, beautifully produced / orchestrated and songs that are so full of beautiful melodies that stay with you. I was introduced to Mercury Rev through All is Dream and I still think it is the stronger album overall but the higher high points belong to Desserters Songs. 4.5 🌟
First Time Listen and I am quietly impressed, Some lovely tunes in an understated way here. Good use of the Theremin throughout. Can see links to Wayne Coyne and Flaming Lips here, really lovely album. I particularly liked "Holes" "Endlessly" "Hudson Line" and Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.
An absolutely gorgeous album, perfectly paced, beautifully produced / orchestrated and songs that are so full of beautiful melodies that stay with you. I was introduced to Mercury Rev through All is Dream and I still think it is the stronger album overall but the higher high points belong to Desserters Songs. 4.5 🌟
Was I a mercury rev fan in the 90’s? Maybe one of my siblings or friends? Why’s does this sound so good and so relatable? Why does this sound like a memory long lost?
highlights: sounds goofy sometimes -tonite it snows -i collect coins -endlessly -goddess on a highway least fav: what was than end -delta sun bottleneck stomp -pick up if you're there (goofy ahh violin) liked: i guess? there's something off with instrumentals, some great bangers but overall kinda indifferent
A bit similar to The Flaming Lips, which should make sense since some people on here would do some work for that group. Most of the songs here are very solid and worth checking out. Favorites: "Holes", "Endlessly", "Goddess on a Hiway"
4/5 best - tonite it shows worst - the happy end (the drunk room) the funny bird is by far the best instrumentally but by far the worst vocally.
Nice variety in music, very whimsical at parts. A ton of different moods and sounds and instruments.