Reviews (page 2 of 8)
I liked this way more than I expected. All the songs are good, and it’s pretty different from other albums on the list.
I do love this album so much richer and mature than the Flaming Lips who they are always compared to. I did own their previous albums and enjoyed the noise and chaos so when this came out I was shocked and I have not enjoyed subsequent albums either. Something special about this one start to finish.
I lived in England for a year not long after this album came out. Although Mercury Rev are American, it was everywhere during my stay in the UK -- on the telly, in friends' homes, on the shelves of HMV and other record stores... And I suspect that it's because of the LP's reception in Britain that it's in this list. So many good melancholic songs with lush and extremely original instrumentations in there: "Holes", "Endlessly", "Opus 40"... At the time, I remember that out of all those songs, only "The Hudson Line"'s relatively hackneyed and middle-of-the-road sax arrangements rubbed me the wrong way. But decades later, I've even warmed up to this cut, just because it's bookended by such memorable moments anyway... Jonathan Donahue's frail-yet-fully-emotional vocal performance is so effective in this great record. I especially love the latter's second side, probably because it also goes to more ominous territories once in a while, bringing nuance and dynamics to the whole tracklist. Back-to-back "Goddess On A Hiway" and "The Funny Bird" are among the greatest one-two punches I have ever found in any album. Rarely has twilight music sounded so persuasive and cinematic. Music to daydream about love and loss until the end of times ... 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: 13 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 425 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 253 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 313
Schramm
An absolute favourite of mine - opus 40 and goddess on a hiway transport me back to my student days where life was simpler - immense
Every song feels like some kind of disturbing fairytale
Such a great record, and a perfect companion piece to The Soft Bulletin. Too many highlights to count.
Soft and peaceful indie rock with some unique instrumentation that would go well with some sort of fairy tale movie soundtrack. I was really pleasantly surprised by this album.
Wonderful stuff. Chill and serine.
Bloody hell I love this album.
Released the month I turned 16, and the part of the soundtrack of the next few years. A band I was only vaguely aware of before this album, but I looked out for everything they didod afterwards given how good this is. I loved Mercury Rev - and still
Fantastic. Goddamn do I love the strings, and the instrumental interludes are awesome. Great album with a great atmosphere
Adore. Not listened to this in full for so long but what a joy.
4.75
I must have been a total asshat to be around in the late-90s. Having had the IMMENSE Ágætis byrjun earlier in the week (9 out of 5 stars), I was delighted to see this pop-up in the feed. Adored Mercury Rev, and, whilst not quite in the same class as the Icelandic chaps, the vocals & lyrics of Jonathan Donahue absolutely take you off into another world. Loved it (but only 5 stars)
One of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard. The musical notes are well done and voice is beautiful!
Peaceful and interesting sonically. I can very much imagine lighting up a J and putting this on. Big fan of how it ends too. “Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp” put this over the hump to 5 stars (and I do kind of miss weird hidden tracks on albums).
Surprisingly great, for such a gnangnan album
This is like a wizardy soundtrack. Somehow I both cannot remember any song and keep listening. I get swept away in another dimension at every listen
Going into this album, the most important factor in me loving it is the fact that I also love—and a LOT more, I should add—The Flaming Lips' album THE SOFT BULLETIN. I'll save my exact opinions on it for when that actually shows up, but to put it in short, as a piece of music it's a very good contender for my top 20, if I ever wanted to make one. Anything that sounds like it would naturally appeal heavily to me. Although, with that said, while there are a rather large number of spots here that remind me of THE SOFT BULLETIN, I don't wanna act like DESERTER'S SONGS isn't its own thing. It's not a dream pop record, for one; and it's not nearly as grand as THE SOFT BULLETIN can be. DESERTER'S SONGS is way more of a rock record, with its saxophone lines and guitar parts. And while DESERTER'S SONGS is more restrained, it's still a very cinematic listen—I mean, they wouldn't master this thing to 35mm film print if it wasn't. Plus it's got a few more musically odd moments than THE SOFT BULLETIN did—just check that untitled instrumental appended to the last track. But I don't wanna act like my love for THE SOFT BULLETIN isn't a factor here. It absolutely is; I wasn't excited to listen to this thing until I saw that there was a whole section on its Wikipedia page about how they shared the same producer. Not to mention, to quote Wayne Coyne, "I think without DESERTER'S SONGS being so significant, THE SOFT BULLETIN would probably have not been followed too much." In that sense, at least, I owe a lot to DESERTER'S SONGS. Without it, it's likely I wouldn't have "Waitin' For A Superman" or "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate", or even "Fight Test", "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Part 1)" or "Do You Realize??". In that sense, even if I didn't like it, I'd have to give it SOME respect. And luckily, I do like it, a lot. Not as much as THE SOFT BULLETIN, but it's up there. And me relating it so much in my mind to THE SOFT BULLETIN, by the way, is a HIGH compliment, believe me. I had such a large smile on my face during the first track when I realized how similar they sound. I can't really give anything that evokes that kind of reaction from me anything less than a 5.
"Deserter's Songs" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Mercury Rev. The listed genres are chamber pop and Americana. Unbelievably, both fit to a certain degree. This was pretty much a last ditch effort for the band after a commercial disappointment from their last album. Lead vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Donahue became motivated with a meeting with the Chemical Brothers who were big fans and then composed melodies after listening to childhood records. The album was produced by Donahue and former Mercury Rev member Dave Fridmann. The album did well hitting #27 in the UK and brought them unexpected popularity in the UK and Europe. Loud strings and Donahue's high- pitched voice open "Holes." Piano is carrying the melody. There's horns. Weird synth noises. Dreamy, abstract and maybe autobiographical lyrics. Wow! Does this sound like the Flaming Lips' "The Soft Bulletin." And no surprise; Donahue was a member of the Lips on their first album, this album was being recorded at the same time as "The Soft Bulletin" and Donahue and the Lips' Wayne Coyne were exchanging ideas and both albums had the same producer in Fridmann. The third single "Opus 40" keeps the strings going. A quicker pace with piano, the Band's Levon Helm on drums and a tuba. Kind of a mysterious message as a girl keeps trying to kill herself but can't. Things lighten' up on "Hudson Line." The Band's Garth Hudson opens with the sax. An electric guitar shows up. Traveling from NYC to upstate NY. This album was recorded in upstate NY. Donahue wrote "Goddess on a Hiway" while he was in the Flaming Lips and decided to record it ten years later. Melancholy piano keys. A common rock beat and a soaring chorus. Weird guitar feedback (Lips' influence again). A doomed relationship. The album closes with "Delta Sun Bottleneck Blues." I did not see a techno house song coming. A dance beat. Playful, bouncey piano. An airy flute. Horns, synths in the background. A playful ending. This is a great album and so different from their earlier pyschedelic, shoegazey stuff (which I also like by the way). Obvious comparisons and similarities to the Flaming Lips' "The Soft Bulletin." The music is unique, cheerful, dreamy, futuristic and big sounding. The producer Dave Fridmann would be known for that. He has quite the indie music resume as a producer. This is an album needs a listen to.
Well damn, took about 2 seconds to see why people were making Flaming Lips comparisons, but then it turns into so much more. Amazing songwriting, production is so full, there's not a single song i didn't like. Even had a couple of weird interludes to satisfy that part of my brain too. Banger.
Indie “The Wall” era Pink Floyd
New to me. Awesome discovery!
I was not really familiar with Mercury Rev, knew the name of the band but not much more than this. And that was actually pretty good! Their songs are at the crossroads between a precious indie rock, with post- or prog-rock leanings, well carved melodies and a hint of shoegazing. Sometimes sounds like an updated version of the Floyds. I'll probably give this another spin(s).
Never heard of this album or group. Very dreamy and melancholic and I'm glad I discovered this, will add this along with Velvet Underground to my list of albums I need to purchase.
I bought it on vinyl. That is all
loved!
This is that late 90s/2000s sort of pop prog that I remember, but never got super into, probably because I lived in a small town and this stuff wasn't on the radio. I wish I had, but now I get to, so it's all good. This type of music feels kind running through a field with all your friends.
Banger after banger after banger. After banger. It has been a long time since I bought into an album as quickly as I did this one.
Such a good psych pop/rock album, v reminiscent of the flaming lips! I listened to this a lot back in the day when I read about it in an NME magazine (it was my friend's dad's and I picked it up cos it was about Kasabian) the mag had a feature about the 10 year re release of this cult album which intrigued me. This sound was v up my street. I especially liked goddess on a hiway, holes and opus 40, top tracks
Perfect for the nights you wanna let it all out. Sequencing is amazing
This is one of the first albums on here that reminded me it's not about loving the album, but you should definitely have listened to it at least once in your life. Great album.
I enjoyed this more than expected. Also crazy that I did not know this before. It seems like a twist on the wall with influences of a musical. I'm torn between a 4 and a 5 but I feel like this album will grow into a personal favorite so I'm going with a 5 star review for future reference
4.5/5
I... I reallllly liked this album, like first listen, loved it. So now I am going to have to wait sometime and give it a second listen. Might be just right time right place for me but this is an awesome album I have never heard of at all.
Totaly new for me and i love it!
The only question is whether Hudson Line stops this album being 5 ⭐️ or not? It is extraordinary in so many ways - a big, ambitious sound that keeps an incredible psychedelic sound all the way through Hudson Line doesn’t fit the feel or sound of the album at all and has always felt jarring But the rest is so good I think we’ll go for full marks The wailing guitar on Funny Bird probably makes up for it all by itself
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
I loved the whimsy and experimentation of this. A new favorite!
I really loved the harmonies in the backing tracks in this album. Although the voice was a bit annoying at times, the music itself was excellent. It felt very theatrical and large, making me feel like I was watching a musical. The songs seem to meld together well, and the album feels like a cohesive thought rather than a jumble of songs. The ending’s a bit odd, but it lends itself to the thought of being a movie or something of the sort. Favorite track: Opus 40
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
WOW. the website made a strong first impression. holy wow. how is this totally my shit...? wowza.
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.
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.
Absolutely loved this, great discovery for me, thank you
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!
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.
This album felt like not only multiple genres coming together, but multiple eras as well. It transitioned between themes really well and the songwriting was sneakily intricate. Probably my favorite discovery so far
Genius album one of the finest.
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.
I remember hearing Holes in some TV show and was hooked from that moment on, but the ones mentioned in the wikipedia article don't ring any bells so bummer for that. Anyway, have been a long time fun, and really dug this listen. Hadn't really thought about the Flaming Lips angle 'til I read my colleagures review. Fave: Holes, Goddess On A hiway
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 good, eclectic interesting sound. Very good with repeated plays.
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.
Never heard this before - so good.
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
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.
Magnificent from start to finish.
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
very good stuff i will listen to this bands other discography this was a good album!
Dónde ha estado este disco toda mi vida
fucking incredible
I love this record. It’s nice to revisit it.
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.
Very flaming lips
That was beautiful
3,64 1. "Holes" 2. "Goddess on a Hiway" 3. "The Funny Bird"
Always like this one. The slightly weird Disney movie soundtrack vibes do get distracting sometimes.
Jonathan Donahue left Flaming Lips to make music that sounds quite a lot like the Flaming Lips. He’s quite good at it too.
Wow, what an album. The first song hopes gave me chills. I also really liked funny bird and I’m definitely gonna learn it on guitar. The whole album had such a whimsical dream like feeling that you could definitely see influenced a lot of bands in the 2010s.
Different, worth relisten probably
I had heard Boces and Yerself is Steam before this was released but they didn’t stick. This on the other hand was great. Listened a lot after it was released but not much since. Glad to hear it again.
So unique and cool, a few misses but mostly good'
ein verspieltes, klingendes album. unkonventionelle arrangements - mir gefällt es!
Ja so kann alternativer Rock gefallen.
Fun and different. I would seek it out again.
Surprisingly good. Where ambient meets rock.
Muy bueno.
Pretty good
This is one of the albums that I don't particularly like but I can appreciate why it's on this list.
INPUT = {"artist": "Deserter's Songs", "album": "Mercury Rev"} LINEUP = {"men": 5, "women": 1} FEATURED_ARTISTS = {"men": 0, "women": 0} TOTAL_MEN = 5 TOTAL_WOMEN = 1 WOMEN_PERCENTAGE = 17 OUTPUT = "Score adjusted accordingly. 4/5"
Brought this when I was 16, a real trip down memory lane and a very good album.
I actually really enjoyed this. An expansive soundscape reminded me a little of Pink Floyd. Would be more than happy to listen to this again without any one song really standing out to me.
Nice album - reminiscent of the Flaming Lips, but that’s not bad. opus 40 is a truly majestic song, and whilst nothing else comes close to being as good it’s a very fine album.
flaming lips singing throws me off
Another new artist. I found this to be quite enjoyable. A bit of psychadelic rock with some solid production value. A lot of varied instrumentation that some might find too unusual but I found charming. Already added some songs to the library and will likely listen a few more times.
This is a great album. The parallels to the Flaming Lips are obvious and understandable. Essentially a softer Soft Bulletin. Favorite songs were Holes, Opus 40, Goddess On A Hiway, and Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.
Great dramatic music with good instrumentals
I definitely see the comparison to the flaming lips. I dig it
7/10… baroque pop / neo psychedelic / *1998
blz achei bem gostosinho, lembra um pouco flaming lips na era dourada mesmo, mas os cara foram um nível além
ou, esse eh bão hein!!! dá pra notar uma pegada meio flaming lips, mas fazendo algo bem original, né. vários instrumentos, muita maluquice. a guitarra em a funny bird eh pedrada demais
Интересный альбом, такой эдакий инди-дрим-поп, мелодичный и печальный. Внезапно даже терменвокс на фоне завывает... Классная музыка, снимал бы я какой-нибудь задумчивый фильм, поставил бы в саундтрек.
Really interesting and cool compositions. Very creative
I don’t enjoy this vocal style, but this was very engaging
Although I was a bit put off by the voice, I thought "Holes" was a 5/5 song. Unfortunately I'd say that the rest of the record didn't keep the same quality, but it was still quite good. It was good, but it was not all 5/5 material. "Goddess on a Hiway" and "The Funny Bird" were some of my favourites, too. My opinion varied a lot during the first listen, but I think I'm finally going for a 4/5, as I really liked the second half too.
Never heard this band before and they did not disappoint. Gave off Flaming Lips vibes
Kinda like a UK version of Calexico in that they finally made an album for themselves and it hit bigger than any previous efforts. I hear a little overlap in sound as well, but way less ‘American Southwest’ here. So far it has the same ‘dark winter night record’ vibe that I enjoy so much about Calexico’s Feast Of Wire. No, I can’t explain that, I think you just gotta listen to both albums to get it. Not sure yet how I feel about the falsetto vocals sprinkled around the tracks I’ve heard so far, he seems to dabble in both Neil Young and Tom Petty territory at different times (also, a dash of John Lennon). That’s a fun intersection of cliches, but maybe too much for one band. I can hear some Fastball creeping in on “Opus 40”, but overall, a lot of Flaming Lips style expansive ‘vastness’ in the sound. Definitely drawing a lot of influence there. 1998 Album Of The Year feels like maybe a stretch, but I’m enjoying it on my first pass. I like the organ and saxophone inclusions though. I think it’s a solid 4. More listens could get me to go higher but maybe only to 4.5
Mercury Rev were on my list to check out throughout the late 90s-early 00s, but I guess I never got around to it. It's hard to know now whether I'd have dismissed it as being a bit twee and overblown. Fortunately, I've got a bit of a wider musical palette these days and have enjoyed the cinematic scope and experimental psych going on around some really quite charming songs. There is plenty of attention to detail with fun fills and a no-holds-barred approach to live instruments. Gave me some Polyphonic Spree vibes (underrepresented on this list) and of course Flaming Lips (appropriately represented) while also dabbled into some post-rocky soundscapes. It's not one for every day, and I can think of nobody to recommend it to, but I'll enjoy it again I'm sure.
On the fence between 3 and 4 stars. I liked the sound for the most part
Reminds me a lot of spiritualized. Pretty good, probably won't return to it
This is so so close to being really cool but has a few things holding it back. The biggest perhaps being the theremin, which would get all wonky when it showed up, but when it wasn't as noticeable it was really cool, some top notch songs here. 8/10
Really good Feels like this is ahead of its time. Sounds a lot like stuff from 5 years after. Its good when its effortlessly weird. Opus is great. The last 20 seconds of the album needs cut But good 4
Very interesting album.
First time with Mercury Rev. I was expecting something a little more sour but what I found here instead was a sprawling collection of very strange ideas: Some solid stuff among some filler. But I think this is one of those albums that I'll find more to enjoy the more I listen.
This started as a 5 with holes but got slightly weaker throughout. Definitely one of return to as I was totally unfamiliar to begin with.
I like it, its a good listen. Will definitely give it another listen
3.5 Stars Pleasantly surprised on this one. Never heard of the artist or the album. Really liked it a lot on first listen
A long time favourite ...
This was so Wes Anderson-coded
Great album. Didn't know much of their stuff but it's packed with rich tunes
oye muy bueno
un bel album nocturne, entrecoupé d'interlude, que je passe vite d'habitude, mais là, non. Good!! 4-/5
This was a really cool album! The Wikipedia article said the band made this album purely for them, and it shows! There were some songs where I felt like I was gonna ascend (The Funny Bird, and some songs that had really bizarre choices (The Happy End (The Drunk Room)). I don't think I'd go back to this whole album, but this has some winners on it!
Very flaming lips-ish
3.5
3.5
Loved this in the '98 dive, still frigging love it (9.35) ★★★½
A very atmospheric listen, right in my wheelhouse. 4.5 stars
This was a really interesting album when it was released in 1998. Dave Fridmann was producing both this and the Flaming Lips' *The Soft Bulletin* at the same time. Both were new directions for both bands, who were both psych rock bands with little more than a cult following. Like its sister album, *Deserter's Songs* kind of eschews traditional rock instrumentations for horns, strings, keys, and saws. The result is majestic sounding, but also somehow fits with their aesthetic. Highlights include "Goddess on the Hiway", "The Hudson Line", "Holes", and "Opus 40" (featuring Levon Helm on drums). This really put Dave Fridmann on the map as one of the best producers on the planet. 4.5 stars.
This album really grew on me. Lots of cool melodies and vibey songs. The second half of the record really moved this up to a 4.
Really enjoyed this experience. I wasn't familiar with Mercury Rev at all, but it immediately reminded me a lot of The Flaming Lips. Finding out that the two bands had a connection was as delightful as listening to this record was.
This is much better than I remember it. Several friends are fond of Mercury Rev and have recommended them to me in the past, but I wasn't particularly chuffed by what I listened to, and I believe most of it was off this album. Let it be said that we are capable of change. This is brilliant. A remarkable synthesis of art and post-rock, the detractor that probably derailed my experience before is that I don't love the singer's voice. Otherwise, this is a great, somewhat offbeat album.
Actually this is awesome
Really great
I don't know much about Mercury Rev, but if I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a precursor to the Flaming Lips. Sort of a less techno version (though orchestral) of Yoshimi packs up and leaves New York City for the Canadian border. It's odd, moody, yet melodic and wistfully dark and adventurous. I am not sure what it is, but I enjoyed the ride, and I will enjoy traveling with this album again in the future.
Good
4.62
I really liked this one. It reminded me a bit of vampire weekend if they were an experimental band
This was a pleasant enough time, though not life-changing for me.
I love Holes. The bass line at the end is restrained, melodic and beautifully compliments the melody. The rest of the album has some highlights but doesn’t hit the same level. I never really listened to this back in the day so I don’t have quite the same emotional connection as I do with other albums of a similar ilk.
Had no knowledge of these guys and had low expectations but was pretty pleasantly surprised. A lot going on here! It reminds me of a lot of other bands but feels original. Out of the gates it sounds like The Flaming Lips, maybe a little Supertramp. Mott the Hoople, Phish, Radiohead. Fun as fuck. Will be back for more.
Quizás peque de ampuloso y barroco pero aún así es un disco que merece una atenta escucha y tiene mérito.
I thought this was pretty good but I never loved anything on it. Perhaps it needs a few more listens.
I think this is an album that would benefit a lot from just shutting yourself off from all other stimuli and taking it in on its own, free of distractions. It's a bit of an odd collection of songs but it has soul and atmosphere in spades. The vocals are a little unconventional and can be grating at times if I'm entirely honest, but I can't deny that they contribute to the unique texture of the record. Something about the sound here feels like such a perfect snapshot of that pre-turn of the millenium era. I find it oddly nostalgic even though I was just an infant when this came out and indeed I've never even heard any of the songs before. I think I'd need to listen to this album at least another 2-3 times to really collect my thoughts on it and write a more substantial review as there's a lot going on here, but suffice to say that although I didn't absolutely love it, I do believe it's a very interesting and worthwhile listen.
3.75 - I've never heard of this band before and I was intrigued by their sound. I need to listen to this more.
I didn’t know this one (somehow), but, dang, it’s good. Smart songs, quirky vocals, and just experimental enough to keep the listener *really* engaged. What a great song “Holes” is!
Yeah this was fun and unexpected. Soft 4.
Wasa five but then I listened to Boces and yerself is steak and it doesn’t quite reach those heights for me. Still a great album. Downhill from here.
Very dreamlike. One of the things I like about this challenge is hearing music that could have come out in the last decade, and most of this could have easily been top 40 in 2017. Indie roots run deep I guess. Will have to investigate this artist more because I'd never heard of him.
This album from 1998 has roots in 60s chamber pop but brings a freshness to the sound that keeps it from sounding like a relic. Singer Jonathan Donahue doesn't exactly have a rock 'n' roll voice but it is well-suited to the material. The vocal melodies are well-developed and the chord changes are sure-footed. The bigger-sounding, more epic tracks are the best on this album - when the band downshifts into the more pop-sounding numbers they lose some of their impact.
A real nostalgia hit, especially the single, the achingly bittersweet 'Holes'. Even more relevant these days, as my holes literally are achingly bittersweet. Flaming Lips comparisons abound - space psychedelia meets folk. -'Hudson Line' has a brass refrain that was wholesale lifted by Badly Drawn Boy, illustrating the folk credentials here. Ultimately this is orchestral-pop, meets psychedelic folk, wrapped in Indie. 'Goddess on a Hiway' the best manifestation of all of those swirling elements.
Honestly this one surprised me. Very vibey and chill, perfect album to listen to on my way home at 12:00am. Overall really liked this one after going into the first song a little hesitant.
I really liked this one. Never heard of Mercury Rev, but the calm yet heavy songs with synth and reverb produced a unique sound. Holes is a great start, and the singers voice really compliments the instruments.
Really enjoyed this one, great tunes throughout
Honestly blew me away. Just kept getting better and better. Dreamy and evocative.
This is exactly the type of album I want to find through this list - I grew up listening to Oracular Spectacular by MGMT, Neon Indian, The Woods by Sleater-Kinney, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky by OK Go, and so many other albums produced by Dave Fridmann. I knew the name, but had never heard of Mercury Rev. It's cool to hear so many of the sonic trademarks of 2000s-2010s indie/inde rock/psychedlic rock in an album from 1998. Plus, I liked the album!
Great example of a style of music I would normally hate, but something here pulled me in. Hard to even describe what I mean, but this is chock full of moments and movements that effortlessly flow into each other, creating a really interesting listen. Difficult to nail down any distinct genre here. This truly feels like a band doing what they want and not caring at all how it is received (I dig that).
A very solid and underrated indie album in the vein of the Flaming Lips
Belle découverte
J'ai beaucoup aimé, même si l'album n'est pas parfait il est vraiment inventif et assez original avec des sonorités presque Disney. En résumé, certains sons sont vraiment excellent et le reste place une ambiance agréable. Bon projet
Better than I remembered - good musicianship (including contributions by Garth Hudson and Levon Helm from The Band), songs that echo but do not copy, and lovely sequencing save for the useless hidden track at the end (typical 90s hubris.) Mercury Rev has other fine albums like "All is Dream", "Secret Migration" and the recent "Born Horses."
Why do some bands break through and other don't? Who knows? I had not heard of Mercury Rev and based on their monthly listeners on Spotify, they seem to be one of those bands that has gotten a little forgotten over time. Which is a shame, because this album was really good and on par with or better than a lot of music that has seemed to endure better.
This was quite fun, as I read the Wikipedia info on the artist and album after listening and found it confirmed a lot that flashed through my mind as I was listening. Namely, these guys sound like ‘proper’ musicians, possibly academically trained. Also, it’s a weird mashup of styles, some it sounding a bit like film soundtrack, with other stuff roots-music bluesy, more that was psychedelic/shoegazy (loosely in the manner of Spritualised), but yet other stuff had quite a ‘noise’ feel about it. And the lyrics seemed oddly bland, as if maybe tacked on afterwards, in a style that more or less made it possible to guess what each next line would be, word-for-word. Quite a lot of that turns out to be accurate. It was also interesting to read how the band evolved (and have done over the decades since they were founded), with a revolving cast of contributors, and that this particular album was a surprise commercial breakthrough. But did I like it? Yes, mainly, and increasingly so after I’d got the hang of the way they were operating. The lush string/synthesiser parts were pretty, and I also liked the tracks where they went a bit harder and/or more bluesy. And the variations in style kept it interesting. I’m glad I heard this and I also dipped into some more of their stuff after the album finished.
Standout tracks: Holes Opus 40 Goddess on a Hiway
Great middle 5 songs.
Initial thoughts: The Flaming Lips owe these guys some royalties. This one really caught me by surprise. I really enjoyed it a lot. This is one of the few artists on this list I had never even heard of before. 8.5/10. 4/5 on this app
Kender første sang, resten nåede jeg ikke ordentligt. -- Der er noget med den sav som får det til at lyde lidt at jammerlig julemusik. Især Endlessly lyder lidt af Glade jul.
Det var faktisk overraskende fint
Songs of wonder and beauty from the man with the child in his voice. Won’t be for everyone but it works for me
Better than expected but there was a lot of skipped weird stuff
If Paul McCartney had a dreampop band, it would sound like this.
While the vocals are slightly middling the music makes up for it. This album is also excellently sequenced, it flows beautifully from start to finish.
mellow nice album
Never heard of them until I heard that goddess song pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty good
ooh this one was quite a bit better than i expected. has a lovely mood of elegant evenings enjoyed with wine and bright gas lamps. very lush and regal. closing track is massive. i really fuck with this. deserves to be one of the 1001? myeeeeeh Yerself Is Steam should have been on it instead. but again this is pretty good
great album
Holes is a pretty good song
I've listened to this album a lot - it's good. Lullabies or soundtrack songs, uplifting yet also melancholy pop music with unusual instrumentation - bowed handsaw, flutes, trumpets, clarinets, sax, harp, organ, and strings. Lush and meticulous production. The vocals can be an acquired taste - they are sometimes shrill or thin-sounding but reinforce the ephemeral feel of some of the songs. The band and the producer have ties to Flaming Lips, so there is some of that weird and grandiose influence heard here but not as much as on their previous work. Worth adding to your collection.
As expected from a Chamber Pop album, the orchestration behind it is incredible. Excluding what I call the interludes, 'I Collect Coins' and 'The Happy End (The Drunk Room)'; and the ambient track 'Pick Up if You're There', all the songs are a mixture of different genres like chamber pop. neo-psychedelia or even Space Rock Revival. A common characteristic of the album is having quiet verses and then have the full orchestra erupt in the choruses with a wonderful and beautiful wall of sound that elevate the songs. The examples that do this the best are the opening 'Holes', 'The Funny Bird' and 'Goddess on a Hiway'. I do specially like 'The Funny Bird' because is the most sad sounding track in an album full of uplifting and happy moments, or at least that is how it sounds to me. The worst parts of the album are the already mentioned interludes. They feel like outliers, with 'I Collect Coins' sounding like a recording from a very old vinyl and 'The Happy End' being a piece of pianos and violins playing some very weird and tense melodies. There's also the secret song in the ending track, which is very weird and feels like an avant-garde classic composition or something like that. Another outlier of the album is the ambient song 'Pick Up if You're There', but instead of not adding anything of value, I think it is very beautiful. It reminded me a lot of some of the ambiences in 'Kid A' by Radiohead. Overall, I think this is a beautiful record. There are some moments more stunning than others, but I enjoyed quite a lot.
4/5
Great, atmospheric music with interesting vocals. 3-4
Pretty dang good. Some amazing moments throughout the album. Almost a five but not quite since some synthy elements sound kind of dated, haven’t aged well, and stick out like a sore thumb.
I really liked it!
Part dream scenes from a movie, part Final Fantasy soundtrack
simpa
When you get an album and you think "oh I think I know a song or two" and then you realise these songs are in your DNA, your bones, and your brain. Oh so good.
I liked this a lot. I know 'All is Dream' but hadn't heard much other Mercury Rev. To me, this sounds a bit like they're developing the dreamy, soaring-strings sound that I love on that album, but haven't quite got there yet. Still great and I'll be listening again.
Dreamier, and more atmospheric than expected. Would definitely revisit.
really enjoyed these even if some are sad
Lovely. Yeah it's a lot like the Flaming Lips. Could be a 5.
This fourth mercury Rev album is hard to pin down - a lovely brittleness in the early songs, arrangements going away from rock cliche. Levon Helm and Garth Hudson (the band) appear on drums and sax remarkably. Uncut magazine used to love them. I enjoyed it far more than I would’ve done back in 1998!
Favorite track(s): Holes, Opus 40, Goddess on a Hiway, The Funny Bird
I thought it was a fun album with some really fun instrumentals.
A recent classic. Brilliant record
What a weird album. It wasn't bad. Just bizarre. But not bad.
Très sympa ! Une voix qui change, des rythmes plus chill avec des instru sympa, de la pop-rock chill
It's like listening to your dreams. It also was a mesh of a Christmas sound, and M83. I really enjoyed it much more than I expected. Favorite Track: "Delta Bottleneck Stomp".
7/10
Reqlly amazing ace mega yes
Beautiful, yearning, expansive and a bit spooky. Loved this in my late teens and have always enjoyed revisiting it when I do.
I LOVE the song “Holes” - everything else I kinda like. I actually seem to like it less upon the second listen… not a great sign. But a 4 because I really really like the first song
Solid overall, but "Goddess on a Hiway" really is the standout song on this album. I was hoping for something else to rival that, but no dice. That said, the overall quality was pretty high.
Melodic rock
3.5 rounded up. Enjoyable music, the last song rocked it
Pop-ish, but much more interesting with a sometimes ethereal/synth sound. Fairly unique. Pitchfork: 9.3 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Tonite It Shows Goddess On A Hiway
This was my first listen and I think this is a borderline 5. Wow! A beautiful album!!
Nostalgic and unexpectful music.
Mercury Rev is brand new to me, but this is very very cool. I collect coins is like a soundtrack haha. Very weird and interesting parts on this record! I feel like Sufjan likes this record?? The Funny Bird - wild! Crazy ending.
O dziwo mi się podobało. Spodziewałam się kolejnego bełkotu spod znaku shoegaze, a dostałam porządny alternatywny rock. Ktoś tu napisał, że to gorszy kuzyn Flaming Lips i coś w tym jest, ale końcówka płyty jest naprawdę mocna i dość eksperymentalna, widać że szukali swojej drogi. 7/10
I was honestly surprised at how much i enjoyed Deserter's Songs. I guess there were two major factors that helped in boosting my enjoyment of this album. 1. I had to listen to Ramblin' Jack Elliott yesterday so my standards were lowered and 2. I listened to this after a long day at work. There is also just the fact that the album is just really good. It reminds me of Lost Souls by Doves in a lot of ways. The album was super relaxing and always had something weird and different waiting for me at every turn. Even the intermission-esque tracks were always very enjoyable. I might not like it as much as the album mentioned above but i still thought this was a really enjoyable album. Best Song: Opus 40 Worst Song: Endlessly
Beautiful late night sort of album.
I remember this one quite well. All the prettiness came as a bit of a surprise. Until then I mostly new the Rev, as nobody called them, from their quite strange and noisy indiehits like Chasing a Bee and the one about the car wash. We really should have known; they've always had a knack for lovely otherworldly melodies. It's just that on this album they don't hide them behind swirling psychedelic walls of guitar. Doesn't meant it's all straight forward of course but that's what makes it so special. Not all the songs are a strong as Tonite It Shows or Goddess on a Hiway but really nice to hear again. There's maybe a bit too much theremin on here. All that wobbling is making me a bit seasick.
Wild, experiment and strange. But in a good way.
Hated the last two minutes but besides that it was a lovely, strange album by a group I've never heard of. Holes is an absolutely beautiful opening track. It's melancholy, it has a sense of nostalgia, and the trumpet (or whatever brass) is stunning. Favorites: Holes, Goddess on a Hiway, Funny Bird
A great record from mercury rev.Part of a great run of albums they had at the time .
This grew on me. Maybe mostly by reminding me of other music, but I like it. I probably wouldn’t seek it out, but I’d vibe to this again
This album sounds like it could be from any decade from the 1970s to today. The theremin and dreamy vocals make me feel like I am in a fantasy movie soundtrack.
I really enjoyed this album. Had never heard of it but I will likely go back and listen to it again as well as some of their other music.
Jack Skellington and David Bowie meet to perform a party for Andy Warhol. Lou Reed nods vociferously. Immediate impression was, "boy, does that ever sound like The Flaming Lips..." ~ I was correct in my assessment (Jonathan Donahue being a former member). Not sure if one influenced the other, but the connection is obvious. Another enjoyable new find brought about from Album generator.
Late 90s Indie pop. Shoegaze. Dreamy vocals over lovely music. Floaty and epic.
A strange alternative album. Off kilter but I liked it.
Goddess on a Hiway is the first Mercury Rev song i remember hearing, thank i think to Mark snd Lard on Radio 1. It’s such a beautiful track i was compelled to buy the album. Holes sets the scene perfectly for the album as a whole. Its skeletal instrumentation and pained vocals create an atmospheric wonderland. I really like the chugging backing to Hudson Line that perfectly captures a steam engine plowing along the tracks and is relatively upbeat in tone
I have never listened to this album despite loving Goddess on a Hiway, Holes and Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp as singles in the 90s. I kept expecting Endlessly to turn into Silent Night and then the bowed saw appeared - I always enjoy a weird instrument appearing and reading that Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips were sharing a studio and producer during the recording of this makes complete sense. However the instrumental The Happy End (The Drunk Room) is a strong of example of why I suspect some people hate this album: it could certainly be accused of pretentiousness. But then Goddess on a Hiway is up next and I forgive them everything because it's a perfect 90s alt-rock classic. I really enjoyed The Funny Bird immediately afterwards too. I enjoyed this a lot. I would say it's a 3.5 for me, and I've really agonised over rounding up or down but the second half felt really strong to me so I think I'm going to go: 4/5
Liked this a lot. Several standouts
The only thing I really remember about Mercury Rev is the local community copper telling Sul off for wearing one of their T-shirts to college as it had a swear word on. However listening to this now with a cheap bottle of red wine I feel I missed out a bit. Really enjoyed it.
Incomprehensible in a good way. Cinematic. Singer’s voice sounds like the Flaming Lips and the concept-y ness has that sort of quality too. Kinda eerie. Unintuitive arrangements.
:)
It’s rare to hear a record that feels this genuinely enchanted. Brass, strings, glockenspiels, and ghosts. The homemade wonder that The Flaming Lips tapped into. You can hear the joy of people making art for the love of making art. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Holes - Opus 40 - Goddess On A Hiway - Pick Up If You’re There
A bit of a hidden gem. As good now as it was when it came out.
It was good I enjoyed it
The songs are fire but the voice is a bit iffy. Shades of Polyphonic Spree and Flaming Lips. Original and expansive. 3.8
Experimental but fun
Opening song made me thing of Animals in the very beginning. Has a fantasy feel with orchestration. There is a warbliness through the first several songs that adds a surreal feel. Strumming on a piano harp? Pick up if you’re there has a Radiohead feel with popping & stuff.
had never heard of this but really liked it. need to listen again soon
This was a pleasant surprise. Kinda shoegaze-y with a lead singer who sounds like the guy from Flaming Lips.
Never heard a theremin in the wild like that.
Mercury Rev has churned out some very good albums, nothing in the stratosphere but enjoyable records, this is probably my favorite.
I really didn't like this album at first, until I realized I was listening to the instrumental version. Oops, the one with lyrics is much better.
There are two standout tracks for me on this album: "Holes" and "Goddess on a Hiway." I found he rest of the album just kind of OK, but then something about the transition between the closing tracks ("Pick Up If You're There" & "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp") recontextualized the rest of the album for me. There's a continuous movement towards going away throughout the album, interspersed with yearning introspection. And also there are holes, dug by little moles.
Really good listen to at work music
Really good album! Reminds me of Flaming Lips in terms of the symphonic backing and other vibes. I could do without the couple of crazy track (eg The Happy End) but otherwise it’s comfortably a 4.
Nunca tinha ouvido e nem conhecia a banda, gostei...um som que mistura nostalgia, clima etereo, bem gostoso
A strange mixture of the Bestlesque, glam and touches of Spaceman 3
I started out thinking "it's OK, wouldn't listen again". A few tracks in, that'd changed to "actually I quite like some of this, still probably wouldn't listen again". By the end of the album I realise I'd happily listen to it again. Which was nice.
Good vibes
Зе Флэйминг Липс 0.1. Странно. Интересно. Лучшая песня - Opus 40.
Similar vibe to the cure albums on this list but more ahead of its time. I really liked this one.
Mjóg góð plata. Ótrúlegt líkt Flaming lips enda tenging, en gaurarnir syngja eiginlega alveg eins.
What a gem! I've never heard of this band before now and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this record! I can definitely see where the Flaming Lips comparison comes from which is a good thing since I love the Flaming Lips. I will definitely revisit this at some point as well as check out the band's other projects. I could see this becoming a potential favorite after some time.. Favorite track: Holes
heavy on this one
A really interesting and unique rock album, with some very memorable (if bizarre) pieces
This pops. Very different from what I expected but solid. FS: Goddess on a Hiway
I am befuddled at the Wikipedia page for this band describing their sound as "Americana." I am not familiar enough with the shoegaze genre in other countries but maybe Mercury Rev are South Americana? This is certainly not the Americana that I am familiar with. Mercury Rev is what would happen if The Flaming Lips and The Verve had a baby. I enjoy both of those bands, so that's not really a bad thing. It turns out the lead singer of this band used to be a member of The Flaming Lips, which absolutely makes sense. I probably could have gone without the instrumentals but this is a really good album. Since every version of electronica is in this book (sometimes with 2-3 albums by the same artist with the same sound on all of the 8 minute long songs), then there should be room for a moody album that flirts with being like The Flaming Lips. If you like the Verve or the Flaming Lips, then you will most likely enjoy this one as well. I bitch about other artists but discovering a band like Mercury Rev, even if I only know I like this one album is worth the trip through the 1001+ albums. My favorite songs are: Holes Tonite It Shows Opus 40 Goddess on a Hiway The Funny Bird
Chill psychedelic rock. Local artist from Buffalo songs about Hudson train line and Opus 40!
Estuvo muy bonito, la voz me recuerda a Daniel Johnston. Opus 40 mi favorita.
Skamba lyg būtų miuziklo dainos, bet pagal wiki suprantu, kad ne. Ir dar sako, kad šitas albumas susilaukė daug dėmesio. Įdomu. Iš pradžių labai nepatiko, po to pripratau, tokia kartais mistinė melodija užeina. Gal pora kartų dar paklausius iš vis pradės patikti.
If you would have told me this was a side project by Wayne Coyne, I would have said 'of course it is - it's obvious.' But it's not. But it's still pretty great. The more I listen to it the more I enjoy it. Really happy to have been introduced to this one.
Wibes
I must have lived with someone once who played this a lot, but I can't remember who. Quite a feeling of nostalgia listening to this! Some great tracks - The Funny Bird, Goddess on a Highway
I thought I was going to hate this. I thought it was one of those pretentious, “weird for the sake of being weird” albums. But by the end, I was all in. I particularly enjoyed Goddess on a Hiway and The Funny Bird, the former of which happens to be their most streamed song. Time to add to that number some.
Huh, so its like Vampire Weekend, Pavement, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor all in one. I can definitely get behind that.
прик.
Immediately I thought very similar to The Flaming Lips, and after a quick search that's not an uncommon comparison. So of course I really enjoyed this! Some tracks were weaker than others though.
BEST SONGS: - Holes - Endlessly
3.5. would be a 3 but Hole increases the score
90’s chamber pop with some outstanding tracks
Why have I never heard this before? There's some excellent theremin playing here! Seriously, there's some very strong songwriting here. I find it reminiscent of the Flaming Lips, so it makes sense that one of them was in the band. Liked Songs Added: Holes Goddess On A Hiway The Funny Bird Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp
Very pleasant surprise. Sounded like the best of the mid career Flaming Lips. Light, playful and whimsical at times. I’ll come back to this one for sure. Cool band!
Enjoying this album and all Mercury Rev / Flaming Lips albums fundamentally comes down to whether you enjoy Donahue's vocals. Clearly a lot of people do, myself included, but understandably a lot of people wont be able to. The strings on this album are reminiscent of Godspeed You Black Emperor. The opening track is reminiscent of some of the best Flaming Lips songs. Donahue's delivery on this album is stellar, STOOONEYYY... THROOOWWW. A strange mix of emotion here, melancholic but not quite depressing. The writing can at times be a little cliche. The backup vocals when they chime in are interesting and stray from notable influence seen elsewhere in the album and become something quite unique and of their own. Which is definitely interesting when paired with the heavy post-rock inspired strings. I collected coins is an interesting interlude, musique concrete, esque. Experimenting with distortion, really cool. A lot of the tracks exhibit a catchy build up with a great chorus. The happy end is a track i adore on this thing, modern classical, no-wave inspired, discordant, uncomfortable loops. Love. Im really mixed on the funny bird. The start and the refrains sounds like a mid Flaming Lips track but the break downs are really good. Overall a lot to like. 8/10
Este disco es una fumada de las gordas. Mucha psicodelia mezclada con música de cámara. Mucha gente podría considerarlo aburrido pero a mí me ha gustado bastante, sobre todo los momentos más etéreos. La voz principal me ha sacado un poco. 3'75/5
I’m too behind to thoroughly write a review but this shot slapped
I liked this. Every song teasing being vaguely familiar before going a bit off kilter. Will listen to more.
Angsty circus lullaby
David Fridmann was on fire that year. With this and The Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin. I prefer this for its more wistful blasted tone.
A strange and beautiful album that I had to double-check if I hadn’t put Flaming Lips one, as the voice seemed to me to be that of Wayne Coyne.
Super good
I remember seeing this band's name in magazines (and maybe ads for shows in town?) but don't remember ever actually listening to them. Starting the first song I am immediately reminded of the Flaming Lips, then I open their Wikipedia and see there are good reasons for that. Holy shit, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson played on tracks on this album! I like this.
Great 90’s album I had never heard of. The singing on some of the tracks reminds me of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
Am unexpected find.
This reminds me of the flaming lips. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Hørte den her en del i gym og har ikke hørt den i 100 år, vildt lækkert plade!
v good music, and its hard not to love the circumstances from which it arose...a resigned feeling of preemptive failure enabling full creative liberation cuz u might as well go out with a bang, leading to a surprise commercial success...the demons souls formula! didnt super grab me or shake my soul or anything, but i see the potential for it to do so if i heard it in the right place at the right time,,,the songs are great, but the barely-remembered dream quality esp as supplemented with jonathan donahue's voice (kind of a twee neil young timbre) is the main draw...lovely lovely stuff!
Loved it! Will definitely listen again!
Pretty good Not really my style
Mercury Rev are one of them bands I always mean to check out properly, but never do. I knew a few songs and occasionally here a song on 6music I then Shazam to find out its these. So i’m glad this made the list! I really enjoyed this, especially the weirder side. It does have strong Flaming Lips vibes, and I never knew the connection til recently, but dare I say it I think I preferred this to FL. Possibly because I overplayed a lot of FL a while back. Either way, this stands up strong in its own right as a great pysch indie record. The type of genre where I often cant tell if its sad or full of joy. A lot of songs on this remind me of when it’s absolutely pissed it down, and then it’s suddenly sunny. Like the damage is done, and now its sunny. Kinda sad/happy. Thats a word way of saying ‘I really like this, strong 4.5’
Really enjoyed this, reminded me of flaming lips straight away so cool to see there's a link. It's that sort of grand quite orchestral indie with a high pitched American on vocals. Can't remember any specific standout tracks but it was generally good. 4.5, go for 4 from one listen but will probably be more later.
Very different. Holes and Goddess on a Hiway were the stand-outs. Opus 40 was good, but it dragged. Strong start, really unexpected musical choices and song structures. However, the album dragged in the second half, where not a lot happened. Still good though.
Heard of mercury rev but never heard them. I quite enjoyed this, sound like the yeah yeah yeahs or vice versa I guess. My favourites were the opening track, opus 40 and Goddess on a Hiway, which I actually think I did recognise. 3.5
I definitely enjoyed the way this one started with Holes. Endlessly continues this dreamy and melancholic feel to the album. Goddess On The Hiway is probably my favorite track on the album and Opus 40 was a close 2nd. Both songs push the envelope with added instrumentals and the quality on the production is really good. I gave this one a couple of listens and can see myself coming back to it much like some other 4's from bands I have not previously heard of. So, with that said, this gets a solid 4 from me.
Liking this one a lot out of the gate. This feels a bit like Flaming Lips for obvious reasons -- unsurprised to find from a quick glance at the wiki that this is the same producer and produced at the same time as The Soft Bulletin. Weird theremin sounding warble throughout is a nice eerie touch. Just finished I Collect Coins -- such a simple but effective instrumental. I love the way this album feels. Just magical and wonderfully sequenced. The Funny Bird is a highlight from an already well above water back half of this album. About as "aggressive" as this album has gotten in tone -- love the bass and shimmery nature of the vocals that make for a wonderfully psychedelic atmosphere. Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp is quite a jarring change in tone from the ominous Pick Up If You're There. I like the song and the burbling bassline -- just felt that this was the only weird bit of sequencing on an otherwise cohesive album. This was solid all the way through and a really nice listen. High 4 to low 5 for me.
Started off strong and flattened out a bit. Singer reminds me of Arcade Fire. While I say flatten out it was never bad, but it took it from solid 4 to low 4 -- 4 sure.
Sounded like an even spookier Radiohead at times. This album definitely gets a bump up for unique and weirdness, always had no idea what was coming next. Slight bump down on the end of that last song that sounded like Fantasia or some shit, could have done without that. Still low to mid 4 though.
I feel like I've heard this song before and probably also said it sounds like the Flaming Lips. That was an oddly fun listen. Not as polished as the Flaming Lips but still fun and catchy songs all around.
Æ likte det mer enn æ trodde æ skulle gjøre.
love all the different instruments - trumpet, orchestra, weird sound effects, clarinet, I think even a theremin?! Reminds me of Presidents of the United States (esp Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp) also did they transpose Silent Night (sleep in heavenly peace) for Endless?? what a weird choice. love it. Favs: Holes, Goddess on a Hiway, Tonite it Shows, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp
this was underwhelming at first, but i definitely enjoyed it more on the second listen. the songs are a weird blend of 90s alt rock and 60s psychedelia with some other bits peppered in, but it's at least interesting. i feel like i've heard goddess on a hiway before, but have no idea when or where. maybe it's just one of those songs that feels familiar. favorites: holes, tonite it shows, endlessly, opus 40, goddess on a hiway
Haunting and spooktacular. Ghosts of melodies and paths widning off into the dark forrest
The singing is a little weird, and I don't like the occasional lo-fi moments (e.g., I Collect Coins and the end of Pick Up If You're There), but aside from that I enjoyed the album. I thought they were playing a theremin on multiple tracks, but apparently this is the "Tettix Wave Accumulator"? Sounds like a theremin to me. Anyway, a little weird, but I like it. I'd revisit. Favorite tracks: Holes (really liked the trumpet at the end), Opus 40, Hudson Line, Goddess on a Hiway, The Funny Bird, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.
I like the cinematic-esque sound they were going for here I found it kinda captivating, the songwriting was also very solid and the stratchey vocals were annoying sometimes but helped give the album a certain tone which I think worked. Favorite Track: Endlessly
Maybe I’m just feeling really generous today but this was really cool. Enjoyed almost all of it but some parts dragged quite a bit
I already liked Opus 40 a lot, and yeah, this really stands up to it (plus, this album sure is extremely "recorded at the same time as Soft Bulletin, with most of the same producers and instruments")
i liked that a lot! really weird and beautiful
Flaming hot!
Yeah I like it weird psychadelic at times but good voice very spiritual. It reminds me of the Flaming lips
This felt dreamy and creative. Very nice.
Never heard of these guys which is a shame because they are squarely in my wheelhouse. Fun listen and now I have to go check out their catalog. A real find for me. Thank you
This was good. However, I feel like this is not even close to a 5/5. But giving it a 3 stars feels wrong. Most of the songs were very good, but there was something there that didn't quite fit. It clearly was an ablum made by the group, for the group. Which typically is a crapshoot as far as how successful it will be as an artform. This checked boxes, left some unchecked, felt good, didn't feel perfect. 3.6/5
Another new one for me. It's Chewsday Innit? Indeed! Another Brit pop band, but this one sounds a bit different. A little like Flaming Lips. Nice orchestral arrangements. There's something strange about this album, and I like it. I'm glad I got to hear this, even though it isn't my jam. I can now say I heard Mercury Rev before I die, which will hopefully not be for another 50 years, at least. If not for this list, I would have never stumbled across these blokes. Opus 40 is a favorite on account of the whistling, and Hudson Line is great. The Funny Bird is my top favorite, though. It has a bit of everything. I'll give this a 3.9 rounded up to a 4 for its uniqueness.