Deserter's Songs

I knew I should have given the last album a 2 star, this is algorithm type garbage. Just because we had one sort of good British rock band doesn’t mean we need another even worse one the next day. What did we do wrong?!

Honestly, about as puzzling as the Doves album the day before. Who's picking these? I do like this one more because it's weirder - some really engaging instrumentals that hit me out of left field, and some that remain in left field for me to laugh at. The variety alone elevates this above the previous, but again, don't think I understand why it's here. We're at album 1011, the end is (theoretically) in sight, and yet we're still getting British rock slop. Favorite tracks: I Collect Coins, Opus 40, Pick Up If You're There. Album art: Very mysterious picture of what seems to be a guy on a coach. Is he smoking something? Holding a gun? Some other "Device?" Not sure at all, just can't see. Not enough light, and the whole thing is filtered through blue. Decent cover though, to match a decent album. 3/5

Couldn't wait for it to be over. Horrid singing and nightmare fuel level instrumentals; almost Tim Burton-esque. Anyone liking this is kidding themselves. 4/10.

Chaotic

Me la torra

This was a very bizarre listen for me. I thought the first 2/3 of the album was incoherent and aimless, very airy and discordant. But then I got to the final third, which I thought brought an unexpected and eerie maturity and gravity that almost made me wonder if I was listening to an entirely different album. There are exactly 3 songs worth listening to on this album, but those songs are frankly excellent in my opinion. Top tracks: Goddess On A Hiway, The Funny Bird, Pick Up If You're There

Favorite Tracks: Goddess on a Hiway Holes

3.5/5

Exciting. Love the classic Melodies in the background, and the noise

As soon as this started I thought "wow, this sounds like the Flaming Lips"; and sure enough, the two bands walked side-by-side to inspire each other. I'm not surprised, and I quite like it.

Very Flaming Lips. It's an ok album that listened fine but it wasn't my favorite. Holes and Tonite it Shows are good, didn't really care for Endlessly.

Out-of-tune singing, empty sentimentality

Maso

I’d say this has all the hallmarks of a cult work, in that the story is just as if not more interesting than the work itself. A band who after a flop, decided to say ‘Fuck it, let’s just record whatever uncommercial thing we want, the label be damned,’ and as such recorded their most acclaimed and as far as I can tell, best selling album. And I don’t not like it, I would just need a bit of extra time with it in order to say that I think the music is more interesting than the story

Holes was rlly nice and goddess on a hiway was also interesting Made me v sad idk it’s giving 2000s romcom soundtrack

Forty minutes of droning followed by his cat running across his keyboard - 2/5 Reviewed on 16/08/2024

a forgettable mystery. what was this?

Bloody hell I love this album.

Madavi Shoegaze stuff. Very Flaming Lips.

As solid now as when it first came out.

So lush yet so down to earth, like a subtly magical forest.

Kept thinking I was listening to Flaming Lips for some reason.

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

Great band. Mostly great songs. A couple I had to skip

Very quaint

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would considering I’d never heard of the album or artist. The seamless combination of multiple different genres and styles makes this album feel unique and original. No bops, but the writing, lyrics, and production were all solid. Glad to have found it. 4/5

Cool album, I really really like the lyrics, enjoyable, vocals are nice. Calm and soothing tone of the album is really refreshing. Like a sunny rainy day. 8.0/10.

creative and fun album with a wide range of pop influences

Fantastic. Goddamn do I love the strings, and the instrumental interludes are awesome. Great album with a great atmosphere

This felt like punishment.

Dork really got confused about whether or not this was Doctor Dog. It is not. (It's also not the Flaming Lips.) We enjoyed this. Holes is particularly good. Quite an atmospheric album.

Deserter’s Songs is another album that starts so strong and I slowly lost interest. Holes is a beautifully amazing song. In general it’s not necessarily dream pop, but dream rock. It deserves more listens. 6.8/10

This was a pleasant surprise and exactly the sort of thing I joined this site for. I had never even heard of this band before. I enjoyed this a lot. The only thing that bugged me was the theremin (I think it's a theremin) being overused.

This is pretty good and definitely interesting, with a few well near-excellent moments ("Holes," "Opus 40," "Goddess on the Hiway," "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp"), but it seems as if it (and they) might have been so much more. Did MR know who they were and what they were trying to accomplish? On the latter point, might it have been too much or too different? Hey editors: the comparisons to Neil Young and Pink Floyd are not exactly apt. There's too much filigree (especially with the theremin [or whatever] which only ever gets in the way by calling excessive attention to itself). It's overly dramatic if interesting and unlike other ambitious '90s artists this doesn't go on way too long. And at least it's not grunge or alt rock. One never fully took to them in real time back in the day, felt it never quite fully cohered or compelled, and that impression repeats a few decades out. Rounding up for effort, however.

listening to this is a very strange experience (in a good way)

The mystical aspect in Mercury Rev's Deserter's Songs was very beautiful! The album started off in such a nice way, and I was reminded of Lana Del Rey’s elegance and airy vibe. But then there was the baffling creative decision of continuous otherworldly sounds. These two layers contradicted each other and nothing was enjoyable. What I'm saying is that Mercury Rev had a lot of potential and they squandered it. This was 44 minutes wasted!

This was an incredibly diverse album in sound, and something that was similar and yet still not quite like anything else that has been featured on this project, but still not one I really enjoyed all that much. It didn't grate on my nerves necessarily, but I also wasn't excited by it. I was just very indifferent about it. Probably a 2.5, but don't really feel like it earned a round up from me.

Pretty nice album, melancholic vibes, quite beautiful melodies at times, the general atmosphere suits me very, very well. Vocalist has a unique voice, which compliments the music and puts the quality up a notch. I think something is missing, because this album gets boring after few songs, maybe even tiring, but it's pretty good in smaller samples.

Pretty good. Should listen again

Never heard of this group. Really sit to learn that they’re American and even more so that they met at SUNY Buffalo. Not surprised that they haven’t ever broken through here. I did like the Hudson Line song. The rest, not so much.

Influential on vampire weekend?

Muito melancolico pro meu gosto

Is it interesting? Yeah, sorta. Do I want to hear it again? No! Am I happy I heard it once? I'd be the same person if I never heard it. I'm gonna say even for something a bit interesting, absolutely nothing stood out enough to make me think I'll remember it in an hour.

The 90s were weird.

Never heard of them, but not bad.

Happy to desert this crap.

Teddy Mercury.

disney melancholia

Wut?

There is a lot on this album that I quite dislike but the three or four songs I do like are good enough to make me look farther into this band and rate this album at 3 stars or C-.

Barely noticed that this was even playing.

Adore. Not listened to this in full for so long but what a joy.

I read a rave review of this album when it came out and bought it. The music is very good "baroque n' roll", featuring a hypnotic quality that is beautiful and mesmerizing without succumbing to schmaltz or melancholy. The singer has a bit of a weedy voice, but it works with the material as it portrays a certain vulnerability.

A few ok tracks but mostly disappointing

Enjoyed this way more than i thought I would. In fairness I didn't really know who Mecury Rev were, I thought they were something, but it seems they were something else. I did recognise the highway one though. Yeah nice mix of electric sounds and rock type tendancies.

Never got why this was so rated. 1st track was ok, bit like Flaming Lips but not as good, the rest was pretty forgettable.

I enjoyed this, but honestly thought most of these songs were by The Flaming Lips. It's very pleasant spacey music.

Listened to this last year for the first time, I couldn't shake The Flaming Lips vibes... then read that Mercury Rev frontman Jonathan Donahue used to be a guitarist in The Flaming Lips, so the connection made sense. It's a grower; think I like it a little more today than I did last year.

4.75

This album put me into the experience of a midwest teen laying out in a field somewhere on a lonely night, staring at the stars, and there's something beautiful about that. I couldn't help but compare this to (somewhat superior) Flaming Lips records I'm very fond of, but I think it has enough unique flavor to stand out from comparable records of the time. It has a very timeless sound for 1998, and for that, I'll be coming back for a deeper dive soon.

A curious, mood-lifting daydream of an album, one which I’m struggling to shake from my psyche.

Mostly Inoffensive, with a hint of the Beatles’ drug years.

Boring.

Bloody awesome. They’ve played in tons of festivals Ive attended and never seen them. They remind me of the pixies on valium. What an album. Goddes on a hiway is a corker. Very dreamy and spacey in a good way

did not liked it not in the mood maybe.. 80s rap/hip hop, with world music (afican percission etc). not timelles IMHO.

What's there to rate? If anything, this sounds like a musical written by a high school student who is not on the honor roll, using some simple open-source software, some duct tape, and maybe a well-trained hamster as a cheerleader. Best record of the year for 1998? Then again, not much good came out of 1998, if you ask me. Is the cause due to the limitations of what human beings can do with 7 chords? 2 stars, because I didn't hate it. So, I found the “edit” button option, and now I am pleased that I can change the ratings of this album which, probably 1 day after rating it, told me “oy, listen to me again” and again and again… and since I’ve started to really like the bastards… 3 1/2* which I will bump to 4*!

It's giving me big Flaming Lips vocals, but an okay listen.

Diet Flaming Lips, now with more weird instrumental tracks. This was ok. It didn’t have any bite in the regular tracks and the instrumentals left a bad taste in my mouth.

This sounded very like Flaming Lips. Decent enough; I enjoyed it a fair bit. A solid three

Surprisingly not awful

I didn't think I'd ever heard anything from this album before, but it turns out I knew one track a little. Left feeling pretty much the same, as none of it really hit me as memorable in the slightest. Only an hour after listening to it, I couldn't tell you what sort of music it was, other than atmospheric/ cinematic/ dull...

Sure I would have loved the album if I'd discovered it in 6th form but found it very repetitive

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)

A rather solid listen, though I didn't get much out of this that I haven't heard from the group's contemporaries. I will say I'm surprised to hear songs like Goddess on a Hiway on a late 90s album, this would slot cleanly next to Supertramp in my mind.

Ok but a bit bland. Very Flaming Lips-eque

Dull

Shades of Queen here

Flaming Lips sound

Surprisingly good. Will save this one

Weird almost atmospheric sound with a healthy mix of college band level saxophone and clarinet.

Nei, gat ekki klárað. Algjört drep.

Man this album really runs the gamut in terms of sounds. There is so much going on it feels way over my head. Lots of emotion and several long music breaks but thats not necessarily bad. I particularly liked Endlessly.

What a surprise! Loved this album. Reminded me of The Flaming Lips or the Polyphonic Spree.

Not bad but not super interesting. Favourites: holes, I collect coins, opus 40, Hudson line, goddess on a hiway. Decent but too long also a weird silence in the middle of the last song. 3/5

Pretty cool but I think I may be experiencing album listening fatigue. Nevertheless I enjoyed the dreamy atmosphere throughout, but there were a few songs that didn't really work for me. I think the most popular songs were the best ones and the rest were just okay. But I really did love some of them: Holes, Tonite It Shows, Opus 40, Hudson Line, and Goddess On A Hiway. Since I liked half and was indifferent to the other half, I will give it a 3

Decent. Mellow.

Couldn't finish. Nothing here for me. Vocals are annoying.

boy, this is a bit of a mixed bag. sometimes i can't get past the lead vocals, sometimes the instrumentation is a little too avant-garde for my liking, sometimes the songs are really cool. the ending of the final track sounds like a cat is jumping on a keyboard. i still think overall, i liked it, but it is definitely a bit of a mixed bag. maybe it would grow on me with repeated listens or maybe only partially.

This is fairly good. There are, however, a few forgettable songs on here also.

Never heard of them. Reminds me of the flaming lips a little. Liked the album though.

One of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard. The musical notes are well done and voice is beautiful!

Not good not bad

This is another album that feels like the cast recording to some kind of musical I don't want to see. Cool that these guys are off doing their own weird little thing and all, but I'm not into it.

Very nice album (4/5). Don't understand why it's classified as Rock? (not at all)

One of those albums that I think if I tried learning a few instruments over the course of a year I'd probably be able to match it. Not sure why it's on here. Few songs were ok, most were pretty bland. Inoffensive overall. 2.5*

Theremin was really popular for a time

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).

i forgot what went on here

This is one of those albums that simply exists as a space filler. It's not bad by any means, but it also doesn't stand out. It's easily forgettable and doesn't leave much of an impression.

I’m not really sure how I should have felt about this one. I was looking forward to it but found myself in a perpetual state of nothingness. Disappointed to say the least.

I’ve never heard of this band or album before, and I thought this album was okay. The overall sound of the album had a dreamlike quality to it, which I thought was fine, but certainly not earth-shattering. However, I did like the way the lyrics flowed, especially from “Holes” through “Endlessly.” The lyrics were mostly pretty melancholy, and I felt like that pattern of the lyrics helped enhance that melancholic mood. Musically, I loved the odd little elements that were peppered throughout the album. I thought that a theremin was being used on some of the songs, but after doing some reading, I think that was a musical saw. There were several other instruments that I liked, but I can’t identify what they were. “Endlessly” had some of my favorite arrangements on the entire album; I loved the way the musical saw was used. “Opus 40” was really good too, and I liked the background vocals. I enjoyed “Hudson Line” as well. The saxophone, woodwinds, and guitar parts were really different, but still felt like they fit really well with the dreamlike feel of the album. After that though, I didn’t really enjoy the album as much until the final track. I loved whatever instrument it was that was playing during the beginning of “Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.” I think it was a clavinet, but I’m not sure. But I loved how it took a background to the strings as the song went on, and the overall sound of the song was really enhanced by the deep bass drum sound. The second half of the song really lost me though, and felt like a strange way to end the album. My biggest complaints against this album are that I didn’t care too much for the second half of the album, I wasn’t as a huge fan of most of the vocals. Still, this was an interesting album, and I enjoyed the quirkier musical elements that were used.

Fun, energetic and interesting.

It’s ok

It was a long weekend ago, but I remember considering this quite a nice vibe!

Listened to this while playing 7th Citadel. I actually enjoyed this more than I was expecting to! Some of the songs felt a little bloated, but overall, I liked it!

Album 411 of 1001 Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs Rating : 3 / 5 As an album, not bad. Good background music to enjoy as I carry on with work. Another where there are really not specific tracks that stand out from the others but overall a good listen. Little pop...little rock. British band.

I'm surprised at how much I like this. UK bands that didn't make it in the US are usually anathema to me but I'm digging it. I don't care much for Jonathan Donahue's voice, but the lyrics are nice and I love the lofi, mellow vibes. It's uneven though. Holes and Opus 40 are great tracks, but Tonite It Shows and Endlessly were both significantly worse. Looking forward to hearing how the rest of it plays out. The Happy End (The Drunk Room) is a great track. I like this band's theatricality. The bonus track was fun too. All in all, I love how much this band seems to be having fun with themselves compared to other shoegaze/atmospheric bands I've heard. The end result is inconsistent and I don't think think I can give it more than a 3, but it's a very strong three. Much better than the nonsense from War on Drugs. I'll probably be coming back to this band. It was fun.

Actually pretty solid stoner album. Big fan

Cool sounds - Opus 40 stood out for me.. first listen of this guy.

Surprisingly great, for such a gnangnan album

eher nö, zu elegisch

Pleasant little gem this album is

You know how the Arcade Fire sucks real bad???? Well this is the Arcades Fire Original Gangsta group and they suck as well but with a mix of Republika. Nothing special about the album very monotonus until the last song but as the song Godess says I know it aint going to last and I couldnt be happier. Slow mellow depressive album not bad really bit not my jam.

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

Kind of a fun poppy late 90's. Enjoyable but not outstanding to the next level

Far more Flaming Lips adjacent than I was expecting, as I was expecting something more ethereal and space-lie. Instead, you have this tinge of 90s nasal with an alternative synth aesthetic to make the listener really feel as though they're truly on some otherworldly shit. It really only succeeds in this effect, however, in this department on the first track, where the blowout really strikes me in a way not unfamiliar to Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, and just like that album, it similarly feels as though it is trying to chase that initial rush for the rest of the album. Luckily, it doesn't feel too up its own ass, with lighter, pop-ier tracks to ease the dreamy haze, and the hidden track really achieves this lighter effect. It is a flawed album, but one I can respect more overall. I think this neo-psychedelia movement just isn't fully my cup of tea, and that's a bit of a shame.

somebody kill me!!!! soul crushingly lame I'm sure this was a thrilling release for people working at advertising firms!!!

Overall not really a fan. Late 90s, had some cool psy beats in certain songs, and the popular songs (according to Amazon Music) were cool. Not interested in more.

84/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

It was ok

This was incredibly boring. Just strings and synths behind someone who listened to far too much Bob Dylan.

I liked this album way more than I expected, the opening song Holes is especially great

I usually like shoegaze, but this really didn’t click with me

This doesn’t really sound like a late 90s rock album, and that’s what’s so fascinating about it. Both psychedelic and alternative.

Surprisingly pretty entertaining and cool. I liked it.

Meni jotenki phi

First song on the album is good but unfortunately not much good follows

I listen to to the whole thing yesterday, and can't remember anything significant today.

3/5

Honestly, it's something different, something odd, but somewhat refreshing in a self-experimental way. The saw adds a lot. 3.5/5.

Sok. Nothing special

I’ve never heard this before but it fits the rainy day and my mood. I’m really enjoying this and I’m sorry I didn’t know about it back in 1998.

Mercury Rev has been on my list of bands to check for quite a while, so this was the perfect chance to do so. This albums opens on a high with Holes, my favorite, but while I liked the general vibe the rest of the album didn’t quite grab me. A 3.5 if we could give half points.

This was a weird one. I liked a lot of the music and could see myself vibing with it. But I couldn’t stand the vocals. They ruined the song almost every time. 2.5/5

I have never listened to this or heard of this band before. I listened to it twice. I enjoyed it. I like the dreamy quality of the lead singer's voice, but it can be somewhat sing-song at points. The musicianship is on point. Particular favorites are: "Goddess on the Hiway" and "The Funny Bird".

Not bad but the singer's voice is a bit irritating

More Flaming Lipsy than i expected it was gonna be. Liked it

Whimsical, magical, eccentric alt rock that sounds as much the passion project as it was intended to be. The back half is good but not great, but the front half is stupendous. A clear example of the musical quality that’s achieved when bands make music for themselves instead of a label or an audience. Standout tracks include “Holes”, “Tonite It Shows”, “I Collect Coins”, and “Opus 40”.

Not bad, but didn’t really get me excited. Not annoying though.

Trigger Happy TV! I can't listen to this without picturing Dom Jolly winding people up. It's also pretty good.

sounds like Wilco. two stars

Lots of positive reviews on this one. I just couldn't get into it. I enjoy the alternative psychedelic nature of it, but the vocals are odd and unpleasant. Lots of weirdness abound that just doesn't sound very good. I couldn't latch onto a single track. It didn't work for me.

Deserter's Songs starts well with Holes, and then nothing else is quite as good or interesting as that. It's all a bit wishy washy, the vocals generally don't do it for me, the...creative instrumental accents don't do it for me, and the rest of sort of just middle of the road alternative rock. 2.

What do they have against the letters 'gh'? Otherwise not that much to write home about. Holes probably makes it onto an LCD Soundsystem (not as a single though), maybe Opus 40 does, but everything else feels a bit too lightweight. 2/5.

Listened Before? N Despite them being an American band, I have never heard of them at all. This album is a vibe. I like it. It's mellow enough to just be background music, but also weird enough to get high and trip out to. Holes is awesome, and Goddess on a Hiway gets kinda groovy too. I assumed this album would just resonate as weird with me but by the time I reached the end, I found myself really wanting to keep listening to it. Well done. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Holes

An album that probably needs repeated listens to fully appreciate it. I can see the similarities with The Flamping Lips

What sounds like ethereal indie pop, Mercury Rev’s album “Deserter’s Songs” is in a category of its own. The album has a grand, and very unique, assortment of instrumentation, including brass section with flugelhorns, woodwinds, strings, and even a musical saw… While not everyone’s idea of great music, this album is absolutely a great, idiosyncratic specimen in the study of music.

2.5

I prefer their first two albums but this is great on it’s own. Many catchy melodies and head-bumping grooves. Also extra points for using the singing saw!

Nice

Didn’t like the singers voice. The arrangements were unsubtle and cheesy. It sounded like a rock band trying to be mature and clever by using an orchestra but it just sounded heavy handed and immature.

Interesting

3-

This sounds like the flaming shit's horrible work and for that reason it will get the same score as them.

Have I heard this album before? No Highlights: Opus 40, Hudson Line, Goddess On A Highway Rating: 5.6/10 Never heard of this group so had no idea what to expect. It’s some indie dream pop type music which is well produced but, bar a few great tunes, didn’t excite me that much. Overall a decent listen.

Passion Pit’s daddies

Tim Burton ass soundtrack

To me this is one of those albums that's like a mountain range with just one or two visible, snow capped pinnacles, where the rest of the songs are foothills. Definitely not a bad thing. Those high points are beautiful and wouldn't be there without the surrounding support.

Another example of "don't judge an album by the first track". This album is full of variety in how they approach song writing and arrangements. Love the crazy bowed saw sound. The lyrics are colorful, trippy, overly rhymed at times, and other times just sort of dumb, but so what, they are wonderfully rich sonic adventures here. A favorite track for sure was The Funny Bird. Great line in Goddess On A Highway, "and I know it aint gonna last". This one took a few spins to really appreciate it. I love the combination of acoustic piano, saxophones, synths, and witty lyrics. Enjoy!

Interesting- a little creepy but I did enjoy

Some potentially interesting music, but his voice is too annoying to make another trip.

Allejezus wat onprettig

Soms gewoon vals en redelijk rare geluiden

Opzich gaat het wel totdat amang de snavel open doet

1998, Chamber pop, Americana Fourth studio album for Mercury Rev (USA) Standouts: Holes, Goddess on a Hiway, Tonite it Shows, Endlessly, Opus 40, 4.25 Others: Hudson Line, The Happy End,

Seemingly incongruously with the positive reviews I read, the opening track "Holes" left me believing this would either be a one star album, or more likely, one I did not finish. I'm glad I gave it a chance as it grew on me and, in my opinion, mostly improved from the first track. The vocals were the weakest part to me (which is my primary complaint throughout this experiment), but much more palatable than many of the artists on this list thus far.

dreampoppia.. alussa meinasinkin nukahtaa melkeinmpä. onneksi toinen osio otti ensimmäisen maasta, olalleen, ja alkoi ravaamaan. ensimmäusteömmmmmmm impressioiden jälkeen tosiaan hyvää musiikkia löytyi tästä. rallakasta surulluseen, paljon eri tuntemuksia tulee mutta albumi kokonaisuudessaan melankolinen...ikävöivä...suomi... hudson line

Didn't like his voice. But the last couple songs were really good 1st listen 2.5/5

Very chill ambiance, I liked it a lot 3.5

This was a very interesting album. I really loved the orchestral touches as I love chamber pop in general. There was an air of experimentality to some of the arrangement which was refreshing to see in a genre where simply adding strings is usually sufficient to make a rock/pop artist seem high minded. These arrangements are thoughtful and stand on their own as opposed to being mere backing. The album lulled a bit in the middle, but was overall a great listen. I will have to visit this album again.

Pretty nice!

A pretty lovely sounding record - highly eclectic and definitely a grower - gets more interesting with every listen and while there are no standout individual tracks - it sounds great as a whole. To be explored further

J'ai dû aller réécouter des extraits car quelques jours après je n'étais déjà plus capable de me rappeler de comment ça sonnait, ce qui est très évocateur. Générallement j'ai trouvé que l'amalgame de son et d'influence était très intéressant, mais le résultat est tellement fade. L'utilisation du thérémine joue plus contre l'album qu'autre chosee. J'ai l'impression qu'il y a beaucoup d'aspects intéressants, mais mal exécuté. 4/10

Really like their sound. 4/5

Borderline Stoner Hall Of Fame album. If Dark Side Of The Moon is a first ballot HOF Stoner album, this is one that ultimately gets in on the sixth or seventh ballot.

Mooi album, beetje vreemd, net niet geweldig

A weird and out there record, pretty much what I was expecting. This was fun and bubblegummy and weird and dissonant at the same time. Great record.

Very meh.

quite ok ;-)

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.

I can see how this influenced The Flaming Lips when they were making The Soft Bulletin. Simply beautiful production. The last track being a jam certainly helps this album out, also.

It’s a 3.5 that I think I’m going to begrudgingly round up, if only because I recognize that its biggest weakness for me is not going to be as big of a factor for some other people. I will say, first of all, that because of the renaissance of the late 90s aesthetic and style going on right now, something about this album does feel a bit like 2024 instead of 1998. That’s not to say it’s a timeless sound, but it’s certainly a sound that feels like it’s in vogue again, and that helped a lot with this album. My biggest thing with this album is the vocals, and I know that shouldn’t be a dig in light of really strong top to bottom production (except for The Happy End), but it really did just drag me out of a few of the songs. There are points when the vocals click really well, but when the lyrics are great and the vocal passion isn’t quite there to match it, something just doesn’t work well for me. However, that’s me – this album is certainly deserving of a 4, and I’m sure it would get there on a subsequent listen when something just clicks better for me, and I’ll round it up now to be fair.

Dark beatles

I wasn't a fan of every single track but - overall - I really liked this one. It's got a real recognizable 90s vibe that I dig, but there was also some Neil Young, Bob Dylan, REM stuff going on in there too. The instrumentation was cool as well - a little weird but just enough to make it interesting.

Blind album and artist. Genuinely impressed by this style mirroring Radiohead in a lot of ways, but some parts dragged. Few select tracks oustanding.

I am feeling like I don't have a ton to say about this experience - it was fine...?

Sound like a band from before the late 90s. Weird. Goddess on a Highway is a good song.

2.5

15 seconds into the first track and I said "oh boy, here we go." The album as a whole turned out better than expected, but still meh. This guy's vocals are something else...and not in a good way. Whiney and just not really too pleasant to listen to, but not across thew whole album. At parts his voice was fine. Overall, the instrumentals of this album are good and at least captivating. I'd say this album is a 2.5 stars, but due to some of the album being borderline unlistenable, I gotta round down to two.

Leave it to critics to choose hot garbage made by absolute nobodys. A lot of the songs sound like they're made for kids? I just have no idea what I was supposed to feel listening to that. Uncomfortable. That's how I felt.

I loved this album. There's so much going on here, yet it all ties together so well. It's ethereal, melancholic, dreamy, psychedelic, emotional, and atmospheric.

Was okay Favourite track- holes, tonite it shows

Modest Mouse vibes, never heard of them before.

Another album that at the time I found boring but now appreciate.

Boring. Poser throwback to psychedelic rock I guess. 2.4.

I’ve never been more confused by an album? I loved parts of it and absolutely hated other parts. I don’t understand the vibe at all and can’t fully align with it, but with that said, some songs were cool. What did I just listen to?

"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.

A bit boring, nothing caught my attention at all, easy listening but no real point

Good sound. I can get into this one. Never heard it before - never heard of the band before either. 3/5 (for now)

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.

Need to sit with this one a bit more, but this was a great discovery!

Holes - 7.5/10 Tonite It Shows - 7.5/10 Endlessly - 8/10 I Collect Coins - 7.5/10 Opus 40 - 7.5/10 Hudson Line - 7.5/10 The Happy End - 7.5/10 Goddess on a Highway - 8.5/10 The Funny Bird - 7/10 Pick Up If You're There - 7/10 Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 85/110

Can’t say this was what I expected to hear when I pressed “Play.” Can’t say I really liked it, either. Not bad, just not my cup of tea. I read one description of the album that said the band made this mostly for themselves rather than to please critics, and I’m happy for them for that.

Zzzzz.

The most forgettable album I think I've ever listened to. But then, if there was one more forgettable than this one, how would I know?

Coolt album, digga dom mera episka spåren och också den poppiga Goddess on a Hiway. Underligt slut på skivan

3.5 Holes, Goddess on a hiway, and opus 40 were all great songs. The rest of the album however weren’t as stellar got a little busy

Kinda quiet and oddly distorted vocals. I liked the orchestra mixes behind "The Funny Bird." Never heard of these guys and I doubt they'll leave a lasting impression.

Indie “The Wall” era Pink Floyd

listened, did not like

p833. 1998. 2.5 stars. Twee trippy psychedelic pop with fey vocals and one standout song (Goddess On A Highway). Other than that, this gets tiresome and pretentious reallll soon.

New to me. Awesome discovery!

Uff, hm, das war...interessant.

I went into this with no idea what to expect and it turned out to be an enormous amount of fun. In places it sounded like the soundtrack to a Disney film directed by David Lynch featuring flugelhorns, wurlitzers and even a musical saw. Stay around for the hidden bit on the last track!

Some of this reminded me of Mogwai

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).

This came as a surprise. I didn't know the band. None of the songs sounded familiar to me. Anyhow, I liked the album. The band creates an almost cinematic atmosphere and uses some sounds/instruments in an unobtrusive way that are usually not used in rock music. Well, I did not like all songs—"The Happy End (The Drunk Room)" is not my cup of tea.

Never heard of this band, was interesting having zero expectations for an album that is all over the place (in a good way, I think!). Some really great moments on here, though I feel like I need multiple listens to pin down a true rating.

Holes is good. Endlessly reminded me of Silent Night, “sleep in heavenly peace”. Are they using a theremin? Cool There seems to be film score sounding interludes scattered throughout for some reason which I don’t believe contributes to the album but rather prevents it from flowing. And then before I knew it I had listened to the album three times and thought it was perfect. Not to sound cute but what a precious album. Beautiful.

- this is such a winter album i love it - the happy end did NOT make me happy

Not sure if I’ve never heard this band or if I never paid enough attention. Anywho, nothing sounded familiar. It was a pleasant listen, a nice surprise. [0135/1001]

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.

Was pleasantly surprised by this album. Some of the songs were a little out there and a little long, but over all i loved it, especially the first half of the album. Will definitely be listening to this again. My favourite song was Holes

I bought it on vinyl. That is all

Tim Burton-y? Beatles-y? Wiggly…somehow familiar but I’ve never heard of them. I’m baffled on if I enjoyed it or not. Plenty of skips, just a little too weird for me.

Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall. A lot of the instrumentation was beautiful, the production and mix was also great. The highlights on this album are stellar, catchy instrumentals with great vocals. The lows are pretty boring and not interesting to listen to or the group experiments in ways that do not sound good. Favorite songs: Holes, Opus 40, Hudson Line, Goddess on a Hiway, The Funny Bird. Worst songs: Endlessly, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp.

quite good, but far from great

loved!

Poor man’s Coldplay. Like, dollar bin

3.6/5 Best Track: Holes

Reminds me of Tripping Daisy.

Incredibly creative music. Feels like a happy place between Frank Zappa, Flaming Lips, and a movie you will never be arthouse enough to see.

3/5

Avante-pop, as their artist description says. Kinda artsy, atmospheric

Lots of different things going on here, which was interesting, even though it didn’t always work for me. Best tracks: - The Funny Bird - Holes - Goddess on a Hiway 3.5 rounded up.

I had to look up if this was a "Flaming Lips" side project or something. First song was awesome, but then every song after that sounded pretty much the same to me. I feel like this would get better on repeated listens but on first blush it was too repetitive. 3.5 stars

Yung art rock

fun album. nothing amazing and no song stood out massively. I did not mind it but I wont go looking for it

10

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.

Hudson,Godess, Bird....the rest was lost on me

Idiosyncratic and hauntingly lovely. You can feel the level of care that went into building all the layers of these songs and there are so many musical threads to follow. Wore a little thin by the end, but I enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Opus 40, Goddess on a Hiway, I Collect Coins, Tonite It Shows, Holes, Endlessly

I like it 😊

Too soft / slow for me - didn't finish honestly

2/3

Hørte ikke veldig nøye etter men synes det var greit!

Somhow really like it

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.

Lourd

intriguant mais pénalité pour la fin de l album

gewoon te veel

Kacke

Pages of 4 and 5 star reviews but an average of 3? Someone's been boosting reviews ... It's a non-album. Nothing of note at all.

This is sure pretty at moments. Sounds like a soundtrack to cheap animated movie

Interesting but not for me

Beautiful sibling band of the Flaming Lips that I hadn't heard about until now. Both bands seem to have a similar trajectory: psychedelic and goofy experimental rock beginnings, then maturing into bittersweet existential indie rock. This album is from their mature stage. 3.5 stars rounded up.

tooo syrupy, in a bad, really bad time to listen to that

This is one of those albums that I would have never gotten around to listening to if not for this challenge. The very large overlap with the Flaming Lips, both in terms of style and their careers, was a pleasant surprise. The album itself took a few listens to really sink in but it's really gorgeous and ahead of its time. It sounds really free and honest, particularly as the band held no hopes for commercial success and just wanted to make something they could enjoy.

Pretty great late 90s rock run through pedals till it melts into fuzzy soundscapes. It gives me shoegazey vibes, especially The Funny Bird. Reading about the band it seems like they've changed their music a bunch over the years, and both influences from their previous and future album comes through in this album which is nice. Top songs for me are Holes, The Happy End, Goddess on a Hiway, The Funny Bird, and Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp. Unfortuantely, it feels a little forgettable, so sadly only 3 stars - (I'm trying to be a bit more critical here - I have too many 4s and 5s y'kno)

4- Stars (10/15)

I love Mercury Rev. They've always been a band I forget about and then hear a song and dive back in deep. Smile emoji.

There's two bona fide beautiful songs on this, a few interesting ones, and a couple of head-scratchers. But mostly ethereal and melodic enough to warrant a few dedicated listens. I could do Holes and Opus 40 over and over though.

So whimsical at times that it comes across as circus music. There are some songs that take a darker tone, so overall this music reminds me of sad clowns.

I think MR has some really strong songs that i like but this album didn’t affect me too much still.

Tämmöst röökinpolttomusaa! 3/5

Upea ja jotenkin ihanan lempeä indieklassikko. The Flaming Lips selvästi läheinen. Soft Bulletin taisi tulla vasta seuraavana vuonna, mikä nostaa tämän arvostusta.

Ei erottunut listalta edukseen, joskaan ei haitakseenkaan. 3/5

Album #: 363 (#305 rated) first impressions: this is going to be weird and very 90's, I think. after listening through: that was not unpleasant -- kind of an amalgamation of the Flaming Lips + Radiohead, but fun + early Coldplay? Anyway, I'm pretty sure I will forget this album in a few weeks at the longest. It was fine, but didn't really resonate emotionally for me and the music was just too weird on purpose for me. post-reading reviews/wiki: I tried to read the Spotify bio for this band and it was entirely too long to comprehend. You know it's going to be juicy when they immediately bring up tensions in the band and lineup changes. Also, sorry for piling on with the Flaming Lips comparison. I really didn't cheat and peak at the comments before writing that. recommended for: Fans of the bands this album sounds like, people who hate music that fits into one genre; people who like "musicians' musicians"

4/5

I enjoyed Some songs were very good I liked Opus 40, holes

Interesting album. Weird sounds but I like the rest of it Top songs: Hudson Line, Goddess on a Hiway, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp

I have always meant to check out Mercury Rev. They were known for making strange noises, but I was surprised how melodic they actually were. Very cheerful psychedelic. Maybe somewhere on the spectrum of the Flaming Lips and the Polyphonic Spree. Very interesting, and not what I expected

Flaming lips, Built to spill and M83 vibes

This one started of cool. Some of the songs were just too weird for me. I prefer the tracks that have a psychedelic/shoegaze feel to them. Kinda reminiscent of Spiritualized.

Nah

The beautiful whimsy and monotone flat vocals both remind me of Kermit the Frog. The most enjoyable tracks are the ones where they added a little range.

Really weird. Especially the last song. Was a bit too strange for me

Not my cup of tea, don’t really know what I can describe them. They went really abstract on some of their songs which I really don’t like

Not enjoyable

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

I have never heard of this band or album. It's OK.

Sognante, strano, progressivo

some cool sounds, but otherwise sounds like every 90s album

I don't know. It's not good, it's not bad. It's fine. I don't want to spend my time listening to this again.

The album did not feel like anything special to me. It wasn't bad and wasn't particularly spectacular. It really sounded like many other forgettable albums that are produced by quite forgettable bands. I've rated it two stars not because I think it's bad but because the album didn't really do anything for me. Despite just finishing it, I really could not say a song that really stuck with me besides Holes... maybe. Even though Holes is a good song but nothing remarkable, and that is a good summation of the entire album.

Weird nerdy nasal hollow sounding stuff

Not bad

Left me constantly wanting more fr the album. Never delivered

Pretty dreamlike and ethereal, but alright

"Goddess on a Hiway" is still a fantastic song after 25 years. "Holes" and "Tonite It Shows" are excellent as well. Don't much care for some of the other tracks, making it hard to listen to the album as a whole.

J’ai plus apprécié cet album ci. Calme mais avec un style différent. De bonnes musiques de fond , pour travailler ou même pour une série.

Joli instrumental mais je n'ai pas du tout accroché ni aimé la voix du chanteur.

When this album first got revealed to me I was pretty annoyed that this is now the fourth record in a row in which I've had never heard of the artist. However I'm pleasantly surprised! Loved the orchestral elements running throughout this album, interesting production choices, wild sound effects, intriguing story telling, and all from 98'! What's not to love? Absolutely plan to revisit this album again and probably sooner rather than later.

If someone were to ask me I don't even know how I would describe this music or what I would call it. After one listen I can't say that I loved it but I didn't dislike it by any means either. Overall I enjoyed it and thought it to be an interesting listen. This album gives me a vibe that if I were to give it a few more listens that it would probably grow on me so I'd give it a solid 3 or 3.5.

The album overall not bad with a few good songs but holy shit The Happy Ending is the worst song I have ever heard. A kid playing random notes would be more tolerable

Oh cool, another artist I've never heard of before, I like listening to these ones, though I am getting immediate Flaming Lips vibes from this. A ton of reed and wind instruments right out of the gate, feels kind of 'fairy-tale-esque', along with a bunch of differing tinky percussion. Omg..... I read the wiki linked here and the lead singer of this band WAS a member of flaming lips! lol. It said he left the band because of creative differences with Coyne, makes me wonder how much influence he had over FL cause they sound almost exactly the same. There's definitely less of a 'pretentiousness' around this album compared to FL but it is for sure still coming through to me. I'm also getting Neutral milk hotel vibes as well. I don't know how to describe this music.... seems kinda like an off-shoot of dream-pop, like dream-psychedelic i guess. I like the album and will probably give it an above average score but I'm pretty sure this is the band's most acclaimed album and I don't see myself enjoying an entire discography of this genre. The Funny Bird is by far my fave track on this record.

Not good lol

Today is a day where ambiguity ruled and this album rounded it off. This is such weird music, I really love parts of it until there is someone wailing like a banshee and it quickly throws me off.

Quirky but interesting and relaxing.

Tämähän on ihan iloinen levy. Ilman ihme huiluraitoja ois kivenpaa goottia. Vuoden 1997 paras? Joko huono vuosi tai en osaa kuunnella.