12 replies to this topic

[remboy]

heard that the song on the radio for the 1st time the other day. I was moved by how good it is!  The only other song i know by Mercury Rev is Goddess on a highway.

Anyone got any recommendations about what other Mercury Rev stuff i should be listening to?

[daysleeper100]

i would recommend the whole "all is dream"-album from 2001 (on which the dark is rising is included) or their 1998 album "Deserters Songs", which is still my personal favourite.

christian

[fileunderwater]

I totally agree!! Get "All is dream" and "Deserter's songs" at once. Both albums are amazing and topped my best of lists when they were released. I've been meaning to buy their earlier stuff for a long time but heven't yet. Anybody who can tell me what to expect??Are they as good as the last two records??

[Cassidy]

Deserter's Songs is really good. I heard it for the first time last week and I've been knocked out by it. I love the Hudson Line, but it seems to successfully mix rock with classical music in a way that suggests it's neither.

[Dream Brother]

I love the last two albums (Deserters Songs is my favorite) but the earlier albums sound very different.  First of all, they originally had a different singer, who left after two albums.  Those albums are a lot heavier, and have a Sonic Youth/early Flaming Lips type sound.  And the third one, the first to have their current vocalist is somewhere in between that sound and their newer sound.  Deserter's Songs was a BIG change for them when it came out.

[gopher731]

i had never even heard of mercury rev a couple weeks ago, but i recently downloaded "the dark is rising" after seeing ALL IS DREAM on our 2001 best-of list.  it's an enjoyable song... but... i can't help but feeling it's incredibly cheesy, over-the-top and pretentious as well.  is all of their stuff like this?  i mean, it sounds like jerry goldsmith mixed with twee, slicked up hillbilly fiddle music or something.

[electrolite]

Quote

Originally posted by gopher731
i can't help but feeling it's incredibly cheesy, over-the-top and pretentious as well.  is all of their stuff like this?  

LIve they're like this. I've had the misfortune to have to sit through Mercury Rev sets three times. Once opening for R.E.M. and twice opening for Wilco. There's only one band I can compare Mercury Rev to.... and that's Spinal Tap (and not in a good way).

The band doesn't look like they "fit" together. All members look like they'd be more comfortable playing in another band. The songs, in my opinion, all sound the same and the lead singer's "antics" on stage are just ... well, they make me giggle, and not in a good way.

He'll stand there and flap his arms like a bird (on purpose) or will pretend to throw sparkles at audience members. The only cool parts of thier shows is when they work other people's songs into their own. For example: in Portland they added parts from Charlie & The Chocolate factory and in San Francisco they added part of a Talking HEads song.

[daysleeper100]

well, you need some time for his voice imo. but if you once like it, you are completely addicted to it.

christian

[gopher731]

Quote

Originally posted by daysleeper100
well, you need some time for his voice imo. but if you once like it, you are completely addicted to it.

christian

i've only heard that one song, "the dark is rising," and i actually found it sort of fun to listen to.  the voice didn't bother me at all; it was the pompous orchestration and the fact that the whole thing sounded so fake.  still an entertaining pop song to hear a few times, and the melody is nice, but i certainly don't think there's that much artistry involved the whole undertaking, and the little orchestral flourishes segued quite poorly into the sung sections imo.  in fact, i don't even remember hearing any instruments other than a piano, synth, violin, and orchestra... is mercury rev usually a rock band with guitars, drums, etc.?  not that that matters, i'm just wondering.

[wyman firs]

I didn't think they were cheesy or over the top live, just not very...lively! I thought Deserters Songs was quite good but new album a bit samey.

[pierrot]

my favorite from the rev is called " frittering ", download it , it's great and from their first album
another good song is "car wash hair", from their demo tape
they just did a cover from john cale " keep a close secret ", which will be soon avalaible on their new single " little rhyme ", if any of you is interrested into that song, then just mail me

yes the rev is a great band, belongs to my top six : rem - mercury rev - deus - placebo - dandy wahrols & the smiths !

[electrolite]

Quote

Originally posted by pierrot
yes the rev is a great band, belongs to my top six : rem - mercury rev - deus - placebo - dandy wahrols & the smiths !

its been a few months and mercury rev (and even the thought of them) still makes me want to chew off my arm so I have something to beat the person who mentioned their name with it.

(and now for th ereal reason of this post)

I saw two guys from the dandy warhols open for a friend's band a few months back... there was the rather effiminate guy & the one with sideshow bob hair... they called themselves the slimmer twins or the glimmer twins and played nothing but very slowed down covers on acoustic guitars with a lot of harmony... they were fun

[Max Lewy]

The Dark Is Rising = best song of 2001