Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev are the much-tortured, late-80s forming, melodious-expanse triumvirate of your dreams; orchestral, haunting and just a touch graceful. Along with The Flaming Lips in the ‘90s, they helped bring forth lo-fi minded, but hugely pop aping, mini epics to the mainstream. Their status remains that of thrillingly understated innovators.
It began in Buffalo, and revolves around a consistent force – vocalist Jonathan Donahue and Grasshopper (guitars); long accompanying is Dave Fridmann, producer extraordinaire, and one-time member (who quit touring with the band, soon to focus on studio work).
Yet the band originally started as a soundtrack ensemble for friends’ mini art-projects; when a demo of such efforts was recorded – along with then fellow collaborators David Baker (vocals), Suzanne Thorpe (flutes), and Jimy Chambers (percussion) – the tape found its way to the Britain arm of the Jungle/Mint record-company, who became eager to sign the act.
So the band grouped more formally to set about the recording of a debut album – the noise wig-out f**k-abouts of ‘Yerself Is Steam’, released in ’91. It was critically revered, along with a later-ensuing EP that year, ‘Car Wash Hair’, but the band’s volatile gallivants and personal ongoings suggested that their fate might well be questionable. Not yet. ‘93’s ‘Boces’ LP became the band’s first almost-hit, charting in the UK top-50, though it marked the escape of David Baker, tired of the regime. After ‘95’s equally acclaimed ‘See You On The Other Side’, Chambers and Thorpe bailed, and the remaining members attempted more work with new keyboardist Adam Snyder and Jeff Mercel (still in the unit to this day; a feat, it seems).
Then, the breakthrough. There has to be one after all this. ‘Deserter’s Songs’ – an LP that propelled the band into the alt ‘classic’ category; hit-singles flowed: ‘Goddess On A Hiway’; ‘Opus 40’; and the album was hailed as the finest of the year upon its original release towards the end of the ‘90s. It was a striking, beauteous and extremely lavish landmark.
The standard thus set for the next in ‘01 – ‘All Is Dream’ – the success continued; whether the mesmerising, strings-drenched ‘Nite & Fog’, or top-20 piercer ‘The Dark Is Rising’. The band now earning a place unrivalled for their intensely spellbinding songcraft and magic, 2005’s ‘The Secret Migration’ may well see the combo spill over into the masses for their most extravagant reception yet. Months will tell.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: Comprehensive and already updated to mirror the artwork to the outfit’s forthcoming ‘Secret Migration’ album. Nifty.
V2 MUSIC: Some ‘colourful’ label-mates; Liberty X and Stereophonics, anyone? Lest us forget that V2 has also proffered us Brendan Benson, The Icarus Line and Dogs Die In Hot Cars in recent times.
SINGLE REVIEW – ‘THE DARK IS RISING’ 2002: some fawning over one of ‘02’s finest releases.
CONCERT REVIEW – LONDON ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL 2002: performing as part of Bowie’s Meltdown festival, alongside Six By Seven and The (International) Noise Conspiracy.
CONCERT REVIEW – LONDON BRIXTON ACADEMY 2004: the band return to the UK in support of Nick Cave’s recent, three-night Brixton Academy residency.