| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
The new Mercury Rev album, The Secret Migration, came out yesterday. And I bought it as they are one of the very few bands whose albums I want as soon as they are available. I played it last night and was blown away by it. I kept turning it up and was afraid I would wake my daughter, but luckily she is a heavy sleeper. What a brilliant record! Truly stunning. 2005's best album may already be decided before January is even out. Any other Mercury Rev fans out there in Go-Betweens land? ps Happy Australia Day (in advance) to all you Aussies looking at this board. | ||
| gareth Unregistered guest |
A fellow fan here, Padraig. Haven't heard the new one yet (not out in the US for a while) but the last 2 are fantastic. 'All is Dream' is very underrated i think. No better song to open a record than 'The Dark is Rising'. I saw them live a few years ago on the '...Dream' tour at Shepherds Bush Empire and was blown away. Top 3 gig, they were soooo good. Have you seen them live? There was a moment during 'The Dark is Rising' when he sang 'i've always dreamed of big crowds...' and gestured and smiled at the audience and we were in the palms of their hands. Fantastic band. Criminally overlooked. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
So, Jonathan had you at 'I've always dreamed of big crowds...' Yes, I saw them live in Dublin in 1999. A very good gig, though anyone else I know who was there thought it went beyond that to greatness. It has happened a few times that when I am so excited about seeing a band live that I don't enjoy it as much as I should because I am expecting too much. Same thing happened when I saw Dinosaur Jr in 1991. I liked it, but everyone else thought it was an awesome show. I saw J. Mascis in Austin, Texas a decade later and that really was an awesome show. Mike Watt was in the band and later on Ron Asheton joined them onstage for a set of Stooges songs with Watt on vocals. | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
taking down notes . . . . | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Randy, if you are new to Mercury Rev I recommend you start off with their 1998 classic Deserter's Songs. There is not a song on it that is less than brilliant. Garth Hudson and Levon Helm both guest on it, which may be an added bonus for you. If you love that - and you will - then get their released-yesterday-instant-classic The Secret Migration. Then go back to their 1992 debut Yerself Is Steam, which is a psychadelic rock classic with a different singer (he left after two albums, after which the guitarist, Jonathan Donahue, stepped up to the plate). And then get all their other albums too - Boces, See You on the Other Side and All Is Dream. | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
I bought the album on Friday, Padraig. To be honest, I found 'All is Dream' a little disappointing after the magnificent 'Deserter's Songs' so it was with a degree of caution that I approached 'The Secret Migration'. To say that I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. Granted, the overall sound isn't as organic as 'Deserter's Songs' and as a result of my irrational prejudices regarding the use of technology in music, it wasn't until the third song that this record connected with me. End result; I like this album a lot. In fact, it's well on it's way to overtaking 'Deserter's Songs' as their Magnum Opus in my book. A '16 Lover's Lane' for the 20th Century. In more ways than one. By the way, I was at that show in the Olympia in 1999. I also saw them 2 years later in the Ambassador 2 years later. I was blown away on both occasions. | ||
| Tim Unregistered guest |
REGARD THE REISSUES,ALTHOUGH I REALISE THEY'VE BEEN OUT A WHILE, I'D BE GRATEFUL FOR OPINIONS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF EACH ALBUM'S ADDITIONAL CD MATERIAL. PLEASE HELP! | ||
| Tim Unregistered guest |
Sorry about the irrelavant point made above - sheer incompetence, I'm afraid. I'll go now. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Hi Pat, yeah, new releases come out in Ireland on the Friday before the Monday that they are released in the UK and Australia. Also, for whatever reason, Tuesday is new release day in America. I'm with you in approaching The Secret Migration with caution after All Is Dream. Though, to be fair, All Is Dream would probably have seemed stunning if it had not come after the stone classic that is Deserter's Songs. Little Rhymes is one of my top three Mercury Rev songs. I played that single and the Goddess On A Highway single the other night after listening to The Secret Migration. It all fitted of a piece. My favourite track on Secret Migration so far (though there is not a single bad one) is the one minute and 18 seconds of genius that is Moving On. It's like a lost Beach Boys classic from the mid-60s! It was actually 1998 that I saw Mercury Rev in Dublin. It was upstairs above a pub on Wexford St, just before Whelans. Can't remember the name of it, but I'm sure you know it. It was just after Deserter's Songs came out and it was packed. When the album took off though they played far bigger venues at least twice the next year. I'd love to see them live again, especially now that they have another classic record to interpret live. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
That gig was on October 20, 1998 in the Mean Fiddler. I see that they are playing Vicar St on March 7 (my birthday as it happens. I saw Billy Bragg there on my birthday a few years ago). | ||
| gareth Unregistered guest |
I think i play 'All is Dream' more than 'Deserters Songs' these days. 'Deserters Songs' was one of those records for me that really ties in to a certain time, certain place and outside of that it has lost some impact. '...Dream' is just a great bunch of songs to my ears and easier listenning (eeks...I sound like Val Doonican). 'Nite and Fog' and 'A drop in Time' are both wonderful. Any Wilco fans here? After about 100 listens i've finally started to love 'A Ghost is Born' but it took a lot of work...go to see them live in a fortnigth and cannot wait. | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
Ah, The Mean Fiddler. Scene of those tremendous Go-Betweens 'Reunion' shows in June 1997. Robert also played a couple of solo shows there - October '96 and June '98. It has since been re-christened 'The Village' and, as luck would have it, I'll be heading there on Friday, for the first time since the name-change, to see the recently reformed House of Love. | ||
| peter d Unregistered guest |
Did anyone in Ireland read the HoL article in the Sunday Tribune ? It was toe-curlingly embarrassing as the journalist repeatedly called the singer "Guy Chambers" !! | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
Yes, Peter. I read the offending article. It was a remarkably shabby piece of journalism (and I use the 'j' word very loosely). As a result, I'm sure we can expect a throng of die-hard Robbie Williams fans to show up in the expectation that a few of the ex-Take That star's hits will get an airing courtesy of "the guy what wrote 'em" (sic). | ||
| Cassiel Unregistered guest |
The House of Love? Is barking mad Terry Bickers with them? | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
Terry Bickers is with them. Cue, the sound of hell freezing over.... | ||
| Peter Ward Unregistered guest |
God be with the days it was The Wolfe tones and The Wexford Inn!! Tossed a coin to as to whether it would be HoL on Fri or American Music Club on Sat..AMC it is, probably more suited to my fringeless state these days..Guy still has a fine crown goin. NYC band Ambulance Ltd played a fine set supporting The Dears around the corner in Whelans last week, their debut album is to be recommended. | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
Uh oh. I ordered a copy of "All is Dream" before coming back here and reading Pádraig's comments. Unfortunately Amazon does not acknowledge the existence of Royalchord. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Don't worry about All Is Dream Randy. It is a great album, and in some ways I envy that you will get to hear it before Deserter's Songs. That way it won't suffer on initial comparison. By the way, are you the Randy Adams police chief that was quoted in media coverage of the LA train crash? Sorry if that is too much of a personal question, I just couldn't help noticing the officer's name. | ||
| Ed Stainsby Member Username: Ted Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2005 |
Anybody else noticed that very Forster-esque guitar solo during In a Funny Way from the new MR album? Had to check the credits to make sure it wasn't 'our Bob' - or maybe it's a secret guest appearance?... | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
You're right, it is a very RF-type solo. I'm listening to Meat Is Murder as I write. That's nothing to do with nothing. I just wanted to mention it! I did play The Secret Migration yet again earlier. Going to the Cave/Wainright/McGarrigle/Handsome Family etc Cohen songs show tonight in the Opera House. Can't wait! | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
No, Pádraig, I'm not the copper. Though I've been thinking of calling the City of Glendale and explaining to them that I haven't been getting my pay checks and they must have the address wrong. I'm looking forward to All Is Dream. I visited a friend over the weekend who had one single Mercury Rev song on his IPOD. I don't know what it was called but it was played live on a local radio show. It was beautiful. The Cohen show sounds really great. I'm a huge fan of the McGarrigles and much prefer Teddy Thompson's work over the flashier outpourings of his buddy Rufus. And Leonard Cohen's songs? Well, who can fault them? I'm angling for a full Marianne Faithfull album of Cohen songs. | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
You made a very wise choice Peter W. The House of Love were utterly woeful. Guy Chadwick remains the least charismatic frontman I ever expect to clap eyes on. It's as if he's afraid of the microphone!! With the exception of a horrible, lumpen version of 'Never' the set was split 50/50 between the first album and the new as-yet-unreleased one and they still managed to leave out 'Destroy the Heart' and 'Love in a Car'. It was boring, turgid, self-indulgent rubbish. | ||
| Peter Collins Unregistered guest |
Mercury Rev played a short set supporting Nick Cave over here recently, which was mainly Deserter's Song stuff. Made a fantastic night even better. | ||
| fsh Unregistered guest |
Went to see Mercury Rev in Dublin on Tuesday. I'd never seen them before and only have Deserters songs, but they were magnificant if you can forgive the lead singer an idiosyncracy or two. Catch them if you can. I was just thinking of the good gigs I've been to in the last few years, and they only amount to a handful: Love/Arthur Lee, Yann Tiersen, Mercury Rev. The Go- betweens were good the last time they played (the night before the Barbican gig). Maybe, it's all part of growing older or something. | ||
| william rodgers Member Username: Willyorkpa Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2005 |
"Car Wash Hair" is still a fave. Hey Pat Boland...watch those remarks about HOL, Bickers and Guy. The stuff they produced over their career smokes 99% of the drivel that has been released since their inception. The b-side throwaway cd "Spy in The House.." is such proof. Brilliant songs languished on b-sides.. | ||
| gareth Unregistered guest |
Hear Hear William. 'Safe', 'Marble', 'Ray'...so many great songs that THOL knocked out for b-sides and the like. What do you make of the new album? I like it a lot, was pleasantly surprised. Not earth shattering or original but some really great songs. | ||
| william rodgers Member Username: Willyorkpa Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2005 |
I'm in the states and haven't heard it. Looking forward to it and also to a US tour! Wow, isn't that asking alot! You folks in Europe have it made! We don't get the earth-shattering gigs that you do! Have considered moving there. Can you recommend a website to order from? thanx | ||
| Pat Boland Unregistered guest |
William, I was simply giving my opinion on the gig which, might I add, I only attended on the basis that I consider most of their recorded output to be quite superb. On the night in question they were unquestionably dull. The new album (which, by the way, is not bad at all) had not been released so I wasn't familiar with the large part of the set that they devoted to it. Of the familiar stuff, only Christine and Love in a Car cut the mustard. As a songwriter Guy Chadwick at his best has few equals. However, as a front man he is utterly wooden. Terry Bickers actually looked younger than he did 15 years ago and in contrast to Guy, he appeared to be enjoying himself. The new bass player looks like he had been abducted from the cast of 'Shameless' and, to be brutally frank, is a pretty mediocre bass player on the evidence of what I saw. For the record, 'Babe Rainbow' and the Butterfly/Fontana albums are among the finest albums of the past 20 years by my reckoning. My problem with the live show was that it came nowhere near the standard they set for themselves with those albums. |