domingo, 5 de julio de 2009

ALBUM TO HEAR BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS WORLD: MERCURY REV - DESERTER'S SONGS (1998)


The year was 1998 and Mercury Rev released their album Deserter's Songs. This album received so much advanced buzz by many music magazines at the time. The album was released on V2 Records. The American Press loved it! Entertainment Weekly magazine called it, "the art-rock album of the year."The British Press was all over this album about how wonderfully well-crafted this album was. They quoted, "The results are like Pet Sounds with Neil Young on vocals." Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of The Band were guests on this album. It is very interesting to note that Mercury Rev have been known for their avant-pop music and their chaotic performances; wich is not exactly the kind of band you'd expect to see Levon or Garth with. Deserter's Songs was a stylistic change for Mercury Rev. Gone are much of the electric guitars of past records. Instead, the album gives more emphasis to bowed saws and harpsichords, B3 and Wurlitzer organs, pianos and acoustic guitars and incredible orchestration. If you have not heard this album I must strongly suggest you do.


Musicians and sidemen


Mercury Rev

Jonathan Donahue, vocals / acoustic guitar / chamberlin
Sean "Grasshopper" Mackowiack, vocals / guitar / woodwinds
Suzanne Thorpe, flute
Dave Fridmann, piano / Mellotron / bass / background vocals / engineer
Adam Snyder, Wurlitzer piano / Mellotron / Hammond B-3 organ
Jimmy Chambers, harpsichord / clavinet / drums


Additional personnel


Garth Hudson, alto & tenor saxophones
Levon Helm, drums
Matt Jordan, flugelhorn
Amy Helm
Marie Spinosa
Mary Gavazzi Fridmann, vocals
Garrett James Uhlenbrock, slide guitar
Rachel Handman, violin
Jim Burgess, trombone
Aaron Hurwitz, piano / engineer
Scott Pettito, acoustic & electric basses
Jeff Mercel
Joel Eckhouse, bowed saw


Tracklisting

1. Holes
2. Tonite It Shows
3. Endlessly
4. I Collect Coins
5. Opus 40
6. Hudson Line
7. The Happy End (The Drunk Room)
8. Goddess On A Hiway
9. The Funny Bird
10. Pick Up If You're There
11. Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp
12. Untitled

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