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Deserter's Songs
 
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Deserter's Songs

~ Mercury Rev
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
Price: £4.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
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  • This item: Deserter's Songs ~ Mercury Rev

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • The Secret Migration ~ Mercury Rev

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Product details

  • Audio CD (1 Sep 2000)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: V2
  • ASIN: B0000246KA
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 18,969 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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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

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

That Mercury Rev avoided a messy, chemically-assisted burnout in the middle of the 1990s is remarkable; that they should return in 1998 with an album as fine as Deserter's Songs is almost unfeasible. But working by the old adage that "what does not kill us makes us stronger", Deserter's Songs is an album of unparalleled scope. Drawing on the legacy of America's pioneers and the nascent scenes of folk-rock and psychedelia, Mercury Rev have formed a living, breathing piece of heritage. "Holes" is dizzied in America's vast scope, and warmed by woodwind instruments, mellotrons and a Wurlitzer organ. It sounds like a beautiful climax, but it's only the first song, and there's better to come, what with the weathered "Goddess On A Hiway" and "Opus 40". Deserter's Songs is one of the essential American albums at the end of the 1990s. It's hard to see that they--or anyone--can top it. --Louis Pattison


CD Description

A touching, majestic gem of a record, DESERTER'S SONGS raises the bar not just for Mercury Rev themselves, but orchestrated pop in general. There's a timelessness to both the compositions and the arrangements here. Grand sonic visions are realised with horns, keyboards, strings, even a bowed saw! No matter how big the sound gets, though, it's all carefully controlled, and the cinematic scope enhances the songs, rather than obscuring them. Simple--but never blunt--lyrics benefit from an infectious melodicism that speaks to the pop songcraft skills Mercury Rev has mastered. The sweeping scale of DESERTER'S SONGS never denies the small, intimate pleasures that pop up from song to song, as the band combines psychedelia, '60s pop, Flaming Lips-ish indie rock and a homey folk-rock sound (the Band's Garth Hudson and Levon Helm even appear here) for a masterpiece of epic proportions.

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Eerie mix of Disney sounds and black-hearted America, 7 Feb 2000
By A Customer
This is an album that you hear and say "they can't be serious, can they?" as you listen to the singer's strangely cartoon like voice and impossibly twee mellotrons and ultra high strings. It's only when you listen to the complex orchestrations that you begin to realise this band is indeed serious. "Deserters Songs" sounds like candy but tastes like something darker, giving us glimpses of an american landscape full of despair, humour and hope. It's an emotional ride, and has the feeling of albums like OK Computer and Achtung Baby, that drift along and leave hundreds of layers of meaning, saying far more than they suggest but never appearing to be pretentiously profound. It even ends with a good ol' downhome footbanger in Delta Blues Stomp, that lifts the spirit and leaves you with a reflective, exciting and technically superb album.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The most important band of the decade!, 5 Oct 1999
By A Customer
This is possibly the most important band of the decade and thensome, they come from New York and surrounding areas. They began in a front room playing guitars to a wild life program about rivers, I know you cant believe it either but its true. They started with David Fridmann mostly on vocals with Jonathan Donahue on backup vocals Dave brought the more phycadelic side of Mercury Rev out while Jonathan aimed for a more commercial angle. Dave soon departed and Jonathan took over and they have gone from obscurity to absolute geniuses. I have to say it I personally think this is the best album of 1998/1999. Deserter's Songs is the predecessor of 'See You On The Other Side' this is the most refreshing album you will hear, Jonathan is a lyrical master with such words as 'Like a wave along the coast I feel the highs and the lows'. The opening song for the album is 'Holes' which shows Jonathan is in the right place and able to pull of playing guitar as well as singing. Singles of this album are 'Goddess on a Hiway, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp and Opus 40'. All you need to know is this is one of the most important albums of all time, if this was on a scoring system they would get 20 out of 10. This band deserves your attention I rest my case.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic, 28 April 2001
By Brockie (Bath, UK) - See all my reviews
I don't really understand people who wrote reviews for this album and didn't like it or get it. And how could you ever say anything like the Wannadies are better? It is true, if the kind of music that gets you going is the kind of drawl found on a over-produced Nsync or Britney Spears album then you'll find no joy for your narrow mind here. This album is a classic and should be on every normal persons playlist, just give it time, all the great albums are growers, if you want throw-away-pop look elsewhere, this album will be with you forever. I like all the tracks except Hudson Line which to be fair, was written by Grasshopper. I actually liked Funny Bird, quite an emotional song I thought and my fave off the album, Bottleneck Stomp isn't too bad either. You really have rate this as an album and not a collection of hits. The whole thing flows effortlessly as if it is one big piece of work, not some drab album thrown together with the one hit single and a few album fillers - like you see alot these days. It's atmospheric, it's beautiful, it's like the woman you love, only better. I wouldn't like to compare it to anything else, cause to me, Rev are Rev but if you like Radiohead, Grandaddy or even the Chemical Brothers you will probably like this. These bands might even have been influenced by early rev...buy it and look for the new album this year..
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Record
It can suit any mood, any time of day, any age group, etc. This really is one of best records of the past 20 years. No doubt about it. Read more
Published 23 months ago by G. Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars There's No Running Away From This
Not sure how you explain this CD to people not familiar with Mercury Rev. Brilliant, Innovative, Defined, Inspirational, Refreshing............ Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2007 by Music Man

5.0 out of 5 stars How does that ol' song go.....
Arrived hear via The Flaming Lips & now I don't wish to desert this box of delights for some time.... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2007 by There'd be plenty of stars And...

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
It takes a while to get used to the voice, but when you do it takes you places. I equate MR songs with a favourite book, every time you go back to them you enjoy them and you find... Read more
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5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleasant change
It is nice to find that there are people making music out there which isn't entirely based upon post-punk cranked up guitars. Read more
Published on 19 Jul 2006 by Robert O. Davidson

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a dream!
Yep, Mercury Rev are one of those bands for the small hours, perfectly capturing that hazy state inbetween conciousness and sleep. Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2005 by Elliot Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars a stonewall classic from 1998...
I considered it my duty to write a review of this album in order to boost its overall star rating which is low due to some clueless numpties slagging it off. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2005 by dimorphodon

1.0 out of 5 stars Buy some old Supertramp instead...
This is a sad place for a once great and original band to end up. 'See You On The Other Side' hinted at the bad things to come, but managed to maintain a modicum of dignity. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2004 by N. Barnden

1.0 out of 5 stars The king is in the altogether.....................
This is simply the worst album I have ever purchased (on the recommendation of an erstwhile friend who told me that I would love it!).
Where do I start? Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars a beautiful album, but ends with an embaressing conclusion
brought on the basis of liking godess on a hi-way, an amazingly euphoric and melodic song, i was surprisingly pleased with the rest of the album. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2001 by cate_182@yahoo.co.uk

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