Mercury Rev - See You on the Other Side

The quirky American alternative rock group's 1995 album, out of print in the U.S. Eight tracks. Album Description

An Absolute Masterpiece

This is Mercury Rev's greatest work and an all time classic, This album trancends all genres. This is pure bliss. No filler. I heard that it sold squat and fell below the radar. A true miscarriage of justice. I have NEVER heard a greater song than Empire State. Hey Jon and Grassy - Make more like this! February 25, 2008

START your Engines for this REVVED >> Up Gem!

Mercury Rev has been a Band I have been paying more attention to recently.
Every single one of their releases (that I have heard) have been pure and an exciting joy! to listen to. From "Yerself Is Steam" to "Deserter's Songs" as I am not too familiar with their later work ('00s) but I soon will be. As there is ALWAYS a surprise ( a thumbs up one) with each and every listen. My mind just melts at times and my smile is closer to reaching the bottoms of my Ears! and I tell you check out "See You On the Other Side" possibly first- as it is my favorite; which first came out in 1995 right in between two purely different albums in "Boces" and 1998s "Deserter's Songs" <- where you could almost call them a late '90s Pop - Psychadelic Rock Band). "D.S." More Poppy for Sure!.. but just as Delightful as THIS ONE which may be on a whole 'nother level than most of the music you may have been listening to on the Radio and (Blech!) MTV 12 years ago when this first came out (at least I mostly was).
I know I wasn't listening to such an Amazing Epic as this when it was new. My tastes were a lot more immature back then and got into the punk and pop I saw on the television,(like Greenday..or even Blink). Well Led Zeppelin and The Beatles too.
Anyways back to Mercury Rev-
"See You On the Other Side" - Is a more Extreme and a glistening Jazzed Up Mesh Mash of Psyche-Like Rock and Exploding Bubble sound effects!...and that is just in the Wonderful Opener "Empire State" (!)
....And START Up your Engines for the next Cosmic-gem as "Empire State" bleeds into the 2nd song: "Young Man's Stride" - a more in-your-face type of POP-ROCK PUNCH!...as the chorus repeats over & over and goes: "STRIDE TO KICK BACK" - stridin' to kick back>>>-just to set you back a few notches. Now (3rd track) - a more Summery laid-back tune in "Sudden Ray of Hope" - Ahhh a sweet breath in each and every moment until it turns on you...stops your heart for a second ...for a Much faster wreck of guitar sonic Flare and then off to the trumpets, simply magical with sweet substance.
And The vocals are TOP NOTCH and inviting all the way through from beginning to end.
Another Beauty is towards the end of "See You On the Other Side" is track 7 (of 8) titled: "Kiss From An Old Flame" - Singing in a psyhadelic swirl of imagination vacations, singing of rainbows - moons - and love;- "Walk into the scarlet night" ) possibly my favorite track. Even though it's hard to say. Too bad I don't have The Japanese version which contains a Bonus Track 9 in "Cartwheel" clocking in at just over 7 minutes. If you can find the Japanese import of "See You On The Other Side" I suggest you get it! If it's within your budget.
I am still learning a lot in this psychadelic genre buying a lot more of the earlier Psychadelic bands(with some help from a friend or two) in the '60s and '70s...
I do believe MERCURY REV are a Good Updated version of The Originators.
Also one of the Better Rockin' Bands of the '90s and BEYOND!
....Deserter's Songs would also get 5 stars from me.
...Excuse me I have to take another Trip into Space..."Where I Land don't care to know" (Closer: "Peaceful Night" )*

May 3, 2007

Psychedelic masterpiece from the 90s

I remember Mercury Rev playing on the side stage, of I believe the third Lolapalooza, and I thought, "Cool, pretty heavy, very grungy." I had NO IDEA. It wasnt until I heard this album, and then Boces, that i realized what they were about. Some of the Deepest, most textured psychedelic, you will ever want to hear. You almost have to be altered, to get it all in. Layer upon layer of sax, flute, mellotrones, vocals, and on and on. The first song, EMPIRE STATE, comes across a bit harder, than the rest of the album, which sort of rocks you into a peaceful, dreamy voyage of sorts. I hear hints of krautrock, Pink Floyd, that neo-psychedelic new wave,(Lene Lovich, Camper Van Beethovan, Legendary Pink Dots, etc.) and of course, fushion jazz. I often thing, that maybe some of the best music, was made in that 67-79 period, but then, really, there will always be a handful of great bands, dishing out the truth, with an acid edge, no matter what year it is, so long as that Band lives in a freedom loving society, that supports experimentation, and the voices whispering on the edge "BE REAL INDIVIDUALS---BE AWARE---EVOLVE---LOVE--OPEN YOUR EARS AND EYES----LOOK DEEPER, hear more details. Because the Truth is ALWAYS found in the details, and the plurality of an artists vision. MERCURY REV SHOWS THIS HERE, and on BOCES. Sure, they mellowed out later. I respect that. But, start here, to find out about the band. January 26, 2006

See ya!

Once upon a time, there was a band called Mercury Rev, who made some of the best Ye Olde Rock'n'Rolle in the music world.

But long before Mercury Rev began making Ye Olde Rock'n'Rolle, they made sometimes noisy, more often brilliant psychedelica. Rich, panoramic music is paired with some truly entrancing songwriting, making this among their best albums to date.

Somebody plays chopsticks as the album opens, with Jonathan Donahue intoning softly, "I stabbed myself back into the night/One heel in front, one heel behind/Life in the Empire State/Angels and devils before my eyes..." I think it's meant to be a "first time in New York" story-song, especially when the horns, rhythm and bass all explode in a mad parody of city traffic.

Things only get better with the following songs: swirling pop songs, explosive bass-rockers that Queens of the Stone Age wouldn't be ashamed of, and hilariously eerie little jazz-edged numbers. It follows the initial arrival at the Empire State Building, getting used to the place, first mature love, losing virginity, and watching the sun rise after a wild night. And finally Donahue and Co. end the album with "Peaceful Night," a fatigued-sounding jazz ballad.

Mercury Rev's more recent works have been more fantastical in nature. But "See You On The Other Side" predates that, with a very different theme: Growing up in the city. The entire album reflects that, from the jazzy piano and brass to the sound of traffic and sirens.

At the same time, it has the sweet feeling of being dazzled by the bright lights and exuberent nightlight. "With a wink from a starlet's eye a string of pearls come to life," Donahue sings softly, sounding almost overwhelmed by the music. "Who knows what black and crazy thoughts swim inside a girlfriend's heart?/No brighter jewel is there above than the gem of a girl still in love..."

Mercury Rev's thick, layered sound is in full force here, with thick layers of guitars, bass, bowed saw and wurtlizer, along with electric piano and sweeping strings. It's a credit to their talents that they can convey both the beauty and the chaos of a major city like New York, all through instrumental music.

"See You On The Other Side" is among Mercury Rev's most exceptional albums, and for this band, that's saying something. Beautiful, wrenching and bittersweet. August 4, 2005

Rollercoaster ride of a journey

As the stratospheric album cover ensigna suggests, this album will carry the listener to dizzying heights of transcendental euphoria and leave him/her gasping for more. Instrumentally more discplined than previous efforts they keep the sonic over indulgence that obscured "Bounces" underlying greatness, to a minimum on this record. The net result is powerfull rollercoaster ride of an album which, despite seemingly threatening to spontaneously implode at any given moment, never falls of the tracks. Highlights include the opening tracks wonderful Cale-esque piano anthem 'Empire State'. 'Racing The Tide' is a great rambling ode of self delivery sung with overpowering belief and conviction. 'Young Mans Stride' is easily the albums standout track and an abiding testimony to this groups immortal nature. Who else but the Rev can create a song that gesticulates between a blistering astro funk guitar riff one minute only to morph into a dreamy psychedelic soundscape the next without sounding even faintly ridiculous? Instead of waiting the twenty odd years it will enevitably take for this album to acquire it's status as a transcendental classic I would beseech the intelligent listener to buy beg/borrow/steel this album now! March 18, 2001

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