MERCURY REV-Holes & The Red Ballon (French Oscar short)

Post by **jamestkirk** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:56 pm

Mercury Rev
...not an album that isn't a 4 or 5 star masterwork...pretty damn good stuff.

Any fans?

All Is Dream-full album play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq46txSX6Cg

Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York.[1] Original personnel were David Baker (vocals), Jonathan Donahue (vocals, guitars), Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a. "Grasshopper" (guitars, clarinet), Suzanne Thorpe (flute), Dave Fridmann (bass) and Jimy Chambers (drums).

albums

Yerself Is Steam
Released: 14 May 1991 (re-issued in 1999)
Label: Jungle Records/Columbia
- - - - - - -
Boces
Released: 1 June 1993
Label: Beggars Banquet Records
- - - - - -
See You on the Other Side
Released: 19 September 1995
Label: Beggars Banquet Records
- - - - - - -
Deserter's Songs
Released: 29 September 1998
Label: V2
- - - - - - - -
All Is Dream
Released: 11 September 2001
Label: V2
- - - - - - -
he Secret Migration
Released: 24 January 2005
Label: V2
- - - - - - -
Snowflake Midnight
Released: 29 September 2008
Label: V2/Yep Roc

The first years with David Baker

With their early records, Mercury Rev offered experimental, psychedelic rock, which gradually shifted to a melodic, ornate sound. Mercury Rev is often compared to The Flaming Lips,and in fact share close ties: soon after the band's formation, Donahue also joined the Flaming Lips as second guitarist and appeared on two of their albums; and since the 1990 album In a Priest Driven Ambulance, Dave Fridmann has co-produced every Flaming Lips studio album to date except 1993's Transmissions from the Satellite Heart.

Despite considerable critical acclaim, their early releases never gave Mercury Rev more than cult popularity, though they appeared on the smaller second stage at some 1993 Lollapalooza stops. Baker left after their second record, Boces (1993), citing musical and personal disputes; he later recorded an album as Shady. With his departure, the thematically darker and musically experimental features of the band began to disappear.

Transitional period

The band's first post-Baker album, See You on the Other Side (1995), found them in transition. The album was varied: Like the first releases, it still featured a sprawling psychedelic opening track and noise rock numbers like Young Man's Stride (for which a music video released), but also more melodic songs, such as Sudden Ray of Hope.

The same year the group also recorded and released the album Paralyzed Mind Of The Archangel Void under the moniker "Harmony Rockets". This album features a single forty minutes track of mostly instrumental psychedelic improvised music. It was rated four and half stars, out of five, by AllMusic. The group performed it again in the Don't Look Back concert series in 2009.

Wide critical and commercial success

The 1998 release of the acclaimed Deserter's Songs (which featured appearances by Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of The Band) made Mercury Rev unexpected pop stars. In the UK, NME magazine made Deserter's Songs their Album of the Year. Donahue's earnest, high-pitched vocals and concentration on relatively concise, melodic songs gave the band's material an entirely new feel and much increased popularity (Deserter's Songs spawned three UK Top 40 singles).[13]

All Is Dream was issued in 2001. It included, "The Dark is Rising," which reached No. 16 in the UK Singles Chart

Later years

Mercury Rev's The Secret Migration was released on January 24, 2005. This was followed up in 2006, by a compilation album, The Essential Mercury Rev: Stillness Breathes 1991-2006 and the film soundtrack album Hello Blackbird. More recently, the band released a pair of albums on September 29, 2008: Snowflake Midnight, and a free MP3 album of instrumentals, Strange Attractor.

Post by **jamestkirk** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:56 pm

Deserter's Songs (The Movie)...full album play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwC8OqBMUEI

The world wasn’t exactly waiting for another Mercury Rev record. -- Mercury Rev frontman Jonathan Donahue

When Mercury Rev returned home from touring behind their 1995 album See You on the Other Side, they were a band in disarray. Sales of See You had been disappointing and, as a result, the band had requested to be dropped from their label. To make matters worse, the band’s manager was gone, longtime drummer Jimy Chambers had left the band, their lawyers had recently been let go, and Mercury Rev was in debt. As frontman Jonathan Donahue slid into a deep depression, communication between the band members was virtually non-existent.

In the depths of his depression, Donahue began listening to some of his favorite childhood records, including Tale Spinners For Children, a collection of spoken-word fairy tales set to classical music. Influenced by this decidedly non-rock musical source, the frontman started composing and recording simple melodies on the piano. These demo recordings would prove to be the first steps in the new direction Mercury Rev would take on Deserter’s Songs.

Donahue was approached at this time by The Chemical Brothers and asked to play on a song of theirs called “The Private Psychedelic Reel”. Shocked that someone not only remembered Mercury Rev but also wanted to collaborate, Donahue enthusiastically dove into the project. It would be the boost that he needed to restore his confidence and focus on making music again.

Following his Chemical Brothers collaboration, Donahue reached out to Mercury Rev guitarist Sean “Grasshopper” Mackiowiak, and the two began sharing and recording musical ideas. Donahue has since revealed that creating Deserter’s Songs was more about reestablishing his friendship with Grasshopper (whom he considered his best friend) than anything else. Grasshopper also mentioned that both men were struggling with drugs and relationships at the time.

I think it’s special because that was the one that brought us back from the brink. -- Mercury Rev guitarist Sean “Grasshopper” Mackiowiak on Deserter's Songs

By this time, Donahue and Grasshopper had relocated to the Catskill Mountains, where the writing and recording of Deserter’s Songs would ensue over the next six months. Two of the first songs written, “Opus 40” and “The Hudson Line”, referenced their new Catskill surroundings. “The Hudson Line” in particular detailed Grasshopper leaving New York City (and its temptations) to spend a month in a Jesuit retreat house in upstate New York. The Catskill influence was only solidified when Garth Hudson and Levon Helm from The Band - who lived in the area - joined the recording sessions.

The song “Goddess On A Hiway” was originally written by Donahue in 1989 while he was still a member of The Flaming Lips. The song had been largely forgotten until it was found on an old cassette tape during the Deserter’s sessions. Donahue was reluctant to work on the old song, and had to be convinced by Grasshopper to resurrect it for the album. "Goddess" would later be released as a single.

Thematically, the songs written and recorded for the album explored the act of leaving - of “walking away”, as Donahue explained. And indeed, with the band members sensing that the end was near, the album was intended to be something of an farewell from Mercury Rev.

Midway through recording, the band signed to V2 Records. Their new record label, fully aware of Mercury Rev’s unpredictable and chaotic past, cautiously began funneling money to the band piecemeal to complete the album.

After laying down the basic tracks for Deserter’s, the band then spent two months at Tarbox Road studio, recording string arrangements and mixing the album with one-time band member Dave Fridmann. It was at this moment that the band’s sound was completely re-imagined. Whereas on previous albums, the band would flesh out basic tracks with layers of distortion and guitars, this time classical music instruments - strings, horns, and woodwinds - were used instead of guitars.

The album was mastered to 35mm magnetic film for fidelity purposes. Producer Fridmann explained that this unique process gave the music an intentionally “weird sound”, while enhancing the “cinematic bent” of the music.

Post by **jamestkirk** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:57 pm

Yerself Is Steam 1991....full album play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfGyVgawdSA

Post by **jamestkirk** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:58 pm

The Secret Migration...full album
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1VhCB3L ... 63821A043D

Post by **jamestkirk** » Fri Sep 13, 2013 2:03 pm

As brilliant a set of covers I've heard (of songs of my favorites).

Upon the album's release, a 6-track promo EP was issued, featuring covers recorded as B-sides from live recording sessions. The EP was bundled with copies of the album sold at Best Buy stores.

"He Was a Friend of Mine" (Bob Dylan) – 3:36
"Motion Pictures" (Neil Young) – 3:28
"Silver Street" (Nikki Sudden, Dave Kusworth) – 4:41
"Philadelphia" (Neil Young) – 3:07
"I Only Have Eyes for You" (featuring Sean O'Hagan) (Harry Warren, Al Dubin) – 4:22
"Caroline Says Pt. II" (Lou Reed) – 3:33

Some brilliant covers of Rev's influences...Jimmy Fallon look out!

LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmyel5pkZaI

Philadelphia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKdRuk_MEeY

Cortez The Killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6wXy4Ra40g

Caroline Says Pt. 2 (Lou Reed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGgwpTcRBwA

Motion Pictures (brilliant Neil cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJK774Q7HIM

He Was A Friend Of Mine (Dylan cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQK0sjczECs

Post by **jamestkirk** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:07 pm

Goddess On A Highway...great music...strange vid...hmmmm, wha?! Still cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xJbEoc5sDw

..................................................

HOLES...always compelling videos-this from the French film The Red Balloon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_2c_E_c-U0

..................................................

Mercury Rev - Holes
Ablum: Deserter's Songs (1998)

Movie: Le ballon rouge (The Red Ballon)

The Red Balloon (French: Le Ballon rouge) is a 1956 fantasy short film directed by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse.

The thirty-four minute short, which follows the adventures of a young boy who one day finds a sentient, mute, red balloon, was filmed in the Ménilmontant neighborhood of Paris, France.

It won numerous awards, including an Oscar for Lamorisse for writing the best original screenplay in 1956 and the Palme d'Or for short films at Cannes. The film also became popular with children and educators.

Lamorisse used his children as actors in the film. His son, Pascal Lamorisse, plays Pascal in the main role, and his daughter Sabine portrays a little girl.