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At the end of January, four years after their previous "All Is Dream", the new CD by Mercury Rev, "The Secret Migration", was released.
From the very first listen, you can notice that the band has toned down the "hypnotic" elements of their style and returned to a more genuine rock, but without the noisy excesses of their early productions. At the expense of the dreamy and grand orchestrations in "All Is Dream" (still remembered here with "Diamonds"), the new album features rolling rhythms and sudden openings, although hints of their characteristic lullabies, a major imprint from their previous work, are still present. Some tracks begin gently with just piano and voice, with a pounding bass and drums entering after a few bars, as in "In The Wilderness", perhaps the most notable piece.
Aside from the highly listenable opening single "Secret for a Song", the following "Across yer ocean", and the magnificent pop of "In A Funny Way" (already in the soundtrack of "Laurel Canyon"), the standout features of the new tracks that immediately catch the ear are the soothing harmony of "Moving On", and the driving, rolling power of "Arise". "Vermillion" combines the dual nature of the album by mixing rhythmic strength and harmonies, while in "First-time Mother's Joy" and the concluding "Down Poured The Heavens" you can sense how the leader is carrying out an earnest study as a songwriter, without giving up melodic structure and primarily aiming to paint a refined pop on the canvas of experimentation.
Unfortunately, the album's flaw is tracks like "My Love", "The Climbing Rose", and "Black Forest (Lorelei)", which sound repetitive and ultimately seem like unnecessary and boring fillers. After such a long wait, one might have expected a more varied and committed work, where the symphonic aspect of their style would still be highlighted.
Live, the band, hired as the opening act for Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, performs the tracks with their usual energy and a scenographic sound spirit, where you can immediately grasp the versatility of the musicians (the leader and guitarist Grasshopper do very well with the harmonica) and the exceptional skill of the drummer. The band's website has also been completely revamped for this release, with new sections and graphics.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Secret for a Song (04:01)
Dawn brought a wild light, back into her tired eyes,
Like violets, opening her eyelids to the light,
Oh she was golden, I caught her still glowing,
I told you where we're goin' girl,
We're off for a dark country ride
I'll tell you a secret, I'll sell you a secret for a song,
Some day I'll tell you and take you back home where you belong
All the leaves are falling, Two suns are slowly rising,
I'll take you where the morning star burns just for you,
My dark country bride
I'll tell you a secret, oh I'll sell you a secret for a song,
I'll give you my soul, babe, an one day you'll give me yours
Oh I'll tell you a secret, I'll sell you my secret for a song,
I'll give you my soul, babe, an one day you'll give me yours
I'll tell you a secret, I'll sell you my secret for a song,
Some day I'll tell you and take you back home where you belong
03 Diamonds (03:51)
Look how the sun, captured by the rain,
Glimmers and falls, and lands in golden balls,
Like a bracelet hung, from a spider's web,
For me to show to you, like gifts,
That you won't forget...
For as long as you live...
See how the rain, captured by the leaves,
Shimmers and falls, and lives on in diamond balls,
Like a necklace hung, over limb and branch,
For me to show to you, like gifts,
That you won't forget...
For as long as you live...
Watch how the stars, captured by the sky,
Appear to die, before our eyes and live on, in other ways,
Well tonite they're mine, for me to show,
For me to shower you, like gifts,
That you won't forget...
For as long as you live...
And you will always have...
For I will always give them...
To you
04 Black Forest (Lorelei) (04:46)
If I was a white horse...an offered you a ride...
Thru a black forest
If we took a strange course...promised you a danger...
For a while
Ooh-ooh (..a white horse)...Lorelei
Ooh-ooh (..a white horse)...Lorelei
There's no way 'round the forest...the only way is thru
An' there's no way I'll ever make it on my own..without you
But if you are persuaded...by all those dragonflies offering you a ride...
I'll know why
Ooh-ooh (..a white horse)...Lorelei
Ooh-ooh (..a white horse)...I'll know why
I'll know why
Forests come in all size...danger many shapes...
Well who's to say
If I was a white horse...offered you a ride...
Thru a black forest
06 In the Wilderness (02:32)
Has she found a way to make her man work out rite,
An' has she found a way to let her man into her life,
Has she found a way to teach her man some control,
Oh to make him understand her, as a whole,
Will she find a way to tell him just how lost she is,
An' will he find a way to lead her out of the wilderness,
Take her by surprise, and not by force,
Oh able to withstand, all her storms,
In the wilderness..things aren't what they seem,
In the wilderness..life is but a dream,
That flows on..that flows on...
Will he find a way to let her play such a sacred role,
Will she find a way to forgive him as a whole,
Oh how can he have been so blind for so long,
An' how can the woman I love, be so strong
In the wilderness..things aren't what they seem,
In the wilderness..life is but a dream,
That flows on..that flows on...
07 In a Funny Way (04:01)
On a summer day you can hear her call,
But in a funny way she reminds you of the fall,
On a summer day you can hear her call,
But in a funny way she reminds you of the fall,
Thru the fields an the streams an the lakes an the trees,
An the grass an the logs run all my dogs,
And I am home again
In the autumn air,
You can see her smile,
But in a funny way she reminds you of a child,
In the autumn air,
You feel her soul unfold,
And in a funny way you feel your own explode,
Thru the fields an the streams an the lakes an the trees,
An the grass an the logs run all my dogs,
And I am home again
Ahhhh Ahhhh
Ahhhh Ahhhh
On a winter day,
You can hear her call,
But in a funny way when the snow begins to fall
On a winter day,
You can hear her call,
And in a funny way,
You love her even more
Thru the fields an the streams an the lakes an the trees,
An the grass an the logs run all my dogs,
And I am home again
Thru the fields an the streams an the lakes an the trees,
An the grass an the logs run all my dogs,
And I am home again
On a summer day you can hear her call,
But in a funny way she reminds you of the fall,
On a summer day you can hear her call,
But in a funny way she reminds you of the fall
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Other reviews
By josi_
The CD packaging is a true little book... it really resembles an ancient book of fairy tales.
The tales of Mercury Rev are 'sonic', full of supernatural sounds: carpets of strings, polished glimmers, Jonathan’s ethereal voice.
By zaireeka
It is indeed a flat, boring, and formulaic album.
For the rest, it’s truly hard to get to the end, as the songs resemble each other and are shapeless and devoid of ideas.
