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Mercury Rev
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Mercury Rev

Mercury Rev formed in Buffalo, New York in 1989, with early members including Dave Fridmann, Jonathan Donahue, Grasshopper, and Suzanne Thorpe. Their first...

album63 lyric pages photo_library1 photo groups12 listeners here now Editor's note live
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
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Editor's note

Mercury Rev's psychedelic folk turned chamber pop

A Buffalo band that started with acoustic folk and ended up layering electronic textures into their sound.

If you want to get a feel for them, put on 'Across Yer Ocean' or maybe 'Spiders And Flies.' That's where their sound lands for me.

They've always been a little hard to pin down, which is part of the appeal. You can hear it in the way 'Across Yer Ocean' builds its atmosphere, or how their early work mixed folk with noise. They've drawn collaborators like Brian Eno and faced a lawsuit from Nick Drake's estate, which tells you something about where their heads were at.

They formed in Buffalo in 1989, with Dave Fridmann and Jonathan Donahue in the lineup. Their first album, 'Yerself Is Steam,' had that folk-psychedelic blend, but later records like 'Deserter's Songs' leaned into chamber pop and electronics.

edit_note Ethan Walker · LyroVerse team · Apr 20
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63 lyric pages live 1 photo available Editor's note live Video on page
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Mercury Rev
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Mercury Rev formed in Buffalo, New York in 1989, with early members including Dave Fridmann, Jonathan Donahue, Grasshopper, and Suzanne Thorpe. Their first album, 'Yerself Is Steam,' mixed acoustic folk with psychedelic textures. Over time, their sound shifted to include electronic elements and chamber pop, heard on later records like 'Boces' and 'Deserter's Songs.'

Songs like 'Holes' and 'The Dark Is Rising' show their blend of experimental soundscapes and introspective lyrics. Dave Fridmann produced and engineered many of their albums, while Jonathan Donahue handled vocals and guitar work. They've worked with other musicians including Brian Eno, David Bowie, and Yoko Ono.

At one point, the band faced a lawsuit from Nick Drake's estate over their use of his song 'Time Has Told Me.' Their music has drawn both praise for its avant-garde qualities and criticism for being obscure or difficult to access.

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Where should I start with Mercury Rev on LyroVerse?

The Start here section opens with Across Yer Ocean, Bronx Cheer, and Everlasting Arm so you can move through the artist's stronger lyric pages first.

How many lyric pages are live for Mercury Rev?

LyroVerse currently has 63 visible lyric pages for Mercury Rev.

Does Mercury Rev have photos on LyroVerse?

Yes. There are 1 photo available, and the preview gallery on this page links to the full photos section.

Does LyroVerse have an editor's note for Mercury Rev?

Yes. The editor's note on this page is a short LyroVerse team guide, not a final verdict on the artist.

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