On Deadwings and Secret Migrations

I went into our two main CD stores on the downtown strip today. Both stores had Deadwing prominently displayed right up front in the 'new releases' section of the store. Was I ever surprised to see it there. And...one of the stores even had it set up at a listening station! The guy at the cash register told me that I was about the 10th person buying it this morning. Hmmmm...maybe we had better not wait much longer to buy our tickets to see them next month.

On another note, I gave a listen to Mercury Rev's The Secret Migration. I've heard y'all talk about this band here (well, seen more than heard :) ) but I've only heard whatever was on comps received. So, I picked up the headphones at a listening station and give this disk a little test drive. I LOVED what I heard!!!! I didn't want to pay the $21 they wanted for the import, but when it hits us locally in May, I'll be picking this up for sure.

Other purchases today...
Ryan Adams - Gold
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Los Lonely Boys
Al Stewart - Past, Present and Future

Yeah, that new Mercury Rev is pretty nice, but not without some big flaws for me. I got it at the end of January when it came out in the UK but haven't talked about it much since it's not released here. I did sneak a couple songs on my Monkey Bones comp (well, only one snuck on as a late addition at the end, the other is smack in the middle :)). My main complaint about it is that it seems kind of lightweight in comparison to their last two albums, both of which I like more than this one. The themes all seem to revolve around the same topic of love and loss, but without much in the way of passion or quirkiness. No weird instrumental interludes or lyrical phrases that leave me in awe this time. Vocals are a tad better technically than in the past, but at the expense of some of the quivering, creaky emotion. Lyrics are a let down this time. Just doesn't grip me the way they have in the past when they explored odder topics, and did so with much more profundity. Too normal, I guess. But it's still Mercury Rev and I still like it, even with the flaws, just don't love it. Awful cover too, although I think that I did remark once that it looks a little better in the flesh. Still, it's 2005, not the hippie 60s with butterflys morphing into humans, for crying out loud! This is your brain on drugs....

Deserter's Songs will always be the one I like best in this later series of four albums, for its novel mix of the Band's big pink Americana and Pink Floyd's dark side of the Beatles. And the enchanting, child-like dreaminess of All Is Dream has always been special to me too. I think your brother has both of those (or at least did at one time). But you may like the new one best since it made such a favorable impression. Ask Jar which one is best - he'll say something about your self esteem, and maybe mention car wash hair ;)

I see you fritter away, slow as a glacier makes its way down to the Rhine...

I'm suprised Secret Migration hasn't generated more buzz amongst the more prog orientated crew. I can imagine Demetrio absolutely loving it.

I like it a lot... probably not as much as All Is Dream but then I loved that one. You should be able to find that at a reasonable price.

Chris.

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Originally Posted by chrisnz

I'm suprised Secret Migration hasn't generated more buzz amongst the more prog orientated crew. I can imagine Demetrio absolutely loving it.

I like it a lot... probably not as much as All Is Dream but then I loved that one. You should be able to find that at a reasonable price.

Chris.

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I think some of the lack of buzz may be due to the import price. $21.99 in the store, a deal considering Amazon.ca's price of $34.99!!! Amazon has it listed at only $14.99 once the domestic version is released on May 17. Or $18.99 for the "bonus CD". Hmmmmm. I wonder what the bonus is?

You'll hear me buzzing after May 17. :)