Mercury Rev released a new CD last week - their first since 2001's All is Dream.

There aren't many bands left that will generate that giddy anticipation for me when I hear about a new record in the works. Since their achingly beautiful and cathartic Deserter's Songs (1998), Mercury Rev has been one of those bands.

And they don't disappoint live either. I caught them opening for Wilco a few years back at the Fillmore in San Francisco. It was grand and affected and slightly goth and everything else abhorred by all of my Bay Area indie friends. It was fucking great.

I'm checking out the new one on Rhapsody right now. So far, so good:
Whiny vocals - check
Pregnant vocal pauses - yep
Build into crashing cymbals that gives way to a naked piano - there she blows
Murky guitar solo that slowly makes its way to the top of the guitar neck - here it comes

Ah. Another Mercury Rev record.