The Light In You—Mercury Rev’s 10th full-length and first in seven years—picks up where 2008’s Snowflake Midnight left off, with stalwart founders Jonathan Donahue and Grasshopper drawing inspiration from nature and the Rubik’s Cube of love in equal measure. There is a strong autumnal vibe about the affair—a modern Days Of Future Passed, complete with sweeping orchestral touches and wistful remembrances by the fistful. When the band’s “psychedelic rock and blue-eyed soul” finds its groove, it’s still a breathless wonder to behold. Mercury Rev will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read out MAGNET Classics feature on the band’s Yerself Is Steam.
Grasshopper: The Tin Men are a three-piece band: “America’s premier sousaphone, washboard and guitar trio,” according to their website. Their fourth album, On The Shady Side, was produced by Mark Bingham, who has also produced music by such diverse artists as Glenn Branca, Flat Duo Jets, Ed Sanders, John Scofield and Andrei Codrescu. The Tin Men hail from New Orleans. They are an American treasure; for more than a decade they have been exploring music from jug band to swing, gospel to calypso, New Orleans R&B to Motown, Sun Ra to Led Zepplin. The trio consists of Washboard Chaz (vocals, percussion), Matt Perrine (sousaphone) and Alex McMurray (guitar, vocals). Alex had previously played with the band Royal Fingerbowl. These guys can set a room on fire without a match or lighter fluid. All four of their albums are fantastic, and to see them live is like traveling to The Saturn Bar when every day is like Mardi-Gras on moonshine.
Video after the jump.
