If It's Too Loud...

Mercury Rev are one of those bands I always enjoy every time I hear them, and pledge to listen to more. I enjoyed Deserter's Songs when it came out during my college years, and "Goddess on a Hiway" is an obvious classic. They always seem to have come off and on my radar over the years, and somehow I've never actually seen them live. Thursday night that all changed when they made their way to Brighton Music Hall. The most surprising thing about Mercury Rev was just how great they were live. In 2025, they're an incredibly tight live unit that play off each other effortlessly. Singer/frontman Jonathan Donahue seems to conduct the band throughout the set, giving a feeling of spontaneity a lot of bands don't seem to take advantage of. On albums, Mercury Rev is a relatively reserved and laid back band. Live they amp up the rock factor. A lot of bands do that, and few can pull it off without it seeming true to their music. With Mercury Rev, it feels more natural, lik...

Photo by Ken Sears Green River Festival 2016 Mercury Rev are probably not the most obvious choice to release a full album of Bobbie Gentry covers. Psychedelic indie rock and the classic 60's and 70's country star may seem like an odd pairing, but if their version of "Sermon" is any indication, this could be an early candidate for Album of the Year. The Delta Sweete Revisited (covering the entirety of 1968's concept album  The Delta Sweete ) has Mercury Rev pairing with a different singer for each song. For "Sermon," they join with Gentry superfan Margo Price. The result is near perfection. Mercury Rev fills the song with a shoegaze level of backing fuzz mixed with rhinestone country while Price's vocals soar above the whole mixture. It's somehow very fitting to the original while completely re-imagining the song.  You can listen to Mercury Rev and Margo Price's cover of "Sermon" below. The Delta Sweete Revisited will be out Fe...

Album of the Week : Artist : Mal Blum Album : You Look a Lot Like Me Quick Description : First album on Don Giovanni from the indie rock singer-songwriter, produced by Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females. Why You Should Listen : It's unlike anything released as of late; you enjoy up-front vocals and confessional-style songwriting. Overall Thoughts : This album surprised me in part because I didn't know what to expect, and in part because what I ended up with was something a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I anticipated. You won't find a lot of Screaming Females influence on here, and it's perhaps closer to Courtney Barnett than your standard indie rock women, but this is still a must listen for this week overall. One of the better albums I've heard of late. Recommendation : Solid release, definitively my favorite of the week. Artist : Eagles of Death Metal Album : Zipper Down Quick Description : Fourth album from the Queens of the Stone Ag...