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Album Review: Mercury Rev - The Light In You

Guido Farnell
StarStarStarHalf Star

"Their first album in seven years is one into which listeners can easily disappear."

More Mercury Rev Mercury Rev

Since the psychedelic-indie of Yerself Is Steam which these days has a distinctly '90s twang, Mercury Rev have mellowed with each release to arrive at the exquisitely dreamy place where The Light In You exists.

The latest incarnation of this band sees Jonathan Donahue and Sean Mackowiak take the lead to deal out pop hooks wrapped in majestic psychedelics. Donahue's introspective and searching vocals are filled with wide-eyed wonder, sadness and heartache. Immersive atmospherics and lush orchestrations that give these twinkling daydreams a symphonic dimension bring to mind the genius of Van Dyke Parks. Their first album in seven years is one into which listeners can easily disappear.