This is a collection of Mogwai’s early e.p.’s released between 1995 and 1997 and ranks amongst their best work. Oddly the collection has cohesive feel, something that several of their albums have lacked. Rather than waiting around for something to happen, Stuart Braithwaite and his Glaswegian cohorts head straight for post-rocks ripe jugular. Mogwai's great gift has always been their ability to layer on the bombast without ever sounding bombastic. When a plethora of guitars play off each other like a knowing group of friends, the sound is too gorgeous to describe. Like an ocean that is too calm to be reassuring, Mogwai go about their business with the expressed intention of clearing out as many cobwebbed ears as possible.

'Helicon 1' is a riveting 6 minutes of deep valley grooves and high mountain peaks. It starts out like laser guided melodies and as it gets more spiritualistic the overflow finally prompts a wall of sound that has a spectacular mural scratched into its being. ‘Helicion 2’ is like a quieter older brother, studied and calm yet authoritative. 'A Place For Parks' is even more inhibited but surfaces with a killer hook that hides the idle chat in the background. 'Summer' adopts one of those Mogwai tricks where the tune flips between brilliantly effervescent and hopelessly storming. Like the butterfly that suddenly produces fangs its collage of raging guitars is still sweetly beautiful.

'Angels Versus Aliens' is particularly subversive, beginning as does all twinkle starry which then transforms into a huge juggernaut on a collision course with your mind. This is startlingly creative music that will have you sitting up in your couch praying the antique dressing table opposite is not haunted. 'Tune' is one of those rare beauties where Mogwai allow vocals to get a look in. It is slow paced number with a solid bass hook that provides a welcome break from the chaos that surrounds it. It is the calm in the eye of the storm. There is much to love about 'Ithica 27 0 9', one minute it's a laid-back ditty with jangly pretences and then suddenly shards of guitars fly at you with an incredible ferocity. Only the final track 'End' which is a hopeless tirade of backward loops that possess no real conviction.

Ten Rapid has a big ambition, divulging Mogwai’s agenda to such good effect that they have struggled to recapture its consistency. Ten Rapid has a lot more to say than your average album with vocals and is indispensable for anyone with a penchant for guitar portraits. Only in its death throes where 'End' opts for a hopeless tirade of backward loops does the bands confident invention diminish. Along the way there are enough joyful detours to fill a map of middle earth.

Rating: 8.5/10

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You could never label Modest Mouse as conformists because with The Moon and Antarctica they play the indie spectrum. The album has a loose feel, able at any time to take off down another avenue of invention that requires a little patience to crack what is generally another winning idea. Issac Brook's voice closely matches Porno for Pyros' Perry Farrell and at times Modest Mouse fly off in tangents like the now defunct Cable. Initially the albums 15 tracks can be a little too much to take in. So I started listening to the first 8 tracks repeatedly until their subtle nuances sat more comfortably. After that the albums grand panoramic vision made for a hugely enjoyable if bumpy eclectic listen. It seems remarkable that 'The Moon & Antarctica' is less than an hour long because of the immense ground that is covered. Its scope is massive, its potential unlimited.

Some of the tracks on the album are more accessible than others. While they all possess elegant alterations to tested formulas, some are a little more direct. '3rd Planet' is a good opener because it is chock full of near perfect jangle pop. Its fractured beauty is augmented by louder guitar riffs that indicate that something darker is at work. 'The Cold Part' doesn't need to rely on its scant lyrics because it is woven around an infectious circular bass melody. 'The Stars Are Projectors' signals early Whipping Boy and is a beautiful epic that is just waiting for the right movie to snatch it for its credit roll. Tracks like 'Gravity Rides Of The Universe' which are perfectly acoustic, have huge pretensions of being electric and make Modest Mouse sound like the brightest thing to escape from alt America since Steven Malkmus broke his first string. 'Dark Centre Of The Universe' is incredibly dashing with that violin sounding guitar screech at its heart. 'Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes' with its unsettling choral volley will have you checking that big cupboard in the corner of your bedroom for a bogeyman.

This is in essence what divorces Modest Mouse from the pack. The sinister undercurrent sets the bait, we fall for it and emerge at the other side somewhat shook but ready and willing to go through it all again. At times it is unforgiving music that is as attractive as matches are to a small child. Like 'Wild Packs Of Family', where the disturbing lyrics are somehow neutralised by an understated take on country. Expect Modest Mouse to be as popular as Bovril in the very near future. They will be loved by many but probably scoffed at by the same number. If I was you, I'd take a day off work, read a good book and let Modest Mouse provide the special effects. Few albums come so close to near faultless as this, so if you are going to make one adventurous purchase in the near future make it this album.

Rating: 7/10

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A glance through the lyrics to The Secret Migration may yield the following riches: violets, leaves, more leaves, a limb and branch, a forest, dragonflies, some more leaves, a wilderness, fields and streams and lakes and trees and grass and logs, a climbing rose, weeds and other plants, a stream, more birds, roots, shoots. I am guessing that Mercury Rev have still been hanging around the Catskills. "We're off for a dark country ride", announces the opener, 'Secret for a Song', portentously. Several of the album's signature motifs are established here: noodly keyboards, crashing cymbals, layers of spacey effects and the bass working overtime. The song begins as 'All is Dream' left off, with the tension held by dramatic piano chords, but then assaults into the first of many sing-along choruses, here assisted by driving U2-esque guitar. The glorious 'Diamonds' dispenses with the stormy piano; the skies have cleared and the sun on the fallen rain brings out diamonds. It's all jazzy keyboard riffs and Spiritualized shimmers and glimmers - the sweet repeating vocal melody gives way to a final half minute straight out of 'Pure Phase'. 'Vermillion' pulses with energy, building up from a simple piano tune and restraining the guitars so they can go all staccato for the fist-raising chorus. Its mechanical beat and repeated bass notes are the flavour of the moment, favoured by a dozen contemporary bands. Here is the rub: Mercury Rev have written a (theoretical) chart hit, but it sounds like a Doves song.

This is, unfortunately, the down-side to the latest work. Absent is the experimentation of their early albums and the adventurousness of 'See You on the Other Side' which sounded like it was trying to fit in half of 'Dark Side of the Moon' alongside their newfound sunny melodies and dancey beats. That symphony of strangeness and charm, Deserter Songs won widespread acclaim for the band with its distinctive wintry feel and novel instrumentation. It sounded like nothing else. Now they sound like they're playing it safe. It's difficult to image an anomaly like 'Young Man's Stride' or a wonky bowed saw interlude amongst The Secret Migration's canon. Also, the slack-jawed awe at natural phenomena is responsible for a plethora of lazy lines: 'Ain't it amazing when the seasons begin to change?', for example, isn't the kind of, say, Leonard Cohen or Cole Porter phrase that will lodge in your head. It just seems a little settled, musically and lyrically.

Perhaps Jonathan and co. have earned this right; they can attribute their longevity, at least partly, to a knack for producing albums full of good tunes, and this is no exception. It's another ode to the changing seasons, 'In a Funny Way' that serves as the centerpiece of the album. The angelic voice echoing the Deserter Songs bowed saw gives way to a bouncy chorus, all the while buoyed upon a breezy string section. The similarly catchy 'The Climbing Rose' throws in some reversed guitars and what I swear sounds like a police siren into a magnificently noisy keyboard solo; the song contains enough kinetic energy to survive a key change and finish strongly. The Secret Migration is the upbeat sister to the ethereal half-nightmare All Is Dream, now played in daylight and rooted in the outdoors. Even when the lifting guitar-filled choruses eventually subside, we are left with two elegant pared-down closing tracks. 'First Time Mother's Joy' in particular is a plain and perfect example of fine songwriting. The piano, melody, harmony, and, damn it, the whole song is unashamedly Paul McCartney. Style and wit are not of concern. This is music to link arms to.

Tony Kelleher

Rating: 7/10

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With All Is Dream Mercury Rev build on the ‘Deserters Songs’ vision to create a spectral opus that was utterly unique in the repackaged pop culture of 2001. Mercury Rev are a band with an acute sense of purpose as well as a sparkle in their collective eyes. These dynamic characteristics see them consistently outdoing their own high standards. Drenched in orchestral manoeuvres ‘All Is Dream’ leaves the base camp hauls itself up to the summit and then pears majestically down on the world. While 'Deserter Songs' may have a more cohesive feel to it, 'All Is Dream' has the better tunes. 'Little Rhymes' is one of them. Starting out with a surreal edge it quickly gathers pace to become a truly uplifting experience. There is a unique ambiance that is hard to quantify but the assorted sounds simply lather Jonathon's voice. The guitar playing has a spaghetti western ring and the eerie backdrop adds to the unforgettable mystique.

'The Dark Is Rising' boasts Powerful orchestration, ambitious lyrics and a female soprano near fade out gel to create the greatest love song written so far this century. It's hard not be moved, this is a song that will be cherished for centuries to come. 'Nite And Fog' could be 'Delta Neck Stomp?' more restrained brother. With a punishing beat that draws the best from a gallery of instruments, Jonathon Donahue masterfully rides the crest in that unique unassuming way of his. After this joyous high the comedown is even better. 'A Drop In Time' is probably Mercury Rev's most accessible song ever. It exudes their innate ability to recreate a seasonal spirit. The violas are plucked with wondrous glee, a gallery of angels loom in the distance and a sweet harvest of strings round off the jamboree. You won't always be assured of snowfalls when it's played and in any case 'A Drop In Time' has such a warm glow it would probably melt on impact.

'You're My Queen' is rather more basic but still wondrous. You can hear a tiny Bowie influence ('Heroes') as it skirts by in super quick time. The chugging chords provide the impetus for Donahue's words that are delivered in an uncharacteristic energised way. The whole effect recalls earlier directions and diminishes any risk of orchestral overload. Jonathan Donahue's vocals have become more shrill with age. You can see how people are put off by them but it's hard to deny their wholesome gravitas. Only once do they really become taxing, on the slightly pathetic 'Lincoln's Eyes' that has its roots in forgettable daytime nursery rhymes a la 'Whose Afraid Of The Drunken Sailor'. 'Tides Of The Moon' has a great deal more purpose and a searing intensity that is hard to resist.

It's business as usual on 'Spiders And Flies'. The lazy piano is omnipresent as well as some mellotron flute intermissions. The singing sounds a little wasted and perhaps the whole effect is a little shallow. The same accusation can't be directed at ‘Hercules’, which has all the hallmarks of greatness lurking in its loins. Spanning over 8 minutes it's all you could wish for to close the album. As it whisks about acoustically the beaming Hammond suggests there is more adventures lying dormant in reserve. The lyrics have an old world ring and are suitably expressive. As the scratchy guitars blow the top off the gentle atmosphere Mercury Rev begin the long descent back home. The victory march is spectacular and awe inspiring. As it draws its last breath you realise that fantasy is now not only the domain of the film and print industries.

Like all seminal albums 'All Is Dream' doesn't reveal itself straight away. You could even be mildly disappointed at first. Sooner or later though the genius does shine through. There is such a grand splendour to this offering that it will surely become a lasting classic. It is hard to see how Mercury Rev can spur themselves to even greater feats but their legend is now surely cast. They have proved once again that they are the best exponents of intelligent pop on the planet today.

Rating: 6.5/10

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And right out of the blue came Mercury Rev. Nearly men, who had crafted several flawed albums, until the magical opus that was Deserter's Songs reared its delicately patterned head. Add this album to their unforgettable intimate live performances and Mercury Rev rightfully holds pride of place on the a-list of innovative artists. Boces, like many of Mercury Rev's previous albums, was full of brilliant half ideas. What it lacked in focus, it made up in energy. Like 'Something For Joey', a song that ran ragged for minutes exposing an unpolished sheen that suggested that greatness was close at hand. ’Deserters Songs' is a different proposition altogether, however. Where Mercury Rev once fumbled in the dark with their undoubted genius, they now provide the bright lights for an art form in serious need of reinvention.

'Holes' kicks off proceedings in reflective mode. Lacking a distinct beat, this song turns the blueprint for modern music on its head. Imagine floating high above the clouds while catching a glimpse of celestial beings practising for that great gig in the sky. The quality of instrumentation is quite staggering, but what is more surprising is the thought of four men in their late thirties, one called Grasshopper, dictating matters. With a vast array of instruments being introduced at close intervals throughout 'Deserter Songs' it's not surprising that some of the tunes sound otherworldly. Take 'Endlessly' for example. Could it be those Chamberlin Strings, them Woodwinds, the Wurlitzer, that Mellotron or perhaps the B3 (instrument of the century anyone) that makes it sound like it is the most refreshing song you've ever heard? Hard to judge really, but one thing is for sure once you've heard 'Endlessly', it will impose an indelible impression.

This is Mercury Rev's great gift. They make the most natural of musical decisions by choosing the most appropriate instrument available. These decisions breathe life into their ideas. So when you hear a female voice shadowing on the outskirts of the 'Hudson Line' it fits perfectly, like that elusive last piece of a jigsaw you uncovered by chance down the back of the couch. 'Goddess on a Hiway', the first single to be released off the album signalled Jonathan Donahue and chums intentions. With a lithesome piano intro, the tune extends its amiable nature to befriend all comers. Donahue's vocals vary between a matter-of-fact and a harmonious delivery while the sound swell fills in the blanks. At other times it perfectly paints the sun rising over a cool blue ocean.

’Deserter Songs' inspires the use of analogies. Simple chord descriptions simply wouldn't do the album justice. 'Tonite It Shows' captures the scene where you're beneath the stars with your loved one and the world for a second becomes you're oyster, the moon you’re pearly gift. This is mood-enhancing stuff with Donahue’s vocals sounding vulnerable and affecting. 'Deserter Songs' is much more than a collection of instruments and people making a sound. The album paints a sea of innovative strokes with ideas strewn colourfully like fish in an aquatic collectors tank. Subtlety becomes an art form; grandiose enters the alternative arena and old men weep at the beauty of it all. It is the best Christmas album ever made such is its wide-eyed approach. At the end the listener is left with 'Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp' to wash away all the pent up emotions, leaving us dizzy and ready to begin the adventure all over again. 'Deserter Songs' is an album to dance to, an album to cry to, an album to make love to and most off all an album to live life by. Not an adventure of a lifetime then, more one you can take every three-quarters of an hour.

Rating: 9/10

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