Mercury Rev

Snowflake Midnight

[3.5/5]

There’s not much sign on Mercury Rev’s new album of the soulful grace that made 1998’s Deserter’s Songs their finest hour. Of course, when a band member is quoted as saying they built their new album on “tone poems” (Google it), soulful may not be an option. “Snowflake In A Hot World” sets the mood, seeping in from what’s either the ambient side of space rock or the space-rock side of prog. Either way, it’s as dreamy as Mercury Rev have ever sounded, its largely electronic soundscapes suggesting a post-rave showing of some futuristic arthouse film. The melancholy ache that’s always made their music resonate is still there in Jonathan Donahue’s creaky vocals, and the melodies are rarely less than beautiful. But if the band really had to “unlearn” 20 years of experience to make this record, maybe they should relearn some before the next one. (YEP ROC) Ed Masley