Cold as a windchill

Best "Really? They put out a Greatest Hits Album?" of the Year: The Essential Mercury Rev

It's always irked me slightly that everyone loves the Flaming Lips and rarely allows props to Mercury Rev. Not that the Flips aren't great and all, but album-for-album, I think the upstate New Yorkers have it easily won. I saw them a few years ago at the Shepherds Bush Empire in West London. My friend Ewan and me somehow had a balcony to ourselves, so we had a great view of the stage and the crowd, and at some points we were spazzing out so hardcore that fans on the floor were looking up at us and pointing. After being around for about a million years, they put out a double-disc anthology this year which nobody really paid attention to. It's a pity. Earlier material like 'Chasing A Bee' is really adventurous and sprawling (read: DRUGS) and then came their highpoint suckerpunch - 1998's 'Deserters Songs' followed by 2001's 'All Is Dream' - which will be two of my favourite records for as long as I can see.

The compilation is nice and comprehensive, with lots of live and bonus stuff on the second disc. And, as luck would have it, you can stream the whole thing, plus their entire back catalogue right here. Do that. This taster isn't actually on 'The Essential', it's from 'All Is Dream.' It's slightly creepy and Presidential and if you don't like it we can never be anything more than acquaintances.

[download Mercury Rev - Lincoln's Eyes]