Kevin Bronson on May 20th, 2011

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Mercury Rev’s “Deserter’s Songs” was one of the best albums of the late 1990s, its songwriting, production and execution – right down to Jonathan Donahue’s elfin vocals – creating a sort of sonic snowglobe you didn’t want to leave. Along with the album that followed, 2001’s “All Is Dream,” the band and producer Dave Fridmann achieved a singular cinematic sweep to their psychedelic rock that few bands since have been able to touch. “Deserter’s Songs” was reissued this week, with a bonus disc of remixes and demos, so if you weren’t around in 1998 you can make up for lost time. The band is currently in Europe touring behind the re-release; here’s hoping an L.A. date is in the future. The last time they visited (Dec. 16, 2008, at the El Rey), it was mind-blowing.

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