All Is Dream (Blue)

Mercury Rev dismantles the classic definition of a rock band. Members of this collective music project have retained separate, independent lives, convening periodically to record majestic sound collages-truly brilliant pieces of art-rock that pilfer as much from Pink Floyd's progressive psychedelia as they do from Phil Spector's grand, intricate production techniques. ALL IS DREAM is vintage Mercury Rev. The proper sequel to 1998's DESERTER'S SONGS comes off as another epic soundtrack to a movie never made, a collection of musical scenes scraped from the subconscious that is best heard continuously from start to finish. The sonic flow is so seamless that no one song stands out, yet each is unique. "Nite and Fog" combines meandering keyboards with a soft, gorgeous backdrop of string accompaniment, while "Tides of the Moon" is driven by a thick, walking bass line and ghostly musical saw. Impressively, the album maintains a cohesive quality despite the vast instrumental diversity displayed from track to track. Held together by waves of orchestral outbursts and vocalist Jonathan Donahue's strangely comforting, child-like vocal style, ALL IS DREAM is a symphonic-psychedelic meditation of the highest order.