Formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1989, MERCURY REV quickly grew to become leading figures in left field alternative rock. Earlier albums veered towards experimental, off-kilter psychedelia but by the end of the decade, the band had developed their own brand of serene, piano-based Americana with the acclaimed, best-selling LP Deserter’s Songs (1998).

Originally issued in September 2008, SNOWFLAKE MIDNIGHT was the seventh album by Mercury Rev and followed The Secret Migration (2005) and All Is Dream (2001) – both of which have already been treated to deluxe editions by Cherry Red.

Although the album wasn’t fanfared by any singles, the tracks ‘Senses On Fire’, ‘Butterfly’s Wing’ and ‘Snowflake In A Hot World’ all enjoyed exposure on radio. Meanwhile, the vinyl edition of Snowflake Midnight was issued as a double LP with a bonus disc of remixes, entitled STRANGE ATTRACTOR. And V2 also released a 12” EP featuring further remixes.

Cherry Red Records are proud to unveil a deluxe 5-CD edition of this relatively recent highlight in the continuing musical story of Mercury Rev, compiled and coordinated by the band’s Jonathan Donaghue and Sean ‘Grasshopper’ Mackowiak. Joining the original album are a second disc of previously unissued outtakes, entitled Hymn Of The Heavenly Snowflake, a third disc cryptically entitled Snowflakes From A Train (again, hitherto unheard) and a fourth disc of live material (again, unreleased until now). Disc 5 offers the first commercial CD outing for STRANGE ATTRACTOR, with the added bonus of those four 12” remix tracks.

This expanded edition of SNOWFLAKE MIDNIGHT is presented as a plush, hardbook book containing original album lyrics, lots of visuals and new sleeve-notes by acclaimed author and journalist Martin Aston.

• - 1 -

  • 1. Snowflake In a Hot World
  • 2. Butterfly's Wing
  • 3. Senses On Fire
  • 4. People Are So Unpredictable (There's No Bliss Like Home)
  • 5. October Sunshine
  • 6. Runaway Raindrop
  • 7. Dream of a Young Girl As a Flower
  • 8. Faraway From Cars

• - 2 -

  • 1. And Then Letting Go)

• - 3 -

  • 1. Is That You?
  • 2. Triumphant Elephant
  • 3. Evening Delight
  • 4. The Witches of Mink Hollow
  • 5. Lullaby For Legs Diamond
  • 6. Upstairs At the Continental
  • 7. Brainwave Concerto #12 Atjohn Zorn's Place
  • 8. Cfny In the Mid Eighties (Sounds Like)
  • 9. The Recurring Dream of Marv Levy
  • 10. Belles of Kingston
  • 11. The Flying Saucer
  • 12. Remember That Time When We...

• - 4 -

  • 1. Saturday In the Dark
  • 2. The Fall of Sophia
  • 3. Mayor In a Cathouse
  • 4. The Giant Courthouse Screw
  • 5. 4am Trains Across Kingston
  • 6. Flashback and Freedom
  • 7. Stepping In and Stepping Out
  • 8. Last Train To Poughkeepsie

• - 5 -

  • 1. Snowflake In a Hot World
  • 2. Octobre Sunshine
  • 3. You're My Queen
  • 4. People Are So Unpredictable
  • 5. Butterfly's Wing
  • 6. Dream of a Young Girl As a Flower
  • 7. The Dark is Rising
  • 8. Senses On Fire