Formed in 1989 to provide a soundtrack for their friend's avant-garde films,
Mercury Rev's psychedelic indie rock has always maintained a cinematic beauty
through their rise from underground oddballs to critically acclaimed outsiders.
Their early transient line-ups gained stability when Flaming Lips guitarist
Jonathan Donahue took over as frontman in 1990, and shortly after they signed
with British label Rough Trade to release debut album Yerself Is Steam (1991).
Though the album was well received, the label went bust and the band descended
into chaos as original singer Dave Bake...