Yerself Is Steam

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Much praised in the U.K. press, this is a reissue of the 1991 debut of a highly touted Buffalo, New York, band. Somehow tuneful psychedelia cheerfully coexists with the white-noise maelstrom. --Jeff Bateman --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Yerself Is Steam
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • AWESOME
  • Less than steamy
  • Tracks 1, 5, 6
  • sonic delirium
  • Awesome
 Yerself Is Steam
Mercury Rev
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
NoiseNoise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Neo-PsychedeliaNeo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Boces
  2. BOCES
  3. Hit to Death in the Future Head
  4. Perfect From Now On
  5. Lazer Guided Melodies

ASIN: B0000028TM
Release Date: 1992-10-20

Tracks:

  1. Chasing A Bee
  2. Syringe Mouth
  3. Coney Island Cyclone
  4. Blue And Black
  5. Sweet Oddysee of a Cancer Cell T' Th' Center of Yer Heart
  6. Frittering
  7. Continuous Trucks and Thunder Under a Mother's Smile
  8. Very Sleepy Rivers
  9. Uknown
  10. Uknown
  11. Uknown
  12. Uknown
  13. Uknown
  14. Uknown
  15. Uknown
  16. Uknown
  17. Uknown
  18. Uknown
  19. Uknown
  20. Uknown
  21. Uknown
  22. Uknown
  23. Uknown
  24. Uknown
  25. Uknown
  26. Uknown
  27. Uknown
  28. Uknown
  29. Uknown
  30. Uknown
  31. Uknown
  32. Uknown
  33. Uknown
  34. Uknown
  35. Uknown
  36. Uknown
  37. Uknown
  38. Uknown
  39. Uknown
  40. Uknown
  41. Uknown
  42. Uknown
  43. Uknown
  44. Uknown
  45. Uknown
  46. Uknown
  47. Uknown
  48. Uknown
  49. Uknown
  50. Uknown
  51. Uknown
  52. Uknown
  53. Uknown
  54. Uknown
  55. Uknown
  56. Uknown
  57. Uknown
  58. Uknown
  59. Uknown
  60. Uknown
  61. Uknown
  62. Uknown
  63. Uknown
  64. Uknown
  65. Uknown
  66. Uknown
  67. Uknown
  68. Uknown
  69. Uknown
  70. Uknown
  71. Uknown
  72. Uknown
  73. Uknown
  74. Uknown
  75. Uknown
  76. Uknown
  77. Uknown
  78. Uknown
  79. Uknown
  80. Uknown
  81. Uknown
  82. Uknown
  83. Uknown
  84. Uknown
  85. Uknown
  86. Uknown
  87. Uknown
  88. Uknown
  89. Uknown
  90. Uknown
  91. Uknown
  92. Uknown
  93. Uknown
  94. Uknown
  95. Uknown
  96. Uknown
  97. Uknown
  98. Uknown
  99. Car Wash Hair

Amazon.com

Much praised in the U.K. press, this is a reissue of the 1991 debut of a highly touted Buffalo, New York, band. Somehow tuneful psychedelia cheerfully coexists with the white-noise maelstrom. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars AWESOME.......2006-02-28


Yerself Is Steam is an album of sweeping anthemic bursts of rock that follow strange trains of thought. The opener Chasing A Bee is a symphony of skilfully applied distortion and rumbling guitar attack behind world-weary lyrics, leading up to an earthquake-like climax and then subsiding to the tune of a flute, leaving the listener breathless at its conclusion. There are also the majestic swirls of Coney Island Cyclone, the straight hard rock of Syringe Mouth and the intelligent piano, orchestral buildup and poignant lyrics of Blue And Black. Steam was a most impressive debut album that extended the boundaries of rock in daring new directions. Just be warned that this is not immediate music - it takes persistent listening to really grasp, let alone appreciate, its subleties.

2 out of 5 stars Less than steamy.......2005-08-13

Mercury Rev are known now for their melancholy orchestral pop and ye olde rock'n'rolle. But they had a very different sound in their debut album: 1991's "Yerself Is Steam," a sound dominated by ex-member David Baker. Don't expect the rough sweetness of their second album...

This is a far less appealing album, and far set apart from the sound of every album that came after it. Thick waves of fuzzy guitar and rough synth overwhelm the title track, and obscure all lines but the ominous "Remember that yerself... is... steam!" The resulting dark pop song is strangely compelling, in a weird psychedelic manner.

Unfortunately, it gets old by the fifth time you hear it. Only a few songs really deviate from that fuzzy, disconnected sound, cycling around until the songs blur together. The melodies of half the songs sound alike unless you listen to them several times, and many of them have unmelodious squeals and synth flourishes that make that hard to do.

There are a few songs that break from the mold, however. "Blue and Black" is an enchantingly ghostly melody that bursts into dark grandeur by the end; consider it a preview of what Mercury Rev later became. "Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart" has the same sound as most of the other songs, but stripped down and expanded into a rich, epic soundscape.

And of course, the bonus track "Car Wash Hair," which only got tacked on with the later release, is pure beauty -- half rainy garden, half enchanting, mellow pop tune. Alas, these three alone can't overwhelm the misuse of fuzz guitar and squealing guitar.

It certainly doesn't help that Baker -- who was drummed out of the group after this album -- has a very unappealing voice. He doesn't sing, as Jonathan Donahue later did; instead, he intones in an annoying twang. He sounds like a cowboy trying to go avant-pop, and only sounds hideously out of place, especially when reduced to just yelling "Yeeeaaaahhh!" over the music.

Released four years and a band breakup before anything else Mercury Rev did, "Yerself Is Steam" is dramatically different -- and not in a good way. Instead, it sounds like the Pixies on a bad acid trip.

4 out of 5 stars Tracks 1, 5, 6.......1999-08-20

Most of this album is Janes addiction/ arena rock rip offs, but tracks one five and six make the whole trip worth it.

I highly recommend driving through Colorado black mountains(to the west of 75) with the windows open blasting the music so the scene and sounds merge

5 out of 5 stars sonic delirium.......1999-08-02

this record does funny things to my head and my speakers....i am very fond of it indeed.acquired taste .car wash hair is one of the most beautiful songs ive ever heard.the record is all over the place to be honest...and sometime u just think they are testing your patience most notably very sleep rivers....i recommend listening to it at the loudest possible volume coz i think track 5 is totally demented!!!!!the production is bloomin huge!!!!!!it eats the speakers and shreds my head in a good way.intense in a mushroomtastic sort of way..a nice accompaniment to loveless......

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......1999-05-17

It contains Chasing A Bee, Car Wash Hair and the incredible Frittering. What else need I say?
Yerself Is Steam/Lego My Ego +DVD
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Yerself Is Steam/Lego My Ego +DVD
    Mercury Rev
    Manufacturer: Mint/Jungle
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    NoiseNoise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Neo-PsychedeliaNeo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
    Alternative StylesAlternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music
    ASIN: B000PTYNKE
    Release Date: 2007-05-21

    Tracks:

    1. Chasing A Bee
    2. Syringe Mouth
    3. Coney Island Cyclone
    4. Blue And Black
    5. Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart
    6. Frittering
    7. Continuous Trucks And Thunder Under A Mother's Smile
    8. Very Sleepy Rivers
    9. If You Want Me To Stay
    10. Shhh / Peaceful / Very Sleepy Rivers
    11. Frittering
    12. Coney Island Cyclone
    13. Car Wash Hair
    14. Syringe Mouth
    15. Blood On The Moon
    16. Chasing A Bee (Inside A Car)
    17. Chasing A Bee (Bonus Dvd)
    18. Car Wash Hair (Bonus Dvd)

    Album Description

    2007 Special Edition three disc (two CDs + NTSC/Region 0 DVD) pressing of the classic 1991 debut album from the Alternative weirdoes. The second CD, Lego My Ego (collection of rarities and radio sessions), has been unavailable for 12 years while the DVD, which features rare video clips, has never been released before! Following their breakthrough V2 album Deserter Songs, Mercury Rev remain a big live attraction with a large and faithful audience who will covet this comprehensive 'early years' release. Mint.
    Yerself Is Steam Spec Ed.
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • The original lineup
    • Less than steamy
    		 Yerself Is Steam Spec Ed.
    Mercury Rev
    Manufacturer: Mint UK
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
    Alternative RockAlternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
    RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky (Fando y Lis / El Topo / The Holy Mountain)

    ASIN: B000068PYE
    Release Date: 2002-06-18

    Tracks:

    1. Chasing A Bee
    2. Syringe Mouth
    3. Coney Island Cyclone
    4. Blue And Black
    5. Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart
    6. Frittering
    7. Continuous Trucks And Thunder Under A Mother's Smile
    8. Very Sleepy Rivers

    Tracks:

    1. Car Wash Hair (The Bee's Chasing Me)
    2. Chasing A Bee (4-Track Demo)
    3. Coney Island Cyclones (4-Track Demo)
    4. Bonus Track #1

    Album Description

    2002 reissue of 1991 debut album includes a bonus disc with their debut single, 'Car Wash Hair'. Bonus tracks, 'Car Wash Hair (The Bees Chasing Me) Full Pull', 'Chasing A Bee' (4-track demo), 'Coney Island Psycho' (4-track demo) & a 'hidden' 30-minute psych-out track, making 45 minutes in all.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars The original lineup.......2005-08-27

    If one expects the nice sounds that Mercury Rev has featured in their latest "pretty" albums, do not buy this disc. This is Dinosaur Jr and My Bloody Valentine on a catscan. "Syringe Mouth" alone is worth the price of the entire album, it is a staple for any of their live shows.

    2 out of 5 stars Less than steamy.......2005-08-26

    Mercury Rev are known now for their melancholy orchestral pop and ye olde rock'n'rolle. But they had a very different sound in their debut album: 1991's "Yerself Is Steam," a sound dominated by ex-member David Baker. Don't expect the rough sweetness of their second album...

    This is a far less appealing album, and far set apart from the sound of every album that came after it. Thick waves of fuzzy guitar and rough synth overwhelm the title track, and obscure all lines but the ominous "Remember that yerself... is... steam!" The resulting dark pop song is strangely compelling, in a weird psychedelic manner.

    Unfortunately, it gets old by the fifth time you hear it. Only a few songs really deviate from that fuzzy, disconnected sound, cycling around until the songs blur together. The melodies of half the songs sound alike unless you listen to them several times, and many of them have unmelodious squeals and synth flourishes that make that hard to do.

    There are a few songs that break from the mold, however. "Blue and Black" is an enchantingly ghostly melody that bursts into dark grandeur by the end; consider it a preview of what Mercury Rev later became. "Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart" has the same sound as most of the other songs, but stripped down and expanded into a rich, epic soundscape.

    There's also a bonus disc, with 4-track demos and bonus tracks. "Car Wash Hair," which only got tacked on with the later release, is pure beauty -- half rainy garden, half enchanting, mellow pop tune. Alas, these few songs can't overwhelm the misuse of fuzz guitar and squealing guitar.

    It certainly doesn't help that Baker -- who was drummed out of the group after this album -- has a very unappealing voice. He doesn't sing, as Jonathan Donahue later did; instead, he intones in an annoying twang. He sounds like a cowboy trying to go avant-pop, and only sounds hideously out of place, especially when reduced to just yelling "Yeeeaaaahhh!" over the music.

    Released four years and a band breakup before anything else Mercury Rev did, "Yerself Is Steam" is dramatically different -- and not in a good way. Instead, it sounds like the Pixies on a bad acid trip.
    Yerself Is Steam
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • AWESOME
    • Less than steamy
    • Tracks 1, 5, 6
    • sonic delirium
    • Awesome
    		 Yerself Is Steam
    Mercury Rev
    Manufacturer: Mint UK
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    NoiseNoise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Neo-PsychedeliaNeo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
    Indie & Lo FiIndie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
    American AlternativeAmerican Alternative | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
    Alternative RockAlternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
    RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Boces
    2. BOCES
    3. Hit to Death in the Future Head
    4. Perfect From Now On
    5. Lazer Guided Melodies

    ASIN: B000023ZMH
    Release Date: 2003-12-02

    Tracks:

    1. Chasing a Bee
    2. Syringe Mouth
    3. Coney Island Cyclone
    4. Blue and Black
    5. Sweet Oddysee of a Cancer Cell T' Th' Center of Yer Heart
    6. Frittering
    7. Continuous Trucks and Thunder Under a Mother's Smile
    8. Very Sleepy Rivers

    Amazon.com

    Much praised in the U.K. press, this is a reissue of the 1991 debut of a highly touted Buffalo, New York, band. Somehow tuneful psychedelia cheerfully coexists with the white-noise maelstrom. --Jeff Bateman

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars AWESOME.......2006-02-28


    Yerself Is Steam is an album of sweeping anthemic bursts of rock that follow strange trains of thought. The opener Chasing A Bee is a symphony of skilfully applied distortion and rumbling guitar attack behind world-weary lyrics, leading up to an earthquake-like climax and then subsiding to the tune of a flute, leaving the listener breathless at its conclusion. There are also the majestic swirls of Coney Island Cyclone, the straight hard rock of Syringe Mouth and the intelligent piano, orchestral buildup and poignant lyrics of Blue And Black. Steam was a most impressive debut album that extended the boundaries of rock in daring new directions. Just be warned that this is not immediate music - it takes persistent listening to really grasp, let alone appreciate, its subleties.

    2 out of 5 stars Less than steamy.......2005-08-13

    Mercury Rev are known now for their melancholy orchestral pop and ye olde rock'n'rolle. But they had a very different sound in their debut album: 1991's "Yerself Is Steam," a sound dominated by ex-member David Baker. Don't expect the rough sweetness of their second album...

    This is a far less appealing album, and far set apart from the sound of every album that came after it. Thick waves of fuzzy guitar and rough synth overwhelm the title track, and obscure all lines but the ominous "Remember that yerself... is... steam!" The resulting dark pop song is strangely compelling, in a weird psychedelic manner.

    Unfortunately, it gets old by the fifth time you hear it. Only a few songs really deviate from that fuzzy, disconnected sound, cycling around until the songs blur together. The melodies of half the songs sound alike unless you listen to them several times, and many of them have unmelodious squeals and synth flourishes that make that hard to do.

    There are a few songs that break from the mold, however. "Blue and Black" is an enchantingly ghostly melody that bursts into dark grandeur by the end; consider it a preview of what Mercury Rev later became. "Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart" has the same sound as most of the other songs, but stripped down and expanded into a rich, epic soundscape.

    And of course, the bonus track "Car Wash Hair," which only got tacked on with the later release, is pure beauty -- half rainy garden, half enchanting, mellow pop tune. Alas, these three alone can't overwhelm the misuse of fuzz guitar and squealing guitar.

    It certainly doesn't help that Baker -- who was drummed out of the group after this album -- has a very unappealing voice. He doesn't sing, as Jonathan Donahue later did; instead, he intones in an annoying twang. He sounds like a cowboy trying to go avant-pop, and only sounds hideously out of place, especially when reduced to just yelling "Yeeeaaaahhh!" over the music.

    Released four years and a band breakup before anything else Mercury Rev did, "Yerself Is Steam" is dramatically different -- and not in a good way. Instead, it sounds like the Pixies on a bad acid trip.

    4 out of 5 stars Tracks 1, 5, 6.......1999-08-20

    Most of this album is Janes addiction/ arena rock rip offs, but tracks one five and six make the whole trip worth it.

    I highly recommend driving through Colorado black mountains(to the west of 75) with the windows open blasting the music so the scene and sounds merge

    5 out of 5 stars sonic delirium.......1999-08-02

    this record does funny things to my head and my speakers....i am very fond of it indeed.acquired taste .car wash hair is one of the most beautiful songs ive ever heard.the record is all over the place to be honest...and sometime u just think they are testing your patience most notably very sleep rivers....i recommend listening to it at the loudest possible volume coz i think track 5 is totally demented!!!!!the production is bloomin huge!!!!!!it eats the speakers and shreds my head in a good way.intense in a mushroomtastic sort of way..a nice accompaniment to loveless......

    5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......1999-05-17

    It contains Chasing A Bee, Car Wash Hair and the incredible Frittering. What else need I say?
    Yerself is Steam
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Life-changing psychedelia
    		 Yerself is Steam
    Mercury Rev
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    CutoutsCutouts | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    Cutout CDsCutout CDs | Rock General | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Rock General | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    ASIN: B00004Z506
    Release Date: 2000-08-21

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Life-changing psychedelia.......2001-01-04

    This album seemed like some sort of nightmare when I used to listen stoned in college, rooted to the couch unable to move because of the FEAR and the beauty and energy in this disc. Finally I'd crawl to the stereo intending to stop it so I could relax, then a new song would start and I'd curl up and whimper with pleasure/pain again. Rumour has it they were on a group acid trip during the making of this, and it sounds like it. God, it's wonderful.
    Yerself Is Steam
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Yerself Is Steam
      Mercury Rev
      Manufacturer: Caroline Distributio
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD
      ASIN: B00000E7J3
      Release Date: 1991-05-14
      Yerself Is Steam
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Less than "Steamy"
      • Freak-out!
      • When the men from Buffalo were completely batty...
      • INCREASE YER SELFISTEEM
      • One and only
      		 Yerself Is Steam
      Mercury Rev
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      NoiseNoise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Neo-PsychedeliaNeo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
      Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B00001R3S2
      Release Date: 2005-05-10

      Tracks:

      1. A Chasing Bee
      2. Syringe Mouth
      3. Coney Island Cyclone
      4. Blue And Black
      5. Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancercell
      6. Frittering
      7. Continuous Trucks And Thunder Under A Mother's
      8. Very Sleepy Rivers

      Album Description

      The quirky American alternative rock group's 1991 debut, out of print in the U.S. Eight tracks. The album received much critical acclaim, including rave reviews by Uncut magazine ('A wayward, psychedelic classic'), Alternative Press magazine ('An Album of the Decade'), Vox magazine ('Absolutely stunning'), NME magazine 'A visionary, brilliant debut - still sounds great today') and Melody Maker magazine ('Like nothing you've heard in your life - sprawlingly magnificent'). 1991 release.

      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars Less than "Steamy".......2005-08-17

      Mercury Rev are known now for their melancholy orchestral pop and ye olde rock'n'rolle. But they had a very different sound in their debut album: 1991's "Yerself Is Steam," a sound dominated by ex-member David Baker. Don't expect the rough sweetness of their second album...

      This is a far less appealing album, and far set apart from the sound of every album that came after it. Thick waves of fuzzy guitar and rough synth overwhelm the title track, and obscure all lines but the ominous "Remember that yerself... is... steam!" The resulting dark pop song is strangely compelling, in a weird psychedelic manner.

      Unfortunately, it gets old by the fifth time you hear it. Only a few songs really deviate from that fuzzy, disconnected sound, cycling around until the songs blur together. The melodies of half the songs sound alike unless you listen to them several times, and many of them have unmelodious squeals and synth flourishes that make that hard to do.

      There are a few songs that break from the mold, however. "Blue and Black" is an enchantingly ghostly melody that bursts into dark grandeur by the end; consider it a preview of what Mercury Rev later became. "Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart" has the same sound as most of the other songs, but stripped down and expanded into a rich, epic soundscape.

      And of course, the bonus track "Car Wash Hair," which only got tacked onto the later releases, is pure beauty -- half rainy garden, half enchanting, mellow pop tune. Alas, these three alone can't overwhelm the misuse of fuzz guitar and squealing guitar.

      It certainly doesn't help that Baker -- who was drummed out of the group after this album -- has a very unappealing voice. He doesn't sing, as Jonathan Donahue later did; instead, he intones in an annoying twang. He sounds like a cowboy trying to go avant-pop, and only sounds hideously out of place, especially when reduced to just yelling "Yeeeaaaahhh!" over the music.

      Released four years and a band breakup before anything else Mercury Rev did, "Yerself Is Steam" is dramatically different -- and not in a good way. Instead, it sounds like the Pixies on a bad acid trip.

      5 out of 5 stars Freak-out!.......2001-01-13

      This is psychedelic music at its best, totally crazy, chaotic, freaked out and whacky! According to Mercury Rev's own rumours they met each other first when they were all psychiatric patients at the same hospital, and that does not surprise me when I listen to the music. Anthemic and hypnotic numbers with wild guitar pyrotechnics, flutes and trumpets, and lots of effects create a musical maelstrom that makes your mind tumble. This CD totally captivates me when listening and really brings me in a rock concert mood. One of the indispensable psychedelic CD's of the nineties.

      2 out of 5 stars When the men from Buffalo were completely batty..........2000-12-20

      Caught in stylistic limbo between so-called shoe-gazing and grunge, the Mercury Rev of 1991 were far removed from today's opaque, psychedelic balladeers. Allegedly three years in the making, the punningly-titled Yerself Is Steam teeters permanently on the verge of complete chaos. Now-departed vocalist David Baker had an irritating line in "arty" monologues - Einar from the Sugarcubes with a different accent - and melodies seldom poked through the feedback and flutes. "Coney Island Cyclone" is strident pop amidst a blizzard of guitars, and "Chasing A Bee" has a lurching, stoned charm. Elsewhere, there'a an overdose of self-conscious goofiness, while the closing "Very Sleepy Rivers" is an insufferable racket that outstays its welcome by a full 10 minutes.

      5 out of 5 stars INCREASE YER SELFISTEEM.......2000-06-30

      Sweeping anthemic bursts of rock following strange trains of thought. The opener Chasing A Bee is a symphony of skillfully applied distortion and rumbling guitar attack behind world-weary lyrics, leading up to and earthquake of a climax and then subsiding to the tune of a flute, leaving one breathless at its conclusion. There are also the majestic swirls of Coney Island Cyclone, the straight hard rock of Syringe Mouth and the intelligent piano, orchestral build-up and poignant lyrics of Blue And Black. "Yerself" is a most impressive album that extends the boundaries of rock in daring new directions; just be warned that this is not immediately gratifying - it takes persistent listenings to really grasp, let alone appreciate, its subtleties. Fans of My Bloody Valentine & The Jesus and Mary Chain will love it.

      5 out of 5 stars One and only.......2000-04-07

      This is the album to have if you are wacked out of your gourd and need a dose of pure stellar guitar effects rock mainlined straight from your speakers to your ears. This is an all out masterpiece with no comparison. My favorite band is Mercury Rev and my most prized album is this one. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be strapped in a rocket ship and hurtled through the cosmos experiencing things as of yet unknown to human eyes, wonder no longer. Step #1 buy this album, step #2 put it in your cd payer and turn up the volume, step #3 turn off the lights, lay on your back, and press the play button.
      Yerself Is Steam/Mint Humbucker
      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
      • Forget those other reviews
      • Yerself is steam
      		 Yerself Is Steam/Mint Humbucker
      Mercury Rev
      Manufacturer: Mint UK
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      NoiseNoise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Neo-PsychedeliaNeo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
      Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Boces

      ASIN: B0002CX62A
      Release Date: 2004-07-27

      Tracks:

      1. Chasing a Bee
      2. Syringe Mouth
      3. Coney Island Cyclone
      4. Blue and Black
      5. Sweet Oddysee of a Cancer Cell T' th' Center of Yer Heart
      6. Frittering
      7. Continuous Trucks and Thunder Under a Mother's Smile
      8. Very Sleepy Rivers

      Tracks:

      1. Car Wash Hair
      2. Venus Honey Dew - Ubik
      3. Clean - Cellophane
      4. D.Q.
      5. Birthday - Radial Spangle
      6. Anaesthesia
      7. Tomato Poodle
      8. Dragonfly - Radial Spangle
      9. Chasing a Bee
      10. Ol' One Eye
      11. Ubik Freqz [Radio AAA Mix] - Ubik
      12. Soundtrack

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars Forget those other reviews.......2006-06-20

      This is a perfectly fine album. It is just that Mercury Rev changed completely after David Baker left taht if you are expecting the "new" version you might not dig the "old" version. I happen to love both versions. Both this and Mercury Rev's second album (the reviews above seem to not know that it even exists) "Boces" are similar in that they are full of noisy pop flourishes and topnotch pop hooks, choruses, choral bits, horn fills, and so on combined with transient white noise bursts just to make it all weird. The result is great - chaotic moments within finely crafted pop tunes. It was even recorded on magnetic tape (or so I've heard).

      I know this isn't the most "informative" review, but I just had to pipe in and defend what I think is a really good album.

      I recommend "Chasing a Bee," "Syringe Mouth," "Very Sleepy Rivers" and "Carwash Hair" to the uninitiated.

      2 out of 5 stars Yerself is steam.......2005-10-21

      Mercury Rev are known now for their melancholy orchestral pop and ye olde rock'n'rolle. But they had a very different sound in their debut album: 1991's "Yerself Is Steam," a sound dominated by ex-member David Baker. Don't expect the rough sweetness of their second album...

      This is a far less appealing album, and far set apart from the sound of every album that came after it. Thick waves of fuzzy guitar and rough synth overwhelm the title track, and obscure all lines but the ominous "Remember that yerself... is... steam!" The resulting dark pop song is strangely compelling, in a weird psychedelic manner.

      Unfortunately, it gets old by the fifth time you hear it. Only a few songs really deviate from that fuzzy, disconnected sound, cycling around until the songs blur together. The melodies of half the songs sound alike unless you listen to them several times, and many of them have unmelodious squeals and synth flourishes that make that hard to do.

      And despite being paired with the first Mercury Rev album, "Mint Humbucker" is not a Mercury Rev album, but a compilation from the Mint label, where they resided for some time. There is the exquisite single "Car Wash Hair" from the band themselves, which is full of rainy pop splendour. But the rest is made up of collaborative pieces with lesser bands like Radial Spangle.

      There are a few Mercury Rev songs that break from the mold, however. "Blue and Black" is an enchantingly ghostly melody that bursts into dark grandeur by the end; consider it a preview of what Mercury Rev later became. "Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell T' Th' Center Of Yer Heart" has the same sound as most of the other songs, but stripped down and expanded into a rich, epic soundscape.

      It certainly doesn't help that Baker -- who was drummed out of the group after this album -- has a very unappealing voice. He doesn't sing, as Jonathan Donahue later did; instead, he intones in an annoying twang. He sounds like a cowboy trying to go avant-pop, and only sounds hideously out of place, especially when reduced to just yelling "Yeeeaaaahhh!" over the music.

      Released four years and a band breakup before anything else Mercury Rev did, "Yerself Is Steam" is dramatically different -- and not in a good way. Instead, it sounds like the Pixies on a bad acid trip.

      Music:

      1. 14:59 /Floored
      2. A Better Land
      3. Automatic Killfest
      4. Bedtime for Democracy
      5. Bird That You Can't See [CD-single]
      6. Bitchin' Wheels
      7. Bite the Bullet [Box set] [Import] [Limited Edition]
      8. Boatman's Call
      9. Boondocks: Waiting for Joy
      10. Bradykynin

      Music

      music

      Music

      On a Rolling Ball [Enhanced]

      Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto/Dvorak: Cello Concerto

      Ravel: Boléro; Debussy: Nocturnes No1-3

      West of Winton [Import]

      Head First

      The BestNew Age, Vol. 5

      The Great American Songbook [Live]

      Siegfried Wagner: Violin Concerto; Flute Concerto

      Testamentum [Import]

      Sharon Mabry

      Songs for the Road

      The Best of Tommy Dorsey

      Reggaeton XXX: Digital Harry

      Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO

      Seriously Good Music: Lounge