Mercury Rev is an experimental alternative rock band from Buffalo, New York that is often compared to The Flaming Lips, another alternative rock band with which Mercury Rev shares close ties. Despite never reaching the heights of popularity attained by its peer, Mercury Rev still remains one of the most critically-acclaimed alt rock bands out there, with a cult following that would still put many similar acts to shame. However, where most bands in similar situations may have either given up or continued to follow the same direction, Mercury Rev took its lack of mainstream success as an excuse to delve deeper into experimenting with its style. However, following the release of its 1998 album Deserter's Songs, the sheer amount of critical acclaim for the record managed to resurrect Mercury Rev from the dubious obscurity of cult fandom and into pop stardom almost overnight. And though the band has yet to reach to same level of success again, it is still considered to be one of the more formidable survivors of the 1990s alt rock movement still standing today.
