The Mercury ProgramBest The Mercury Program Albums Ranked

All the Suits Began to Fall Off

pitchfork

7.9

“Well, the Program is getting better. This ought to be cause for celebration no matter which of two categories you fall into. I'm referring, of course, to the divisive effect of last year's *The Vapor of Gasoline* and how it split people into opposing camps of a) hypester idolaters that overstepped their enthusiasm for the album into the sphere of gross exaggeration, and b) the backlash contingent ”

A Data Learn the Language

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7.5

“Eccentricity's a tough trick to play. A willful refusal to obey the rules of one's genre and an urge to be different for the sake of difference can get you pretty far (where would the Flaming Lips be without it?), especially if the genre in question is particularly ossified or tired. On the other hand, eccentricity's also the cheapest ticket to Novelty City. This is especially true if your genre i”

From the Vapor of Gasoline

pitchfork

7.2

“Okay, let's all be honest here. Am I the only one out there getting worn out by the inundation of post-rock and avant-garde instrumental music which has recently struck us? Granted, it usually seems rather creative at first, but how many times can one really listen to the same unusual riff before the wave of aural numbness crashes down? Modal scales are certainly interesting enough in moderation, ”