TRACKS:
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01) Never A Dull Day (For Les Paul)
02) Coop's Place
03) Six String Skyway
04) The Standard Fireworks Stomp
05) Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams
06) Soda Fountain Swing
07) Attempt To Re-Assemble My Fragmented Self
08) Autumn Noodle No. 1
09) A Dream For Ian
10) Mars Welcomes Careful Drivers
11) Here Comes Mr Mercury
12) Dance Of The Pagan Energy Ghosts
13) Tomorrow Today
14) Red Planet Blues (The Ritual Transfiguration Of Spaceman Albert Fitzwilliam Digby)
ALBUM NOTES:
Here Comes Mr Mercury is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album was - alongside Fancy Planets – the first Bill Nelson CD to feature 'CD text' allowing you to see the title of each track as it played on certain in car and hi-fi systems.
The album sold out in February 2019.
CURRENT AVAILABILITY:
Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store.
IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY:
Return to Jazz of Lights, Secret Club For Members Only, Arcadian Salon, Dreamland to Starboard,
Luxury Wonder Moments, Illuminated at Dusk, Silvertone Fountains, Mazda Kaleidoscope
BILL'S THOUGHTS:
"What I've been moving towards, in an organic and natural way, over many years, is a genre of my own where all the different aspects of my work, the various combinations of instruments, the various approaches to composition, (ambient, rock, electronic, jazz, pop, avant, roots, twang, modern classical etc), simply become fused together to create something that is uniquely mine.
"There's no singular jazz approach, or rock approach, or whatever, in the music...ALL these tints and shades are actively combined in my imagination, ALL the time. My music simply reflects everything I've ever absorbed in 61 years of listening, from infant nursery rhymes through my father's 1940's big band swing, rock n' roll, easy listening, psychedelia, folk, country, jazz, classical, experiments with pure sound and so on...everything that has ever touched me. It's a vast panorama of sound.
"So...I personally don't lock my music in sealed stylistic boxes anymore, (although I'm sometimes asked to describe it in orthodox terms for the purpose of this website). In my head, (especially when I'm actually creating), I'm not thinking of my music as rock, pop, jazz, blues, ambient and so on, it's just MUSIC and sound, one seamless, natural flow of expression."
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"Those of you with an interest in mythology AND science fiction, will spot the album title's underlying theme of 'Hermes/ Mercury'.
"It also connects with a childhood comic book hero of mine, 'Jack Flash, The Flying Boy From Mercury' who featured in 1950's 'Beano' comics. Drawn originally by the legendary Dudley D. Watkins, Jack had tiny ankle wings that enabled him to fly like a bird.
"When I was a very young boy, I'd cut out pairs of wings from cartridge paper, attach them to my shoes and race around the house pretending to be Jack Flash. Never got more than a few inches off the ground though!"
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"Coop's Place" - "The title refers to a real place, a lovely little bar-cantina in New Orleans where Harold Budd and I used to spend our evenings, drinking Corona beer together, after working through the day on his album 'By the Dawn's Early Light'. I enjoyed the 'mud bugs', (crayfish), they boiled up and served in bowls...and the 'po-boy' sandwiches. I think Coop's Place vanished in the floods of a few year's back. But what a wonderful time I had there in New Orleans at Daniel Lanois' fabulous studio, with Harold, B. J. Cole and the rest of the gang."
FAN THOUGHTS:
Holer:
"Bill, I don't know how you do it. With as many instrumental albums as you've dropped in recent years, you still keep coming up with creations that build upon past entries but stand on their own as unique musical experiences.
Mr Mercury just grabs the ears and does not let go. Each song seems to shift effortlessly into the next and yet every one is so unique that they really stand out as their own little miniature sonic world. Standout tracks? "Teatime", "Fragmented Self", "Dream for Ian", "Careful Drivers"...on and on. If I had to pick one, I'd say "Pagan Energy Ghosts", but I can tell it's going to change and evolve as I continue to listen."
"You never cease to suprise and amaze, Bill..."
December Man:
"A cracking good guitar in 5th gear album."
Merikan1:
"Bill, you rock dude. You may see yourself as sliding into old gitdom, but that lusty, degenerate rocker is still lurking about in there.
Listening to "Coop's Place". "It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that twang!" Good ole boy music. I kept hearing Satchmo.
Thanks again, Bill. Is Wunnerful."
istvan:
"I just can't stop listening to this groovy record...Mercury shines all around, very tasty, at times thick layered, than light and fleeting, I hear cowboys and geishas, above the clouds and below with Cerberus, melodic and dancable, it lightens my spirit. Thanks Bill, amigo de musica."
Peter:
"Here Comes Mr Mercury is sublime...it is yet another absolutely gorgeous sonic tour de force. Some of it just made me melt..."
"Deeply dazzled by both "Autumn Noodle No.1" and "A Dream for Ian". I mean, the whole album is wonderful, but these two are SO good...my god, Bill, but you have the gift.
It is interesting that I believe the songs you have done in tribute to Ian are all stunningly beautiful. Clearly, the emotion that inspired them takes the music to another level.
Such powerful and moving beauty at your fingertips...thank you for sharing."
Alan:
"While some of this album is in the jazz vein, most of it doesn't fall in that category, in my opinion. Personally, I think this album is a must for any Nelsonian. And no, I don't work for Sound On Sound, or Bill. But, this album does have some great guitar throughout."
Angie:
"It really is a gem of an album. For me, the overall feel of it is extremely uplifting, and what a variety of musical styles there is!! An absolute treat of an album."
andygeorge:
"Here Comes Mr Mercury is Bill at his beautiful best, a classic collection of just lovely, lovely music that just oozes class...and all this on the first few plays! Cheers Bill, you never fail to please..."
alec:
"Coops Place": "The guitar sounds like many different instruments, including a trumpet solo, in this little number, seamlessly gliding through many related genres of instrumental music. I like that unbridled laughter at the track's end.
Much praise to this CD's cover art. Each panel its own world."
felixt1:
"Here Comes Mr Mercury is one of Bill's absolute best guitar instrumental albums - so many great compositions, not least "Never A Dull Day (For Les Paul)", "Six String Skyway" and "A Dream For Ian". Some of Bill's best guitar playing on this one - a must have."
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