Being that Mercury Rev’s ‘Deserter’s Songs’ has just been reissued (with an extra disc of out-takes, demos and rarities), what better time is there to pay tribute to the band’s bonafide 1998 masterpiece. From Jonathan Donahue’s opening lines on ‘Holes’ – where his warbling, high pitch is backed by wavering synth lines and a deep melancholy, to the opened-up, widescreen, blown-out chorus on ‘Goddess on a Hiway’.

The album’s success lies in the deep atmospherics perfected on pretty much every track. With the band’s collection of weaving keyboard lines and orchestral flourishes, spread thickly, mixed with theatrical climbs, swelling with emotion – much owing to Jack Nitzsche’s timeless recordings.

Having Donahue’s vocal upfront helps – exposed and dealing in stories of love and moving on – always seemingly at home with the varying landscapes. From the wavering ‘Endlessly’ to the rolling, dusty roads that is ‘Hudson Line’, it flows with a sadness and yearning at every step.

The re-issue has various early versions of the record’s tracks, offering an insight into where they started and how they mutated what they became. Its release is to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary (not the record) – and we can’t think of a better way to mark the occasion than listening to their finest moment.

The reissue is out now on V2