Rev (Ultra Vivid Scene album)

Rev
Studio album by Ultra Vivid Scene
Released	November 16, 1992[1]
Recorded	Zabriskie Point and Axis Studios, August 1992
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	53:20
Language	English
Label	4AD
Producer	Kurt Ralske, Fred Maher
Ultra Vivid Scene chronology
Joy 1967–1990 (1990) Rev (1992)
Singles from Rev
"Blood and Thunder" Released: February 8, 1993

Rev is an album by the American band Ultra Vivid Scene, released in 1992.[2][3] It was the band's third and final album. The single, an edited "Blood and Thunder", reached number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[4][5] Ultra Vivid Scene supported the album by touring with Grant Lee Buffalo.[6]

Production

The album was produced by Kurt Ralske and Fred Maher.[7] Unlike previous albums, Ralske recorded Rev with many other musicians instead of just going it alone.[8]

Ralske often wrote lyrics while still mostly asleep as he preferred the "naturalness" of the process.[9] "Mirror to Mirror" is about materialism.[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
Calgary Herald	B[12]
Chicago Tribune	[13]

The Washington Post praised the "elegance" of the album.[14] The Toronto Star wrote that Rev "has Nick Drake-like melodies, T. Rex-ish riffs, ethereal sliding guitar licks, restless rhythms, silences and explosions."[15] The Chicago Tribune noted that Ralske "seems so juiced to be working with a live rhythm section that he just grooves on and on with little heed paid to pop structure."[13]

Track listing

1. "Candida" – 4:38
2. "Cut-Throat" – 5:33
3. "Mirror to Mirror" – 4:50
4. "The Portion of Delight" – 6:12
5. "Thief's Love Song" – 6:07
6. "How Sweet" – 4:40
7. "Medicating Angels" – 8:11
8. "Blood and Thunder" – 10:21
9. "This Is the Way" – 2:48

Singles

• "Blood and Thunder" (February 8, 1993)
  1. "Blood and Thunder" (remix edit)
  2. "Don't Look Now (Now!)" (Crash cover)
  3. "Candida (Theme from 'Red Pressure Mounting')"
  4. "Winter Song" (Nico cover)

Personnel

• Ron Baldwin – backing vocals
• Everett Bradley – conga
• Dorit Chrysler – backing vocals
• Jack Daley – bass
• Julius Klepacz – drums
• Fred Maher – acoustic guitar, drums, producer
• Lloyd Puckitt – engineer
• Kurt Ralske – guitar, vocals, producer, engineer
• Rasputina
  • Melora Creager – cello
  • Serena Jost – cello
  • Julia Kent – cello
• Matthew Sweet – bass
• Sarah Walker – backing vocals

References

1. "The official website for independent record label 4AD".
2. Unsworth, Cathi (Nov 7, 1992). "Rev by Ultra Vivid Scene". Melody Maker. 68 (45): 33.
3. "Pop". Features. The Times. 6 Dec 1992.
4. Mayhew, Malcolm (May 7, 1993). "Ultra Vivid Scene is selling out and losing out". Star Time. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 11.
5. "Blood and Thunder - Ultra Vivid Scene". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
6. Lozaw, Tristram (April 16, 1993). "Psychedelia a state of mind for Vivid Scene". Boston Herald. p. S18.
7. "Rev by Ultra Vivid Scene". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 8. Feb 20, 1993. p. 60.
8. Jaeger, Barbara (April 18, 1993). "Ultra Vivid Scene, 'Rev'". The Record. Hackensack. p. E3.
9. Rule, Sheila (14 Apr 1993). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C18.
10. Semon, Craig S. (14 Mar 1993). "Grabbing his audience with warmth and weirdness". Datebook. Telegram & Gazette. p. 10.
11. AllMusic review
12. Phillips, Shari (20 Dec 1992). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C3.
13. Caro, Mark (4 Mar 1993). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
14. Jenkins, Mark (19 Apr 1993). "Ultra Vivid's Bad Scene". The Washington Post. p. C2.
15. Punter, Jennie (22 Apr 1993). "Ralske's out of Ultra Vivid studio". Toronto Star. p. WO6.