VIDEO
Filmed by D. James Goodwin
from a practice session this past week, at The Old Dutch Church in Kingston, NY (work in progress - ALL MUSIC ©2018 Jeff Mercel/BMI)
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Discography
Over the years, Jeff has been a part of numerous critically acclaimed albums from Mercury Rev (and others) as a drummer, keyboardist, writer & producer. In addition to his ongoing solo work & work for film, television & commercial advertising, he continues to collaborate, produce, remix, record (and sometimes tour) with a number of artists. Here are a few examples of Jeff at work:
Nocturne No. 2
New work for solo piano, released March 7, 2025.
©2025 Jeff Mercel/BMI, all rights reserved.
Jeff Mercel: Lunescapes Volume One
©2018 - The Satellite Union/Psychic Troubles Tapes
Jeff's first full-length, solo release. Recorded at home (mostly in the kitchen, on a sometimes unruly upright piano) the Lunescapes offer a series of instrumental vignettes, intimate landscapes, and lo-fi fantasies. The writing and recording for volume two is ongoing and will be finished later in 2018.
XLAMAS: Stare At The Circuits - Dream Of The Sea
©2024 XLAMAS
Debut album from XLAMAS (Austin Hughes, Damon Whittemore, Jeff Mercel)
Jeff Mercel: All Christmases Past (digital single)
©2017 A little cowboy Christmas song written & performed by Jeff Mercel for Christmas 2017.
Jeff Mercel: The Drift
This song was originally commissioned for Esopus Magazine's 10th anniversary issue, "Esopus 20: Special Collections".
www.esopus.org
Jeff Mercel: 5 Shells (original score from the motion picture)
©2013 Original score from Paul Myer's debut feature-length film, 5 Shells. Music composed & performed by Jeff Mercel
Jeff Mercel: Marvin (original music from the animated film)
©2013 Original music composed, performed & recorded by Jeff Mercel.
About the Film // Narrated by Steve Coogan with music by Jeff Mercel of Mercury Rev, Marvin is the award winning tale of a boy born with an unusual extra orifice right in the middle of his forehead. Purchase the film from iTunes here.
Jeff Mercel: Sam (original music from the short film)
©2013 Original music from the short film "Sam" - composed & performed by Jeff Mercel. The full film (written/directed by Sal Bardo) has been viewed over 6 million times and can be seen now on YouTube at the link below:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQiN2MYEzSg
Ultraam: The Pastures Of Ultraam
©2017 The debut long-player from the Hudson Valley based noise-rock/spazz-jazz/improv supergroup was culled from over 20 hours of improvised live performances,and then sliced, diced, mangled & remixed, Teo Macero style. These bold sonic explorations are not for the faint of heart.
Mercury Rev: Deserter's Songs
In 1998 Mercury Rev delivered the unexpected, a hit album. Deserter’s Songs, the fourth studio long player from the New York-based band not only delivered three UK Top 40 singles, but also struck cultural pay dirt across the globe that still resonates today.
Fully cementing Mercury Rev’s rebirth as purveyors of a cosmic brand of the popular American songbook, Deserter’s Songs is an album of grandiose proportions. Merging jazz, folk, sweeping orchestration, and a dose of 60’s rock, the album was intended as the band’s swan song and therefore made with utter abandon. However, it became the band’s most acclaimed platter and remains one of the essential records of the past 25 years. Deserter’s Songs was released to huge worldwide acclaim and went on to be named album of the year in 1998 by NME, MOJO and many other publications, quickly propelling the legendary iconoclasts into living rooms worldwide and pioneered the launch of a new genre of music, heard today in bands like Arcade Fire and Beirut.
Mercury Rev: Deserter's Songs (instrumental)
©2011 In 1998, for Mercury Rev (who had become know for their arty, left-field pop), Deserter’s Songs was something of a revelation. Tweaking their reputation for harsh noisy freakouts, the album was a lush, orchestral counterpoint to the band’s catalogue at that point. And now, Deserter's Songs has been re-mixed and remastered in a special Instrumental Edition, accentuating the orchestral cosmic-fantasia of this epic space-rock americana classic in full 3D cinematic scope! The band's long-time friend (and original bass player) Dave Fridmann has created instrumental mixes of all of the tracks excluding 'Goddess On A HiWay," which has been instrumentally mixed by Peter Katis.
Mercury Rev: All Is Dream
The 2001 monumental follow-up to Deserter's Songs, featuring the storybook epic 'The Dark Is Rising'. This album always figures heavily into Rev live performances. Initially released on 9/11/2001. Heavy.
Mercury Rev: The Secret Migration
©2005 The sixth studio album from Mercury Rev, recorded entirely at the band's own studio in Kingston, NY.
Mercury Rev: Hello Blackbird
©2006 The original Mercury Rev score for the French film "Bye Bye Blackbird". Features 19 tracks total, including "Blackbird's Call", "Trial By Wire", and "Waltz For Alice.”
"Bye Bye Blackbird" is a tragic and compelling love story set in a turn of the century travelling circus. Elegantly filmed by photographer Robinson Savory, "Bye Bye Blackbird" has a stellar cast, including stage and screen star Derek Jacobi in the role of Lord Dempsey, and James Thierre in his first lead role as Josef, the acrobat, performer, musician, and creator of the French circus 'La Veillee des abysses', who grew up in a circus himself.
Mercury Rev: Snowflake Midnight
©2008 Mercury Rev's 7th full-length studio album, originally released in the UK/Europe on V2 Records/Cooperative Music and in the US via Yep Roc.
Mercury Rev: Strange Attractor
©2008 The all-instrumental, companion record to Snowflake features 11 swirling, atmospheric tracks including "Nocturne for Norwood", a song dedicated to the much-maligned Buffalo Bills placekicker, Scott Norwood.
Nicolai Dunger: Here's My Song...
©2004 Mercury Rev team up with the prolific Swedish troubadour to produce one of Dunger's most critically acclaimed and successful albums to date.
Mercury Rev & various artists: The Late Great Daniel Johnon Discovered Covered
Common Prayer: Frame The River
©2013 O+/South Cherry Entropy Common Prayer released their second LP "Frame The River" with the help of the O+Festival. The album began in Neil Halstead's Cornwall studio while the band was on tour in support of "There Is A Mountain," and was completed in Brooklyn, NY nearly 2 years later. It was produced by Damon Whittemore and Jeff Mercel at Valvetone Studios.
Common Prayer: Us vs. Them (re-mix)
Miracle Falls: Debasement Tapes
©2012
NEW MUSIC FROM EX MERCURY REV / SPARKLEHORSE / LONGWAVE MEMBER PAUL DILLON FEATURING: PETE HOLMSTROM (THE DANDY WARHOLS , P.I.A.), COLLIN HEGNA (BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, FEDERALE), GRASSHOPPER & JEFF MERCEL (MERCURY REV), JASON 'PLUCKY' ANCHONDO (THE WARLOCKS, SPINDRIFT, HAWKEYE)
credits
Kristin Mueller: deserts+long trails
©2014 Jeff contributed additional keyboards/tambourine/synths/piano/hammond organ.
Heather Nova: Storm
©2003 The Mercury Rev-produced album for this Canadian singer-songwriter was recorded in the heart of the Catskilsl at the legendary (now dark) Allaire Studios.
Heather Nova: Redbird
©2005 recorded in London, Jeff appears as a drummer and keyboardist on Heather Nova's 8th studio album.
Dot Allison: We Are Science
©2002 Produced by Mercury Rev producer Dave Fridmann and recorded at the now legendary Tarbox Road Studios, Jeff appears as a session drummer on this recording.
Grand Mal: self-titled EP
©1996/No. 6 Records The first recording from former St. Johnny frontman, Bill Whitten. The record was recorded & produced by Dave Fridmann, largely in the studios at The State University of New York at Fredonia, where Dave Fridmann and Jeff Mercel met as students. Jeff appears as a session drummer after touring briefly with St. Johnny.
Wynn Walent: With Friends from Here and There
©2015
(Jeff appears as a drummer on this recording)
A note from Wynn Walent... "These songs come from Haiti. All proceeds will benefit the St. Luke Foundation for Haiti. Each morning there is mass in the chapel at St. Damien's Hospital, and it is very frequently a funeral mass. A funeral for a patient, a friend of staff, or an abandoned body brought to the St Luke team. These songs are sung throughout. They speak of great courage in the face of loss. Lyrically, these are not direct translations, but I wrote them in the spirit of the Haitian songs. These are a humble attempt to share a few of the melodies and feelings that defined several years of my life. I couldn't forget these melodies if I wanted to...and as it happens, I don't want to. The original songs can be heard, in Haitian Kreyol, atstlukehaiti.bandcamp.com."
