In the three years that Mercury Rev have been absent, their contemporaries The Flaming Lips appear to have taken over their mantle of quirky US guitar maestros. In A Funny Way is taken from the band's forthcoming sixth album and is a beautifully uplifting little number.

With a Phil Spector-style production (check out that drumbeat for a start!), In A Funny Way skates along unforgettably with Jonathan Donahue's vocals sounding as dreamy as ever. Donahue's voice is still an acquired taste, but this is one of their most accessible tracks for a while.

More upbeat than the All Is Dream album, this may not come close to matching anything on the majestic Deserters Songs, but not many bands could match that opus. A welcome return from one of the best bands in the world.