After key Band of Horses influence Neil Young experienced his commercial peak with Harvest -- the 1972 country rock cornerstone -- he famously reflected that it had put him in the middle of the road and that he soon “headed for the ditch.” On Mirage Rock -- the follow-up to the Ben Bridwell-fronted act’s Grammy-nominated, game-changing 2010 release, Infinite Arms -- Band of Horses keep a safe distance from the ditch with the help of producer Glyn Johns. As it happens, he’s the very man who helped the 1972-1973 period Eagles lineup hone their saccharine, radio-friendly, and harmony-laden sound while Young was exploring comparatively rugged and less-traveled terrain. Seemingly enlisted to consolidate the success of the self-produced Infinite Arms, Johns brings a great deal of experience to Mirage Rock. Production-wise, while Infinite Arms was layered and cavernous, Mirage Rock has a heart-on-sleeve immediacy to it, borne out of Johns’ insistence that the band deliver well-rehearsed live takes of much of the material. However, while their third record flowed effortlessly, the ebb of Mirage Rock is, to some extent, compromised by an earnest attempt to showcase the band’s eclecticism. The strong opening trio of tracks -- the pounding, lo-fi, indie rock of “Knock Knock,” the striking Jayhawks-inspired country pop of “How to Live,” and the laid-back, melancholic West Coast haze of “Slow Cruel Hands of Time” -- are contrasting but inspired choices for the album’s front end. However, the mid-set “Dumpster World” -- sonically closer to a pastiche of George Martin’s America than the Eagles -- has its understated sarcasm crushed by a chugging alt-rock midsection. Similarly, while Bridwell’s uptempo and overtly political “Feud” approximates Graham Nash fronting the Foo Fighters, it sits awkwardly between the bluegrass-tinged “Everything’s Gonna Be Undone” and the truly beautiful, strolling Buffalo Springfield nod “Long Vows.” All in all though, it’s the pros that outweigh the cons here. Bridwell’s natural gift for melody is given room to shine throughout and is complemented by some of the finest, most spine-tingling harmonies among the band and their contemporaries. There’s also a playful sense of humor evident here on tracks such as “A Little Biblical,” which can sometimes be lacking in the music of Fleet Foxes, Kings of Leon, and their ilk. In addition, Bridwell shows that he can match Robin Pecknold lyrically on “Slow Cruel Hands of Time,” a sincere, heartfelt rumination on growing old that takes in the grandeur of “the sky…in the yard” and the minutiae of stumbling across “a big city man” he used “to rumble with…back in high school.” Overall though, while Mirage Rock sees Band of Horses further immerse themselves in Americana, more than anything it finds them enraptured by the simple joy of music-making. “Electric Music” -- a freewheeling slice of Stones/Creedence-inspired rock -- encapsulates this premise and finds them “traveling the open road” without a ditch in sight. [This deluxe edition includes a bonus disc containing an additional five tracks which were self-produced at Sonic Ranch Studio in El Paso, Texas]. ~ James Wilkinson, Rovi

Free Worldwide Delivery : The Mirage : Paperback : HARPER PERENNIAL : 9780061976230 : 0061976237 : 02 Dec 2013 : From the beloved cult author of Bad Monkeys comes an unprecedented, mind-bending psychological thriller, in which an alternate history of 9/11 uncovers startling and harrowing truths about America and the Middle East.

A delicate navy, grey and carmine red floral pattern on a white background highlights this 100-percent cotton Mirage comforter set. The bedding set includes an oversized comforter and a coordinating sheet set with extra deep pockets designed to fit mattresses up to 22 inches deep. Set includes: One comforter, two shams, two Euro shams, one bedskirt, one deep fitted sheet, one oversized flat sheet, two pillowcases, two decorative pillows Comforter pattern: Floral Comforter reverse: Solid deep red Comforter detail: Woven Sheet weave: Sateen Sheet thread count: 350 Fitted sheet pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 22 inches Fully elasticized fitted sheet Bedskirt drop length: 16 inches Materials: 100-percent cotton Care instructions: Machine wash cold delicate cycle, do not bleach; spot clean decorative pillows Full Dimensions Comforter: 84 inches wide x 92 inches long Shams: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long Bedskirt: 54 inches wide x 75 inches long Queen Dimensions Comforter: 92 inches wide x 92 inches long Shams: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long Bedskirt: 60 inches wide x 80 inches long King Dimensions Comforter: 110 inches wide x 92 inches long Shams: 20 inches wide x 36 inches long Bedskirt: 78 inches wide x 80 inches long Cal King Dimensions Comforter: 110 inches wide x 92 inches long Shams: 20 inches wide x 36 inches long Bedskirt: 72 inches wide x 84 inches long The digital images we display have the most accurate color possible. However, due to differences in computer monitors, we cannot be responsible for variations in color between the actual product and your screen.