sábado, julio 24, 2010

Deerhunter - "Rainwater Cassette Exchange" (2009) / "Halcyon digest" (2010)


Hipster critics sure have their lips as badly swollen as hemorrhoid-sullied assholes. All of that restless, as consistent as unjustified, ass-kissing should guarantee them that –thus is the abhorrent side-effect of their hype-provoking addictions. Of course, we indie-kids are snotty enough to coat our praises with sufficient sarcasm and elitist detachment so as to bequeath the recipients of said ravings just enough fuel to sustain their hot-air sensation status one short year; yet a quick look at today’s media (read: blogs) will confirm that there are many more sorta-popular bands we feel safe to admit of being “great” now than, say, 15 or 25 years ago. Not to get tangled in an argument concerning how there have always been cool underground artists which failed to find the recognition they deserved, or how new technologies have revolutionized the way we produce and consume music (hence the indie boom) –after all this is nothing but an album review–, we can at least start by agreeing that if Jack White is the last denizen of classic rock in indie-ish territory, and Radiohead, James Murphy, Modest Mouse and Arcade Fire are the transitional heirs of post-punk and early indie/alternative rock, Bradford Cox (of Atlas Sound and Deerhunter fame) ought to have serious chances of being considered the first indie-bred genius, the rightful target of our usual hype-fever brown-nosing. Sure it all is a crass oversimplification (where does Animal Collective fit in there?), but with current indie idols aging fast, we urgently need a mobilizing metaphor this strong, don’t we? Ok, ok. Bear with me; we’ll see if this gets us somewhere.

Restless, hyperactive Bradford Cox ain’t the kind of guy who would tell you about writer’s block or even artistic restraint –he’s never heard of neither. Aside from keeping both Deerhunter and Atlas Sound active (is it 6 albums they’ve released in 3 years?), he uploads dozens of new songs, remixes, mixtapes and similar stuff on his blog with astonishing frequency. Then it should come as no surprise that shortly after the revered double-punch of 2008’s Weird Era Cont. and Microcastle (and Atlas Sound’s no less remarkable Let the blind lead those who can see but cannot feel), Cox would readily present us with a new Deerhunter offering: Rainwater Cassette Exchange. Short but at the same level achieved with the aforementioned albums, for a time available only in the form of cassette tapes, this is the kind of material one masterfully uses to bait fans (and critics) into not losing track of you. But such promotional cleverness doesn’t mean these are the leftovers of an already massive offering, subpar-fillers or undercooked material of Cox’s. No sir.

With a freshly condemned-to-prison Phil Spector –also confirming Cox’s fixation with prefabricated teen pop–, the eponymous opening track lushly hits the Wall of Sound bull’s-eye by coupling the famed Wrecking Crew sound with a Spacemen 3 nugget, pushing the reverb drenched vocals, barraging instrumentation and distorted ambient drones toward an evidently pop ground. “Disappearing Ink” instead recovers the urgency of adolescent punk to project it over a coy German vanguard (Neu!) canvass, a realm where garage-oddity “Famous last words” also inhabits. Back to exotic vintage pop, the surprisingly acoustic “Game of diamonds” evokes the isolated suffering of chemotherapy (or self-destructive behavior) without surrendering its Van Dyke Parks’ era Beach Boys aspirations. Sadly bringing an abrupt end to this EP(?), “Circulation” delves in a swift No Wave-meets-British-Noise-Pop beat which is just long and intense enough to qualify as the peak on this fuzzily memorable dessert to Deerhunter’s 2008 indie banquet.

So where does, in this string of cool-band-references and indie-cred-loaded musings, the genius of Cox show? First and foremost, although you can detect the Velvet Underground-ish, trippy space-rock, run-for-your-life experimentalism, shoegaze enamored blue-print the band is following, it is hard to pin-down where they are getting their sound from. I mean, you can tell what influences they fuse and how they try to pursue them, but it is not easy to spot The Sounds of Young Scotland, No New York or those C-86 compilations playing in the back of their heads while they recorded the album –and that is not something you can tell of every new, hot band (yes, The Drums, I’m looking at you!). True, it doesn’t account for originality, but after a decade of stealing post-punk’s best tricks, it is indeed refreshing in a manner only Ariel Pink would seem capable of giving a run for its money.

Nevertheless, anyone who’s heard Cox’s work knows it is the lyrics that give him the edge over his peers. We obviously do not talk about narrative juggernauts or poetic saplings; brandished by Cox as impressionistic, stream-of-consciousness improvs, truth is his lyrics cannot play down their author’s personality and background (Marfan syndrome, awkward teenage years, etc.) and rely so heavily on personal experience that such condition turns them as in-tune with our times as anything can be. However inflicted with the drowsiness of today’s egocentrism, those lyrics conceal the impeding menace of solitude and decay as well as Jeff Magnum used to do (a still operative knack which “Helicopter”, off Deerhunter’s forthcoming Halcyon digest, proves). Granted, sometimes his lyrics are borderline emo (is that word still in use?) or reveal too much of the freaky innards of a guy that used to talk about his own feces on his blog, but such banal, overtly public confessionalism is a crime that almost commits itself today (do you not have a Facebook account?) and the fact that Cox can turn that into verses lacking a trace of celebratory whim, is the core of his songwriting skill.

Waking up to the blurry, distant sound of a party blasting the Black Eyed Peas’ latest hit might still be our musical bread-and-butter for years to come, but Deerhunter’s aesthetic gamble must stand as an epiphany for any kid growing up in what has been baptized as indie rock’s golden age, as TV on the Radio’s Dear science, song heralded –at least for us who were fresh out of Kindergarten when Pavement, Sonic Youth and Teenage Fanclub were the shit, or who were too Internetless (and busy popping pimples) to pay attention to the turn-of-this-century revivaloution. Sure this is not punk’s generational send-off to boomer rock (bury those hippies already!), but Deerhunter indeed is the first band born and creatively active within indie rock’s dominance, and even if the band or Brandon Cox (or whoever else fits the role) fail to live up to their promise and disappear, it will be bands stemming from this generation that will take indie rock to new places. And that sure will be a golden age. For the time being, while Deerhunter’s Halcyon Digest aims to become the first landmark on such a road, taking the spot for the most-eagerly-awaited-Best-Album-contender of the year (sorry Arcade Fire), I am more than ready to put my purple, suppurating hipster-critic lips to the service if it is half as good as Rainwater Cassette Exchange was. So, let the countdown begin.

24 comentarios:

el otro dijo...

and in this scenario, No Age equals to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QIVdEOcn68

Javier Rodríguez dijo...

You know how oversimplifications work, my dearest "el otrou". ;)

What's got me wondering is how do pieces writen in english fit in this blog..., huh?

Great link from the No Bradhunter tour! Thanks for the visit and see you around.

Adrián dijo...

oooh! dissecting the lost muse, che, hay cosas que mi ineptitud no logra traducir, y la verdad que ahora era necesario. Habrá que retomar el enlglish nomás, si es que así va la cosa.

Javier Rodríguez dijo...

Hola Adrián!
Gracias por la visita, viejo. Estos tres artículos en inglés son parte de un proyecto concreto y -se podría decir- temporal. Los artículos que vendrán vas a ser siempre en español.
Un abrazo y ya nos vemos por ahí!

viagra online dijo...

Let me congratulated for a very beautiful literature like this one, this article is amazing

anaheim park hotel dijo...

Hardly work. the post looks awesome and interesting. I've never seen one of them before mind. Very interesting subject, Appreciate it for sharing information.

Anónimo dijo...

buy xanax online different types of generic xanax pills - xanax side effects long term

Anónimo dijo...

pay day loans http://www.2applyforcash.com voivirway [url=http://www.2applyforcash.com]Payday Loans[/url] Erava Payday Loans Online Payday Loans No Credit Check So take a close assessment of what is necessary, and interested in anything else that you might have to offer.

Anónimo dijo...

Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I
could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?

I'm using the same blog platform as yours and I'm having difficulty finding one?
Thanks a lot!
Feel free to surf my web blog ; making money

Anónimo dijo...

This is my first time go to see at here and i am truly pleassant to
read all at one place.

my web-site pointclick windows comparison shopping method

Anónimo dijo...

I am really pleased to glance at this website posts which carries tons of useful information, thanks for providing these data.


Feel free to visit my web-site: Vidaplenaparatodos.Com

Anónimo dijo...

I love reading through a post that will make people think.
Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!


Review my webpage: life Insurance

Anónimo dijo...

We're a bunch of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with useful info to work on. You have done an impressive task and our whole neighborhood will probably be thankful to you.

Stop by my web-site; search engine optimisation specialist
My website - Howtomakemoneyllc.com

Anónimo dijo...

Thanks for some other informative website. The place else may I get that kind of information written in such a perfect way?
I have a mission that I am simply now operating on, and I have been at the glance out for such info.


my blog post: discount shopping

Anónimo dijo...

Hi there, I enjoy reading all of your article. I like to write a
little comment to support you.

My homepage: clothes shopping online

Anónimo dijo...

Howdy! I know this is somewhat off-topic however I had to ask.

Does building a well-established blog like yours take
a large amount of work? I am completely new
to operating a blog however I do write in my journal everyday.

I'd like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any ideas or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!

Feel free to surf to my homepage - making money

Anónimo dijo...

Good day! Do you use Twitter? I'd like to follow you if that would be ok. I'm absolutely
enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.

Feel free to visit my web-site :: laser checks

Anónimo dijo...

What's up, this weekend is pleasant in favor of me, as this time i am reading this enormous informative paragraph here at my residence.

Feel free to visit my web-site http://www.apecyouth2008.com/arranging-to-use-business-checks/

Anónimo dijo...

If some one wishes expert view regarding blogging and site-building after that i suggest him/her to pay a quick visit this webpage,
Keep up the nice work.

My web page :: best coffee maker

Anónimo dijo...

Greetings I am so grateful I found your web site, I really found you
by accident, while I was researching on Aol
for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a incredible post and a all round thrilling blog (I
also love the theme/design), I don't have time to read it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the fantastic job.

Feel free to surf to my homepage; http://Code6studio.Com/?p=6

Anónimo dijo...

This is really interesting, You are an excessively skilled blogger.

I have joined your rss feed and look forward
to in search of more of your fantastic post. Additionally, I
have shared your site in my social networks

Feel free to visit my webpage; http://extremeshowoff.com/

Anónimo dijo...

I got this web site from my pal who told me about this web site and now this
time I am visiting this web site and reading very informative posts here.


Also visit my page - http://www.goldenrat.com/immediate-programs-for-modcloth-coupons/

Anónimo dijo...

It's very straightforward to find out any matter on net as compared to textbooks, as I found this piece of writing at this site.

Also visit my page :: chizai-wiki.jp

Anónimo dijo...

I believe what you wrote was very logical. However, think about this,
suppose you added a little information? I mean, I don't want to tell you how to run your website, however what if you added a title that makes people desire more? I mean "Deerhunter - "Rainwater Cassette Exchange" (2009) / "Halcyon digest" (2010)" is a little vanilla. You ought to glance at Yahoo's home
page and watch how they write post headlines to grab viewers to
open the links. You might add a video or a picture or
two to get readers interested about everything've written. Just my opinion, it might make your website a little bit more interesting.

Here is my blog ... http://blogs.law.batir.tv/maison/index.php?title=Utilisateur:ForrestGa