Deerhunter's first album, the self-titled release from Atlanta-based Stickfigure, was a cacophonous, messy, punk-driven record that banged and pulsated along in the shock and anger after bass player Justin Bosworth's sudden death in 2004. By the time the band set about recording their second album, however, they had added another guitarist, one who focused more on twisting and mechanizing sound, and had calmed down considerably. Because of this, much of Cryptograms meanders about in the experimental realm, where swells and layers matter more than melody or structure. It does make for contrast, this ebb-and-flow against the greater discord of the sung pieces, but these instrumentals don't do enough to actually mean anything. From the "Intro" to "Red Ink" to "Providence" there's a kind of tired consistency played out in the delayed guitar that works to make the record almost commonplace, despite its avant-garde leanings. The more "conventional" tracks, those with words, decipherable or not (generally not), work a little better. More interesting and complex musically, they weave guitar and basslines with driving chords and heavy drums, the same energy before spent on reverb now given to rhythm and composition. Lyrics, courtesy of frontman Bradford Cox, are sparse but intentional, like the repeated muffled yell of "there was no sound" in the title cut, or the echoed call of "I was the corpse that spiraled out" in the nearly eight-minute long "Octet." Cryptograms is pained, sometimes angry, sometimes reflective (and once, in the out-of-place indie pop "Strange Lights," oddly content) music that aims for the provocative and the esoteric. Occasionally, like in the wonderfully spastic "Lake Somerset," Deerhunter successfully accomplish that, but more often than that they overreach and end up hitting something much more ordinary, predictably "experimental" choices in a genre that's supposed to be anything but. Yes, there's a greater recognition of the importance of maturity and structure and intellectualism here, but it's overshadowed by a heightened sense of gravitas and a concern for the unconventional that ends up dulling whatever it is they may have created.
It appears, dear reader, that I have a thing for spacey, psychedelic, trip-rock (I made that one up!) at the moment as I can't seem to stop listening to bands who get off on making their guitars sound like space ships. This probably stems from my affinity for guitar effects on my own ax that make it sound like a space ship when I'm playing in the dark in my room imagining I'm in an arena playin...
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If you haven't yet been turned onto the dubious delights of Atlanta ambient punks Deerhunter it's probably worth pursuing and it was a nice treat to find this edit of their track 'Octet' from last years 'Cryptograms' album in the inbox. I don't know anything about the background to this particular track only that it's a rework by Simian [...]
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It appears, dear reader, that I have a thing for spacey, psychedelic, trip-rock (I made that one up!) at the moment as I can't seem to stop listening to bands who get off on making their guitars sound like space ships. This probably stems from my affinity for guitar effects on my own ax that make it sound like a space ship when I'm playing in the dark in my room imagining I'm in an arena playin...
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deerhunter. atlanta represent!been gone for a bit. my company has recently been acquired by corporate. and through all the shit, all the smiling and money and favoritism and suits and superiority and demotion (is that a word?) swarm around me i have been listening to this band...
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My body sort of aches when I lie down. It isn't enough to complain about, I'm sure. I've known people who've been through more in their lifetimes. Getting a metal bar in your chest is probably not the most enjoyable thing to go through in your teenage years. It's good to have friends like that. People who have some sort of uncommon thing like Marfan's syndrome. You tell yourself having extre...
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Photo by: Sergio Recabarren I really can't wait for that SMD release that features Beth Dito of The Gossip! In the meanwhile, The Fader uploaded yesterday a new remix. It took them a minute to figure out what Deerhunter song Simian Mobile Disco had edited, apparently they were tricked since Microcastle was officially released not too long ago. Turns out it is actually an edit of "Octet" fr...
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For ramblings on how I came to compile this list go here. And for commentary on previous selections: [#50-46] [#45-41] [#40-36] [#35-31]30. Heartbreaker - Ryan Adams (2000)The argument that most of the world's greatest art is derived from sadness is one that I've always worked hard to refute, but a guy like Ryan Adams doesn't make it easy for me to do so. It doesn't get much sadder than his sol...
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 "Cryptograms")
