Deerhunter have always been a special band for me: when I was 15, I spent my winter nights in listening to Cryptograms and my summer blasting Turn It Up Faggot from my brother's old CD player. With every record Deerhunter releases, their sound always evolves. If you thought Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. was their masterpiece, you may want to rethink that in the case of their latest album, Halcyon Digest.
I think it's safe to say that Halcyon Digest is the most personal record Bradford Cox and co. have released thus far. Nostalgia and personal experience is shown in every song, and religious themes can also be heard in the songs "Helicopter" and "Revival". Weeks ago, Cox explained on a late night webcast that "Helicopter" came about when he was reading a story about a shocking death of a teenage gay prostitute in Russia. He was connected to what this person was going through and he wrote the song as a representation of how it would have been if he experienced it. The lyrical content varies from song to song.
Even though the themes are mature at times, songs like "Corondo" and "Fountain Stairs" are both straightforward pop-rock tracks. "Coronado" is the catchiest song Deerhunter has written, I believe; the long saxophone solo along with a Motown melody could persuade any music fan, be it whatever genre, to fall in love with this song. The closer, "He Would Have Laughed" is a tribute to the late Jay Reatard is the perfect track to end the album. Its mid-melody cut off leaves the listener wanting more.
Halcyon Digest overall is a very relatable album; it has a very intimate presence and every song carries a uniquely nostalgic vibe. While competing with Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. for the title of Deerhunter's most accessible album, it could serve as a good transitional album for those who aren't fond of their past endeavors.
[Deerhunter Myspace]
[Buy Halcyon Digest from 4AD]
Good Review. I think it's a very good album!
ReplyDeleteIt has been awarded "Album Of The Week" ( with two weeks delay ;-) ) on JG Blog.