For all the love and attention Deerhunter get around here, they’ve always inspired heated detraction. I’ve always figured that’s centered primarily on their dressed-up photo sets and bowel movement blog posts, easy handles to fling some good old fashioned comment hate. Live they are legend (Top 5 of 2007 by these eyes and ears), though, and for most that dug into the Cryptograms–>Fluorescent Grey combo/evolution, the knee-jerk hatred abated. Or maybe not. Whatever your stance, you sorta need to check out what you can of their forthcoming record Microcastle. I’ve had friends say “I didn’t think I liked Deerhunter, but this is great,” and others say “I’ve always liked Deerhunter, and this is great.” See? Great.
Bradford sounds like he’s exorcised some of his demons, being “Saved By Good Times,” etc. Or maybe it’s just that, from the sound of things, I don’t imagine him screeching on top of amps in dresses (as much) this time. There are still rising tides of guitar squall, but not of the storm-summoning variety; instead, the shoegazer stuff’s adorning the fringes, coloring heaps of ’60s-indebted indie pop sensibility. To wit, start with the lockstep, oozing “Never Stops,” the swaying “Agoraphobia,” and the gorgeous psych-pop of “Little Kids” (particularly from 1:45 on) at MySpace. And then listen to the other ones because you’ll like them too.
[Photo by Loreana]
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Microcastle is lightyears better than Cryptograms, in my opinion.
Actually, it’s probably not nearly as good. But considering Cryptograms and Fluor. Grey only came out last year, Microcastle is a fucking awesome achievement.
i’ve always liked deerhunter, and this is fucking incredible. i thought cryptograms was okay [the latter-half of the record being its saving grace], and i thought fluorescent grey was rad, but, as most EP’s, too short. it’s nice to see that they took the poppier direction of the EP and raised the bar on the songwriting for this one. from the intro all the way to “twilight at carbon lake,” there’s not a bum moment on the record, in my opinion. my only complaint is that the album version of “calvary scars” isn’t quite as good as the version on their daytrotter session, but that’s just me being knitpicky. if microcastle doesn’t end up being my favorite album released this year, it’ll end up being damn close.
I am very excited about this album, and even more so now after hearing these tracks. It’s starting to get differentiating between a Deerhunter and Atlas Sound track now, though, no? Whatever, though, I’ll listen to anything put out by Bradford as it’s never disappointed.
there’s only 2 songs up right now…wheres the rest of the stream?
Dude forget the stream, the album leaked. Look around for it. Can’t wait ’til they play “Nothing Ever Happened” live.
Anybody know of any artwork for Microcastle? I’m using a band picture as the album cover for my iPod.
Who doesn’t like bowl movement posts? Regardless of that, certainly looking forward to Microcastle. Sorta had a love/hate sentiment from the jump, but perhaps time has chiseled the hate side away.
i can’t believe it took me a while to notice this, but has anyone else also noticed that “Spring Hall Convert” from cryptograms is pretty much a cover of All Night Radio’s “All Night Radio”? speaking of ANR, that album is a classic, i can’t believe more people haven’t stumbled across its sheer awesomeness.
except mr. cox wrote his song like, ten years ago before it actually was on cryptograms
re: ‘Microcastles’ – it’s a nice album, the songs are good, but I’m disappointed that the sound is so straightforward.. Part of the fun with Cryptograms was the wandering all over the map through garage, ambient, shoegaze, psych-rock etc.. – I know some people hated the disjointedness but it’s part of what I loved about their sound.This new one doesn’t really seem to have that visceral feel or edginess to it. Hoping it’ll grow on me more, I had very high hopes though.
i fall in the ‘uh, never much understood the hype of deerhunter, but microcastles is fucking great!’
“nothing ever happened” is the perfect title for that song…because nothing ever happened. i kept waiting to understand, but i fell asleep. “never stops” is much better. from what i’ve heard, the atlas sound record is the best thing bradford’s done.
totaly agree with rich. too straightforward, kind of generic indie rock now. deerhunter’s strength was sound and atmosphere, which is nothing special in these songs, and so the songwriting – never the band’s strength – is more exposed as ordinary here.
I’ll take “Nothing Ever Happened” over that drivel that was Cryptograms.
At least the drummer can hold a beat now. His floppiness made Cryptograms hard to enjoy. It’s not neccesarily bad for a band to have ambition that outmatches its competence, but Crytograms just sounded like amateur hour for the better part of it, like someone trying to describe their idea for a movie in a foreign language. This is probably less experimental, aka, less aimless and superlouus delay pedal stomping (I think that’s all their departed guitarist really did except wear tank tops), but it makes more sense.
On a related note, I hear Atlas Sound are touring with El Guincho in July. Word is that those shows are going to be Bradford solos, though. Any one else hear the same? I’m there either way. El Guincho are like the hispanic Animal Collective. Hispanical Collective?
Liked both cuts – this was a pleasant surprise.
album is great.
bass line and drums in verses of “nothing ever happened” are reminicient of kings of leon’s “charmer.”
That’s cool, I’m liking that ennough to search out more.
Brad gave me a copy of Microcastles on his birthday. It’s been in my player every since then. There is nothing simple or generic about this album. It is a rocking, intelligent, Cocteau Twinish, Hairway to Stephen, infuckingcredible record. Tracks 1,2,3, 9 & 10. Listen and these songs will haunt you and will not leave your head. This is it.
At first I hated this album, then I listened again and now I’m absolutely obsessed…