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]
