― Z S, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:27 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Drooone, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:29 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Jena, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:32 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Z S, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:34 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Z S, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:35 (6 years ago) Permalink
― bernard snowy, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 01:46 (6 years ago) Permalink
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 April 2007 15:31 (6 years ago) Permalink
― adam, Friday, 27 April 2007 15:34 (6 years ago) Permalink
― curmudgeon, Friday, 27 April 2007 15:42 (6 years ago) Permalink
― adam, Friday, 27 April 2007 15:45 (6 years ago) Permalink
― call all destroyer, Friday, 27 April 2007 18:08 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Trip Maker, Friday, 27 April 2007 18:16 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Z S, Friday, 27 April 2007 19:10 (6 years ago) Permalink
― poortheatre, Friday, 27 April 2007 20:42 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 28 April 2007 01:03 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 28 April 2007 01:07 (6 years ago) Permalink
I'm listening to the Fluorescent Grey EP today for the millionth time, and I think what makes better, in addition to the improved songwriting and crisper recording, is the more mature playing on drums. On their first album, supposedly he had only played drums for a few months, and even on Cryptograms he was still a little shaky, and sounded like most drummers do after around 2-3 years of playing.
On Fluorescent Grey he sounds much more restrained, fluid and powerful. Maybe I'm just noticing it because I've played drums for a long time, but he sounds like he's finally hit that zone where he can play instinctively.
Like I said, the songs themselves are better, too. With 6 or 7 Fluorescent Grey caliber songs and a few instrumentals thrown in, I have really high hopes for their next release, whenever that may come.
― Z S, Saturday, 7 July 2007 15:31 (5 years ago) Permalink
sucks, really a lot. live show? terrible. literally a disaster. just further proof that pitchfork really does brainwash people.
― oo, Monday, 6 August 2007 22:23 (5 years ago) Permalink
whether they intend to or not.
― oo, Monday, 6 August 2007 22:24 (5 years ago) Permalink
WILL SUCCESS SPOIL DEER HUNTER?
― poortheatre, Monday, 6 August 2007 22:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
haha. don't call this as backlash. i've been holding back for a long time on that one. really, seeing them live i was literally amazed at how awkward they all were with their instruments. rather than feeling like i was seeing "wire in '77" like the above commenter, i thought that i was caught in one of those sick fake-band money-making schemes. it amazes me that someone decided to compare their music to harold budd's, given that they're practically the direct opposite of sophistication.
― oo, Monday, 6 August 2007 22:48 (5 years ago) Permalink
The second time I saw them (at the Pitchfork festival, hardy har har) was a lot worse than the first, but I chalked that up to the terrible sound. I think they forgot to turn the snare drum mic on for half the show, and at times all of the sound out of the entire right half of the speakers would cut in and out intermittently.
Who compared them to Harold Budd? I'm guessing it was just a lazy reference to their instrumentals, which at times assume an ambient structure.
― Z S, Monday, 6 August 2007 23:52 (5 years ago) Permalink
but then who brainwashed pitchfork?
i'm not sold on these guys myself, they come across to me as just another of the many bands who can't get over how cool it sounds if you turn the reverb way up on all the instruments and make everything all blurry
― aaron d.g., Tuesday, 7 August 2007 01:24 (5 years ago) Permalink
The underpants gnomes, obvs.
― Drooone, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 01:31 (5 years ago) Permalink
I'm in Boston for the summer, and one night in July I had to make a choice. Deerhunter, the Besnard Lakes, and Dan Deacon were all playing simultaneous shows at three different clubs. I saw the Besnard Lakes. They were quite good.
Was this decision wise or foolish? Perhaps only time will tell...
― duestown, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 02:59 (5 years ago) Permalink
they come across to me as just another of the many bands who can't get over how cool it sounds if you turn the reverb way up on all the instruments and make everything all blurry
Yeah, I can see that. Last time I saw them I was struck by what a combination they are of perhaps the two biggest musical influences of the early 1990s, Nirvana and MBV. From Nirvana, and the Pixies by extension, they take the softer verse-loud chorus dynamic, with the hazy, reverbed-out blast of a chorus taken from MBV. Deerhunter use that trick on many of their songs that have vocals, and your appreciation of Cryptograms depends largely on how much you like the sound of echoing, looping vocals and guitars crashing into each other. I like the trick a lot, myself. I was more impressed with the Flourescent Grey EP because they didn't rely on that trick so much. Their songwriting evolved into something much more unique.
― Z S, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 03:38 (5 years ago) Permalink
Z S pretty much otm. I love their one trick and, by extension, Cryptograms and their live show... but yeah, Fluorescent Grey is something else. I'm not quite sure what yet. but I'm excited, so there's that.
― bernard snowy, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 03:55 (5 years ago) Permalink
but then who brainwashed pitchfork?The underpants gnomes, obvs.-- Drooone, Monday, August 6, 2007 8:31 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link
-- Drooone, Monday, August 6, 2007 8:31 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link
obviously it doesn't take actual brainwashing, it just has to be your buddy's band, or to come out on kranky. it probably is great for someone close to them to be doing what they're doing. the records actually sound fine, professional, i'd just hold way back on calling them great.
― oo, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 07:13 (5 years ago) Permalink
Last time I saw them I was struck by what a combination they are of perhaps the two biggest musical influences of the early 1990s, Nirvana and MBV.
I hear that. I also hear early R.E.M. in Deerhunter's sound. They both have that hazy, mysterious Southern Gothic Rock sound and -- for some Deerhunter songs, at least -- I can hear the same "big beat" that there was in early R.E.M. I'm thinking more of the stuff on Deerhunter's EP (especially Fluorescent Grey), which I think is much better than the full-length disc.
― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 7 August 2007 18:20 (5 years ago) Permalink
just further proof that pitchfork really does brainwash people.
Pitchfork was the only place that hyped this band. And certainly not every magazine, blog, college radio station, podcast and MTV2 on earth.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 18:42 (5 years ago) Permalink
there actually was an mtv news "segment" on the "burgeoning atlanta indie scene" that profiled deerhunter, black lips and snowden. suffice to say that the term "psych-rock" was thrown around quite a bit.
― Jordan Sargent, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 18:46 (5 years ago) Permalink
I like how because one dude doesn't like it, everyone who does was "brainwashed" by Pitchfork.
I mean how can I respond to that? I'm brainwashed so my opinions aren't my own!
― rockapads, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 18:49 (5 years ago) Permalink
<I>I'm in Boston for the summer, and one night in July I had to make a choice. Deerhunter, the Besnard Lakes, and Dan Deacon were all playing simultaneous shows at three different clubs. I saw the Besnard Lakes. They were quite good.
Was this decision wise or foolish? Perhaps only time will tell...</I>
Maybe not for Deerhunter (I liked it but wasn't completely destroyed or anything) but I imagine this was the show @ the ICA? Was gorgeous, such an excellent space. After the first track they opened the black curtains along the back that opens out into the harbor and they played down the sunset. The KFW opener was absolutely gorgeous too.
― neustile, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:03 (5 years ago) Permalink
just saying its a lot easier to folks to walk around saying that deerhunter was an amazing live-show, a new, progressive, uncompromising sound without giving it a second, or possibly first, thought when pitchfork writes about them constantly that way (and all their activities) than it would be if say Stylus or any other web publication would
― oo, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:04 (5 years ago) Permalink
this sums up what i was saying much more nicely.
excerpt from andy beta's 'beta blog': But as I get this Deerhunter assignment, I find the disc more enjoyable, though nothing brilliant. It's a good start, nothing less or more. Hopefully it augurs well their next few years, allowing them to really do something, but for now, they remain just this pretty good rock band. Why do they deserve such a shitstorm of praise following them everywhere?During my phone interview, I ask singer Bradford Cox about what it means for Deerhunter to be deemed 'insane.' Cox asks me upfront: "When you saw us were you let down?"“Sorta. I mean, I didn't see what anyone was talking about.”"That’s because you're a rational, sane person," he laughed. "You wanna know the secret? You're probably a nice dude, that's what it is. It's your problem, not mine, buddy. You're too nice, rational, and smart. Let me tell you why. If you wanna know what this 'insane live show' boils down to is: people have never seen a skinny person before get on stage and not be shy about it. I don't have to do anything. I just have a weird appearance."Such is hype.
During my phone interview, I ask singer Bradford Cox about what it means for Deerhunter to be deemed 'insane.'
Cox asks me upfront: "When you saw us were you let down?"
“Sorta. I mean, I didn't see what anyone was talking about.”
"That’s because you're a rational, sane person," he laughed. "You wanna know the secret? You're probably a nice dude, that's what it is. It's your problem, not mine, buddy. You're too nice, rational, and smart. Let me tell you why. If you wanna know what this 'insane live show' boils down to is: people have never seen a skinny person before get on stage and not be shy about it. I don't have to do anything. I just have a weird appearance."
Such is hype.
― oo, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:09 (5 years ago) Permalink
Does this suggest that Pitchfork now informs what we consider a good live show? I've been to enough shows to know damn well when a band has kicked my ass. New? Nope. Progressive? Hardly. Uncompromising? That's a bullshit word. Loud, exciting, well-performed? Fuckin' a. The album and ep are both decent, I wouldn't put them where pitchfork has but what the hell. I give enough credit to ILM to believe that everyone in this thread has judged them on their own merits and not what a website has said.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:35 (5 years ago) Permalink
Sorry, but you did not like that show as much as you thought you did. Pitchfork brainwashed you, bro. :(
― rockapads, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:40 (5 years ago) Permalink
My whole life is a lie! I need to go listen to some Okkervil River leaks.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 19:55 (5 years ago) Permalink
taking the cure to talk ironically about likes, i like how you latch onto a word that i obviously used without much seriousness and are taking it as a cause to act snarky. i also like how you act like you're taking these things personally, for yourself or on behalf of other people, ignoring that everyone who posts here does so probably to voice their opinion rather than try to convince someone of anything.
i'm just as happy to stop giving this band lip service as you are for me to.
― oo, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 21:13 (5 years ago) Permalink
I'd argue the opposite. Pitchfork can definitely create hype (see: Arcade Fire, Shins), but they can also create a backlash (see: Arcade Fire, Shins), once a band gets pegged as a Pitchfork Band. If Pitchfork would've never reviewed Deerhunter, perhaps I wouldn't have to deal with assertions that I only like them because I've been 'brainwashed'. Although, I suppose the truth is that I was primarily brainwashed by Stylus and Dusted Magazine, where I first read about Deerhunter. I only like music that I'm brainwashed into liking.
― Z S, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 22:11 (5 years ago) Permalink
pitchfork hasn't broken a band in ages, you people are nuts.
― hstencil, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 23:07 (5 years ago) Permalink
http://jasonmystic.net/hypnotist.jpg
― Jordan Sargent, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 23:34 (5 years ago) Permalink
errrrr
Also, not all of that hype was particularly positive. When those stories came out on Pitchfork about Deerhunter's blog, it almost seemed as if there was a lot of tension between the two.
― jonathan - stl, Tuesday, 7 August 2007 23:49 (5 years ago) Permalink
honestly, I was kinda surprised/impressed that pitchfork even reviewed Cryptograms, cuz it hadn't really struck me as the kind of that they would normally be into.
― bernard snowy, Wednesday, 8 August 2007 01:22 (5 years ago) Permalink
*"the kind of thing that" etc etc
― bernard snowy, Wednesday, 8 August 2007 01:23 (5 years ago) Permalink
So, anyone else heard the new Atlas Sound record? I'm really loving it. I'd almost say it was by far the best thing I've heard all year (mainly electronic, occasional guitars and live drums accompany, keyboards that gravitate between "Zuckerzeit" era Cluster, Talk Talk, I hear a little Seefeel in it too). However, I just downloaded the new EP at the Deerhunter/Atlas Sound blog, and the second song on it, "Activation", sounding remotely unlike anything on either the Deerhunter records or his own full length, blows everything they've ever done out of the water.
― Z S, Friday, 8 February 2008 20:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
The Joe Meek cover at the end is similarly great, with the same sort of spaghetti western produced sound.
― Z S, Friday, 8 February 2008 20:46 (5 years ago) Permalink
I am digging Atlas Sound, we got it at KOPN this week. Proceeding to check out this new ep, too. Thanks for the heads up, Zach.
― Trip Maker, Friday, 8 February 2008 20:50 (5 years ago) Permalink
No problem, Sean.
― Z S, Friday, 8 February 2008 20:56 (5 years ago) Permalink
Or consolidate a little
― Evan, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:12 (1 month ago) Permalink
would feel better
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:14 (1 month ago) Permalink
if I was talking to you about rock that mattered
I mean Hi
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:15 (1 month ago) Permalink
nice to meet you
but fuck the bullshit
^ it's the new style
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:18 (1 month ago) Permalink
contenderizer has been on a tumblr i can smell it
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:25 (1 month ago) Permalink
it must be terrible to need attention so bad.
― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:27 (1 month ago) Permalink
when everyone laughs with tom eventually
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:28 (1 month ago) Permalink
pout
"PUNCH" you
lol
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:30 (1 month ago) Permalink
nobody cares abhout tom
disgustingly sacred
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:31 (1 month ago) Permalink
sorry this was way too early for this
― Andrew Sandwich, Thursday, 9 May 2013 21:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
hah huh?
A. Sandwich what do you think of "Pensacola" does it make you want to rock out like you were listening to "96 Tears"?
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 9 May 2013 22:11 (1 month ago) Permalink
this album rules!!!!!
kinda has a subway sect vibe
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
i liked em ok before but this is so much more neededthere are so many kind reverb rock post shoegaze dudes out there that are good at it but there's not that many real fucked up rackety twee punk bands
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:38 (1 month ago) Permalink
Yeah, this one is great. Wasn't much of a fan of their dopey-sounding shoegazery stuff either, but I've been listening to this a lot.
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:40 (1 month ago) Permalink
To me the sound is like if Ariel Pink made a tribute to Dylan and the Stones in the style of the Pixies.
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:42 (1 month ago) Permalink
sometimes the guitars even evoke the Voidoids, and that's heady territory for me
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:42 (1 month ago) Permalink
last 5 posts OTM
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 16:48 (1 month ago) Permalink
interviewed Bradford at his home in April, he had Subway Sect 7" sitting pride of place in his 7" rack
― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Tuesday, 14 May 2013 17:28 (1 month ago) Permalink
definitely feeling alone imo of thinking this record is one of the weakest things that have come out of this group of people. after the previous album and the fantastic last lotus plaza album it feels really half assed
― peel hat-trick narrows (electricsound), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:19 (1 month ago) Permalink
upon 3 listens, i'm still a bit underwhelmed. i like the idea of what they're trying to do but not much has stuck with me yet. still, i've had similar initial feelings about other things that they've done, and i've always come around, so i'll give it some more chances.
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:28 (1 month ago) Permalink
i like how half assed and sloppy it is!
but like i said i like cryptograms/flourescent grey pretty well but i didn't dig em that much
i think this is more for ppl that don't like deerhunter all that much
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:00 (1 month ago) Permalink
electricsound otm and my favorite track on monomania is lockett's
― nerve_pylon, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:13 (1 month ago) Permalink
this record is kinda punk
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:14 (1 month ago) Permalink
i found nothing to latch onto here, aside from the gnarly outro of 'monomania' (the track). i second the suggestions that it is half-assed.
― global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:25 (1 month ago) Permalink
it's too early to say, but i wonder how much the personnel changes (McKay and Broyles in, former bassist Josh Fauver out) affected the sound and approach to Monomania.
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:29 (1 month ago) Permalink
Former bassist was brilliant on Weird Era far as I'm concerned.
― Evan, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 01:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
Yeah this is definitely half-assed, but I kind of feel like that's the point? Not to excuse a half-ass record by one of my favorite bands going right now, since I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by it too, but I think this feels to me like some sort of purge for Bradford in a way. Like this kind of ties into the American thing he was hinting on with the last Atlas Sound record (meaning American music, rockabilly crooner sort of thing). Though this one jumps the focus up to a sort of American punk and garage rock vibe. I don't know, I've always felt like his music has, for the most part, been a nice melding of vibes and ideas but this and Parallax were both more explicit about "the past" (i.e. the pompadour and the old-time microphone on the cover of the last one). I guess this just feels really intentional in its half-assedness and, even if it doesn't succeed as one of their better "ALBUMS", I think it sort of serves a purpose in his overall discography.
Please excuse the rambling, I've been at work for about 15 hours today and am running on fuuuuumes.
― i kant believe it's not buffon (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 04:46 (1 month ago) Permalink
Voidoids is an apt comparison I think, cos it also has that snot-nosed Dylan in a leather jacket with a shit-eating grin vibe to it that was kicking around in the later half of the 70s that Richard Hell is as good an example of as anyone else.
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 09:42 (1 month ago) Permalink
I think it's pretty good. They're trying stuff out, songs are still compelling...
― Evan, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:13 (1 month ago) Permalink
this may be a shitty thing to say, but i wonder how well-equipped some of the naysayers are to fairly & honestly evaluate a loosened-up garage rock record. cuz that's basically what this is, and within that ballpark, it's real damn good, imo.
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:42 (1 month ago) Permalink
Are the naysayers lo-fi/garage fans in general?
― Evan, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:54 (1 month ago) Permalink
yeah, that's what i'm asking
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:07 (1 month ago) Permalink
What garage acts will you accept as sufficient to prove garage fluency?
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:53 (1 month ago) Permalink
I used to listen to Scared of Chaka in high school, does that count
― global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:55 (1 month ago) Permalink
sure, everybody gets to decide for themselves. i freely admit that i'm not a huge fan of blurry shoegaze in general, and that perhaps disinclined me to spend much time getting to know previous deerhunters.
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:58 (1 month ago) Permalink
though i did like parts of cryptograms / fluorescent gray
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:59 (1 month ago) Permalink
used to listen to Scared of Chaka in high school, does that count
― global tetrahedron, Wednesday, May 15, 2013 10:55 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
disqualified on shins connection
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:00 (1 month ago) Permalink
Strokes are acceptable currency.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:16 (1 month ago) Permalink
srsly i don't think you need to be "qualified" or anything but my point above was that this might be a deerhunter record for ppl that weren't big deerhunter fans
― jay-z's ansari (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:22 (1 month ago) Permalink
It's certainly miles from Cryptograms!
― Evan, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:27 (1 month ago) Permalink
haha, I was actually going to say that it's closest to the aggression of the songs on Cryptograms (particularly the non-instrumentals on the first side of Cryptograms). To me it seems furthest away from the more sleepy vibes (I mean that in a positive way!) of Halcyon Digest.
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:30 (1 month ago) Permalink
I keep forgetting that one exists for some reason, and I like it very much.
― Evan, Wednesday, 15 May 2013 17:31 (1 month ago) Permalink
I preferred the shoe gaze era but this is nice
― Beatrix Kiddo (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 15 May 2013 18:04 (1 month ago) Permalink
Their (his?) other records never really hit me, but this one is hot.Great vocals... more variety of mood than I expected... superbly executed sloppiness.
Some of the lyrics are a bit predictable/goofy, but there's an awful lot to like here.
― mr.raffles, Saturday, 8 June 2013 16:48 (1 week ago) Permalink