If he weren't so dead-set on making music that could be deemed as capital "A" art, Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox could be a very good rock star. He's outspoken, audacious, practically writes his own headlines, and is absolutely impossible to look away from when he brings his A-game ( and, occasionally, when he doesn't ). So maybe it should come as a surprise that Monomania , the Georgia quintet's sixth studio album, is their most accessible and amibitious album yet, and maybe it shouldn't. Since [...]
When Monomania was introduced to the world via a wilfully bizarre Bradford Cox-penned press release , it would seem that Deerhunter were creating something difficult with a capital ‘D’, ears were set to unlistenable as words such as ‘avant-garde’ started floating about. It was supposed to be an angular, bratty middle finger to what had gone before, a back-to-basics boot camp fleeing the structure and openness of 2010’s Halcyon Digest . The title track that was unleashed as a taster of their ‘nocturnal garage’ was all brutal fuzz and vicious feedback. Gone [...]
Bradford Cox makes it real easy to get to the heart of Monomania by putting the thesis to the album up front: "Finding the fluorescence in the junk." For all the mythos surrounding Cox and Deerhunter , their latest album is an attempt to put more distance between the spiritualism of their lyrics and the spiritualism of the music. It's a continuation of Weird Era, Cont. , the companion to their 2006 album Microcastle, where craggy guitars and distorted vocals make for what's ostensibly a dirty garage rock album but glowing on inside. As straight-ahead rock as the album [...]
The press release for Deerhunter's Monomania included the cryptic line describing the record as "avant garde(?) but only in context not form." It's a confounding statement meant to confuse and add spectacle, though neither are necessary. Such is the way of Bradford Cox , Deerhunter 's enigmatic frontman who has grown into his own as both rock star and entertainer. His artsy tendencies have been traded in for his love for American music, making Monomania a mix of not [...]
The artwork adorning the sixth full-length studio effort from Atlanta, Georgia alt. stalwarts Deerhunter depicts its title, Monomania , aglow in igneous neon. Monomania is, as the dictionary duly informs, 'exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one thing' which, truth be known, is not altogether dissimilar to the reaction the band these days command as Bradford Cox & co. have become synonymous with both independence and invigoration. They're easy to fall for, in short. And we fell pretty hard for their previous – the oneiric, yet still lucid and direct Halcyon Digest . Thus [...]
There's nothing quite like a punningly alluring nom de plume and whether that be Joy Orbison or Com Truise, it coats a first impression in an albeit superficial patina of further intrigue. Were I to forge a band right around now, I'd probably go with Waste Coasts and in keeping with wordplay of a wry sartorial theme here's Calgary outfit Lab Coast . Unabashedly schooled in the Bradford Cox school of slackened melancholy, Chris Dadge et al. trend in similarly wistful odes to forgotten summers although unassuming standout As Usual, replete with lyrics lamenting the "apathetic society" that has all but [...]
Whether organic electronica or electronic organica, there's much fruitful hybridity bubbling about at the minute and whether Brad Weber's Pick a Piper or James Cooley's Mesita , it's by and large bloody invigorating stuff. Kingston, the first I've personally heard of Colorado native Cooley and his first in a few months makes for an almost unfeasibly accomplished introduction and as he initially chimes of feeling bitter; distant; vacant in an impeccable croon not dissimilar to that of a given Justin Vernon, he pretty incontrovertibly gets off on the right foot. Though it's once his musical proficiency is [...]
Deerhunter looks a little different than it used to (they're now a quintet, and they have a new Josh on bass), but they haven't quite shaken the post-Strokes garage rock habits that were itched into 20102s Halcyon Digest . But that doesn't mean things can't get more extreme: Deerhunter have taken things to the proverbial "next level" with the noisy, unrelenting "Monomania" - the first single off of their upcoming album of the same name. Ragged guitars, deranged vocals, and wild shifts in fidelity combine into assaulting bliss; a lengthy vocal coda of "mono-monomania" - shrieked until Bradford Cox [...]
Following 20102s critically acclaimed Halcyon Digest , the members of Deerhunter has been busy, as they have been involved with their various side-projects (including frontman Bradford Cox's Atlas Sound and guitarist Lockett Pundt's Lotus Plaza ), are working on curating their own day of ATP, and have finally announced their long-awaited return in follow-up with the forthcoming May 7th release of Monomania via 4AD. Our first taste of the new album comes in the form of title track [...]
It's a widely renowned reality that Deerhunter , or rather the Deerhunter that fabricated the seminal likes of Microcastle and Halcyon Digest , is a far cry from the beast Bradford Cox had initially intended to bring into the world. He was looking for an outlet; an opportunity to unleash his more confrontational, and with that unhinged compositional work on the discerning, chin-stroking audience in which the band have incidentally kindled an unending infatuation regardless. And as he here puts on his best Karen O impression to set about shrieking "Mono-Monomania" on this, the title track [...]
When 2013 does eventually expire, under the musical banner of its bulging annals will surely be inscribed the words: ' australia ' ' dream pop ' ' shoegaze '. As is on Bandcamp, there will be no punctuation; little further relevant information, even. But rest assured, those three facets will remain key factors in our appraising of the year that was and will then rest in peace – safeguarded by demise from the vehement squalls of pedalboard manipulation, and so forth. And so it this afternoon comes to pass that we inform of Glaciers , a Melbourne four-piece [...]
An interesting thing happened in 2012 - the old dudes won. While the music journos and blogarati continue espousing myriad thinkpieces on the rapidity of music consumption and where culture is heading in our hyper brain lubing digital reality, aging punks quietly went into the studio and released the best music of the year. The artists under 30 on the following list are the clear minority. The new guys rode trend waves and tailcoats. The seasoned veterans reinvented themselves or honed their craft to its critical mass. While 2011 seemed to offer a greater volume of great albums, this year [...]
Here I am, left to go last once again with my favorite songs of the year. I feel as though I listened to more in 2012 than in any other year, and my musical experience was all the better for it. More music means more candidates, which admittedly makes lists like this one tougher. But [...]
1. CHROMATICS – KILL FOR LOVE mp3: Chromatics - Into the Black 2. DIIV – OSHIN mp3: Diiv - How Long Have You Known 3. HOW TO DRESS WELL – TOTAL LOSS mp3: How To Dress Well - Ocean Floor For Everything 4. GRIMES – VISIONS mp3: Grimes - Oblivion 5. FIONA APPLE – THE IDLER WHEEL… 6. KENDRICK LAMAR – good kid, m.A.A.d [...]
My top ten for the year, with a brief explanation/comment. Enjoy & Happy New Year! ...... 1. Grizzly Bear – Shields The guys in Grizzly Bear killing it, once again. This record is almost perfect. The compositions are strange & beautiful, and they complement the haunting singing styles of Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen. If you didn’t get this album – you missed (but there's still time!). Check Out: Yet Again [mp3] [...]
It was a strong year for new releases, especially indie (which comprises the vast majority of my list). I could easily do a Top 80, but, alas, we have to make difficult decisions. Here's the first part of the All the Young Punks Top 40 for 2012. Nos. 11 through 40 are presented here in dramatic countdown fashion. 40. Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes . Great story telling by the Hold Steady frontman. 39. Eternal Summers - Correct Behavior. Instantly likable new wave pop music. 38. [...]
Our good friend and frequent TWJ contributor Cole has the good fortune to live in New York City, and the even greater fortune to attend a remarkable amount of concerts throughout the five boroughs every year. Since this year was filled with enjoyable shows, he decided to run down a list of his favorites he [...]
So weird to think 2012 is coming to a close. It doesn't feel like it at all, what with no Holiday break, no Christmas stuff, no New Years parties to look forward to, etc. They just don't care about New Years here in Israel. Kind of a shame...BUT what's not a shame, is how many awesome albums came out this year.So today I'm dropping the Gold Soundz pick for 10-6 and tomorrow 5-1. Originally this was a lot longer, but I didn't have time to write long things for all of them so it's just like [...]
Music videos should do three things: - Make some sense. To someone, somewhere. - Serve the song in some capacity. Why else make it then? - And not make your eyeballs explode. You need 'em yeah? Some sites place the number of total music videos released in 2012, worldwide, around 206,000. That's a lot. With the [...]
Podría arrancar esta nota con algún latiguillo aburrido como "Se nos termina un nuevo año y..." . Pero no lo voy a hacer, más que nada porque supongo que todos ya saben que está terminando el año. Y los que no lo saben se están dando cuenta mientras leen estas líneas donde indirectamente -y a mi pesar- lo termino diciendo. La cuestión es que para estas fechas aparecen siempre los balances anuales, esa especie de trampa psicológica que la gente usa para convencerse que las cosas salieron bastante bien y que seguramente el año que viene, si el universo [...]
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Boards of Canada – Reach For The Dead
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L D R U – The Tropics
