Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
Best Album by a Band With a Deer Name and Notable Award for Excellence in Midget Photography
It’s always very exciting when a band with a name that has something to do with deer drops a new record. Deerhunter, Deerhoof, Deer Tick, Caribou, Danger Deer, Broken Deers, Deer Bells, Deer Mouse, Deerosaurus Rex, Deerhat, North American Grazing Mammal With Horns On (great band), and etc. This is definitely the best deer band album this year, with all due respect to Caribou. Besides, caribou are actually relatives of badgers scientifically speaking. Halcyon Digest is the fourth album from these fellows from the Durty Souf, ATL Jawjuh as I believe it is correctly pronounced. I haven’t listened to the others, because this Deerhunting thing is all new to me, I thought there was more boredom and deer urine involved. What is tremendous about this album is how well put together it is; it keeps its balance as a continuous whole in spite of a rather diverse set. For example: the slow, mournful ”Sailing” is sandwiched between the bouncy, banjo plucking single “Revival” and the triumphant “Memory Boy.” However, the sighing ”Helicopter” is possibly the best song on the album. From the soothing ambient guitar noise, to the droplet like sound effects, and the choppy, helicopter-like drum beat. It encapsulates Deerhunter’s music as a whole: ambient, noisy, experimental, but not sacrificing listenability and Having a Good Time. Another highlight is “Coronado” which features a sleazy sax straight from the pages of 70s boogie rock. This song hopefully re-legitimizes the saxophone in rock music after so many 80s soft rockers worked so hard to make John Coltrane’s instrument about as cheesy as King Ranch Chicken topped off with Cheetos and Cheez-Its. Thanks a lot Hall & Oates.
Rating: When you go to Burger King and get a couple of onion rings in with your fries.
