The Walrus - Music With Big Fuckin' Teeth!

06/09/2008

On Repeat All Day: New Deerhunter Songs

I wasn't that impressed by the previous Deerhunter album, 2007's Cryptograms. There were one or two tracks from that record that I enjoyed, but overall I never understood why people went gaga over it. In general, I felt like it was a little over-cooked and long-winded. However, in 2008, it's a different story.

The band is currently streaming two amazing "pop" songs from their forthcoming album, Microcastle on their MySpace page. Both are beautiful in their simplicity and directness. "Never Stops" is a shoegaze juggernaut that soars above any song from Cryptograms and most songs that I have heard this year (check out the band performing an awesome acoustic version). But wait, it gets better. "Nothing Ever Happens" is 21st century Krautrock perfected, a rhythmic blitz melding Sonic Youth and Neu! with spine-tingling results.

This album may end up being the best of the year.

Microcastle has no official release date, but will be released on Kranky in the near future. Stay tuned!