Lotus Plaza – The Floodlight Collective

this record is exactly what you’d expect from lockett pundt (1/4 of deerhunter), and that’s not to say that it’s boring or predictable. take away the poppy yet insightful lyrics of bradford cox, the irresistible pulsating bass of josh fauver and the razor-sharp drum lines of moses archuleta and what you have left is a lot of atmosphere, and a set of songs that really don’t obey form or feel that they need to in order to keep you interested. some songs on the floodlight collective are poppier than others, but it really doesn’t matter; this record is the result of pundt being left to his own devices, and it’s wonderful to hear him on his own. the floodlight collective is consistent with what you’ve heard from pundt’s other related projects before, and his consistency as a songwriter is really what makes this record a worthwhile stop on your ipod. songs like “red oak way” will just drip from your headphones, they’re full of such hazy aural warmth that they’ll make you forget that this is probably the 100th album that you’ve heard this year with reverberated everything. at this point lotus plaza aren’t essential listening, but they’re a solid investment if you’re keen on deerhunter or ambient dream pop.

Filed under: Album Review , 2009, deerhunter, lockett pundt, lotus plaza, the floodlight collective

i had dreams that frightened me awake

deerhunter/times new viking/braids @ lee’s palace – november 12, 2008

seeing deerhunter live added an extra sense of movement and life to their catalogue, as there was certainly a more propulsive aspect to their music during their stint @ lee’s palace last wednesday. new songs like “never stops” and “nothing ever happened” bounced and pulsed with an impressive life and fervor. the band’s set was mainly comprised of material from their recent album microcastle, but they still managed to fit in a few older favorites, including the always-enjoyable “fluorescent grey.” *

despite this livelier-sounding version of deerhunter, i found the audience’s reaction to the music to be a bit too passive. now i’m not one to talk since i’m your standard concert-going-head-nodder, but when i go to shows, usually other people make up for my lack of movement with their own exuberance. that wasn’t the case this time— although, to be fair, the members of the band weren’t really active either, especially when comparing last night to some photos and videos i’ve seen of prior deerhunter performances. this show seemed quite low-key, with deerhunter’s own rhythm guitarist, whitney petty, taking a seat a good two-or-three times from what seemed like boredom.

regardless of the lack of performance that night, deerhunter still played an excellent set, and did a great job with the new songs. i would definitely recommend catching them this tour, if at all possible.

openers braids (formerly the neighborhood council) were definitely one of the most surprising moments of the night, as i had never heard of them prior to the show and had no idea what to expect. i’ve had a lot of bad luck with opening bands, but they were quite good. their songs sounded sunny and optimisitic, but were patient and expansive like a younger, more deerhoof-inspired version of the most serene republic. you can check out their music and info here and here.

the second band to play were times new viking, and they were boring. their performance had quite a bit of energy to it, but it was their songs that were really lacking a certain je-ne-sais-what… especially following braids’ performance, which was quite moving.

* (i don’t have a full setlist… i have a terrible memory. if anyone could provide me with one, it’d be much appreciated).

all photos by inastral.

Filed under: Concert Review , 2008, braids, deerhunter, lee's palace, live, times new viking, toronto

Deerhunter – Microcastle

following the release of their critically praised debut, cryptograms, deerhunter issued the aptly titled EP, flourescent grey. where cryptograms was the equivalent of an aural miasma: hazy, ambient, cyclical and often puzzling, flourescent grey was as its title suggested: tight, poppy, and yet still tied to the gloom of its predecessor. microcastle continues along that same path, offering a more revealing glimpse of the band in a moment where they’ve seemingly let their guard down. singer bradford cox has taken a bit of a leap of faith here, as his vocals are no longer disguised by numerous effects and loops. he’s being far more open with his work, which suggests that he’s in a much more comfortable place this time around, but also a much more vulnerable one. with its brilliant and shimmering songs, microcastle is far less reliant on shoegazey tropes, having shifted to more dreamy aesthetics of baroque-pop (ala the beach boys or grizzly bear), which further suggests openness as well as vulnerability. what these changes all add up to is a stunning and logical shift for deerhunter, one that elevates and exposes their songs to the level they deserve. a risky move, but one that has paid off in full.

Filed under: Album Review , 2008, bradford cox, cryptograms, deerhunter, flourescent grey, microcastle