Deerhoof vs. Evil - New album from Deerhoof
released 24th January 2010 on ATP Recordings
- 1. Qui Dorm, Nomes Somia
- 2. Behold a Marvel in the Darkness
- 3. The Merry Barracks
- 4. No One Asked to Dance
- 5. Let's Dance the Jet
- 6. Super Duper Rescue Heads!
- 7. Must Fight Current
- 8. Secret Mobilization
- 9. Hey I Can
- 10. C'Moon
- 11. I Did Crimes For You
- 12. Almost Everyone, Almost Always
Remember what it was like to turn 16? No one could tell you what to do. You were a force to be reckoned with - filled with the undeniable feeling that you could take on anything and win.
Having formed in 1994, Deerhoof is now that fateful age and by rites it's the band's turn to go out and challenge the world. The same way a rebellious adolescent turns tough and irrational, Greg Saunier, Ed Rodriguez, John Dieterich, and Satomi Matsuzaki just up and split from San Francisco, the only home they've ever known as a band, and left behind all notions of what a "Deerhoof record sounds like."
The result is Deerhoof vs. Evil. The musical equivalent of hormones raging out of control, it explodes out of the speakers with its gawky triumph and inflamed sentimentality. These are songs that practically demand that you dance and sing along (however elastic the rhythms, or abrupt the melodies). Right from "Qui Dorm, Nomes Somia" (sung in Catalan), it's evident that Deerhoof aren't afraid to take chances (critics be damned).
To document their musical "coming-of-age" the band members could only trust themselves. Besides their cover of an obscure Greek film soundtrack instrumental ("Let's Dance the Jet"), and a song done for NY artist Adam Pendleton's documentary film installation BAND ("I Did Crimes for You"), these songs were completely self-recorded, mixed and mastered in practice spaces and basements with no engineers or outside input.
Ironically the result is polished, blissfully exuberant, and huge-sounding. Going DIY meant freedom to reinvent themselves, playing each others' instruments, altering those instruments so drastically as to be unrecognisable, (those aren't Joanna Newsom or Konono No. 1 samples, those are John and Ed's guitars), and generally splashing their sonic colours into the most unexpected combinations.
Those cars with super loud subwoofers.
They frightened me at night. The sounds present nightmares, fears and darkness. Still I am attracted to them.
I play bass to overcome my own fears for loooooowwww heavy frequencies.
It's interesting how all the parts are woven in this song. I love Greg's drumming on this one. A bit behind the beat, silences, feel the air, rhythm is leaded by guitars. Imagine going under terrible storm. Thunders, rain, can't see an inch ahead. Then what can we do? Fear goes away. Calmly I am gonna just sing to pray...
- Satomi on "The Merry Barracks"
Release Details
Deerhoof vs. Evil will be released in the UK on January 24, 2011 by ATP Recordings, Polyvinyl Record Co (USA & Canada) and on cassette from Joyful Noise on January 25, 2011, P-Vine (Japan) on January 6, 2011, and Polyvinyl Record Co. (Europe).In the UK Deerhoof Vs Evil will be available on CD, limited edition pink vinyl (with MP3 download) and digital download. Pre-order packages in the UK for Deerhoof vs. Evil are available now! Visit the ATP Recordings website for more information: www.atprecordings.com. It's going to be a "Sweet 16"!