Dan Deacon | America
The eccentric electronic wizard releases his most accessible and ambitious record to date, laden with infectious hooks and sweeping orchestras.
Anybody who has seen Dan Deacon live can attest to the fact that his shows simply explode with energy. Such is Deacon’s most recent record, “America,” a record that is exuberant and exciting as it is thoughtful, as pop-oriented as it is experimental and is just a joy to listen to. The album is divided into two halves, with the first having the manic energy and catchy pop-hooks hidden under that energy that Deacon fans are used to. The second half is a four part, twenty minute orchestral suite entitled “USA” which is an absolute joy to hear unfold with an unpredictability that still maintains the fun of Deacon’s music while at the same time shows how he has matured and grown as an arranger of sounds. This is music that is a rare breed of both ambition and accessibility, with Deacon balancing the two as only a master of his craft can.
Recommended If You Like: Animal Collective, Ponytail, the Books
By Richard Murphy | “Lionheart James” — Wed. 12-2 p.m.
Wild Nothing | Nocturne
For their sophomore effort, this shoegaze outfit continues to pay tribute to the ‘80s while also progressing their own sound.
On 2010’s “Gemini,” Wild Nothing mastermind Jack Tatum so thoroughly captured the sounds and feelings of dreamy 1980’s shoegaze, it was reasonable to believe that the follow-up could be a disappointment full of retreaded ideas. Fortunately, this sophomore effort retains all of the qualities that made “Gemini” such a great debut, while improving upon the production and adding new details in all the right places.
For instance, Tatum’s knack for writing a catchy guitar riff is proven intact on opener “Shadow,” but now it is accompanied by a lush string section. Meanwhile, the band experiments with more ambient passages on the highlight “Paradise” and fuller drum sounds throughout the record.
Tatum’s weakness is definitely lyrics, his talents with melody and aesthetics more than compensate for any clichés in his writing. Overall, “Nocturne” is a rewarding album that proves Wild Nothing has plenty more material to mine out of the ‘80s.
RIYL: DIIV, The Cure, The Smiths
By Cameron Meindl | “Rhyme and Reason” — Wed. 8-10 p.m.
Thee Oh Sees | Putrifies II
Prolific California psych-rockers prove they still have some freaky (and catchy) tricks up their sleeve.
When a band has released 10-plus albums, it can become easy to think you have a band figured out. While Thee Oh Sees latest release, “Purifiers II,” won’t radically change what anybody thinks of the band, it shows just how much they are unwilling to simply kick back and release the same “simple” garage record over and over again. This album showcases the band at both its weirdest and most accessible. “Putrifies II” simultaneously experiments with horns and strings in some rather unexpected ways, while at the same time writes what could very well be their catchiest, poppiest song yet (“Floods New Light”).
They’ve kept their freaky, psychedelic soul, while still showing they can grow as a band. For that, and for some damn enjoyable garage-rock, the record proves an achievement nobody can deny.
RIYL: Ty Segall, The Doors
By Richard Murphy | “Lionheart James” — Wed. 12-2 p.m.
