Deerhunter opened their fall tour at Cat’s Cradle Saturday night. The tour promotes their new album Halcyon Digest, released just two weeks ago on September 28th.
The welcome from the eclectic Cradle crowd was almost as warm as the distorted melodies to come. The group methodically made their way through the set, while frontman Bradford Cox kept the mood relaxed by joking with the crowd between songs. (He jokingly claimed one of his guitars was hand made by his friend’s dad. If it’s true – thank you, Bradford Cox’s friend’s dad!)
Deerhunter’s music has been described as “ambient punk” which is a pretty spot on description. It’s not as sleepy as ambient, nor is it as jarring as punk. It sits confidently in the middle.
All in all the show gave me a much-welcomed sense of both excitement and relaxation. To me, Deerhunter is the musical equivalent to “Icy Hot” – Distorted noise to dull the pain, warm melodies to relax it away.
The White Rabbits release their newest album on May 19th, 2009. It’s Frightening is the band’s second album after touring for the past two years. The album was recorded over the course of 4 weeks with Britt Daniel (Spoon) as producer and engineer Nicholas Vernhes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter) at Rare Book Room in Brooklyn, NY.
The drum filled first track, ”Percussion Gun” blasts open the album with heavy (big band)drums. It is apparent from the beginning that The White Rabbits “know which way to run.” Mysterious pianos, pounding bass, and low growling harmonies from the lead vocals of Greg Roberts and Steve Patterson fill It’s Frightening with a darker, and slightly more sophisticated sound. The White Rabbits are back in town on May 21st, 2009 at the Bowery Ballroom.
Hot Tracks: “Percussion Gun,” and “Midnight and I”
