Deerhoof: Deerhoof vs. Evil Review

Artist: Deerhoof
Album: Deerhoof vs. Evil
Label: Polyvinyl/Kill Rock Stars

In the past, Deerhoof has been one of those bands that’s just so…odd, one can’t help but to like them. In small doses. In general, when an indie band describes themselves as “experimental”, I tend to shy away, because “experimental” is too often code for “noisy”. However, when Deerhoof experiments, the result is comparable to Anime mixed with dream pop with a sprinkle of robotic futurism. Put all that with lead singer Satomi Matsuzaki’s whimsical vocals, and somehow, it all works.

In Deerhoof vs. Evil, Deerhoof attempts to be a little more accessible. A bit like Stereolab and The Flaming Lips go to Japan and wind up in space, Deerhoof vs. Evil pulls out all the stops of the strange, the absurd, and the beautiful. Matsuzaki is Yoshimi battling the Pink Robots.

“Super Duper Rescue Heads !”, the first single, is a playful pop concoction, while “No One Asked to Dance” has a melancholy Spanish ambiance. “The Merry Barracks” rocks out a bit more, Deerhoof cheerfully warning that “atomic bombs are going to explode”.

Still, at just over thirty minutes long, Deerhoof vs. Evil still manages to wear out its welcome. All the bleeps and bloops and baby vocals and underlying racket make the end feel like respite. This is definitely one of those albums that works best as part of your mp3 player shuffle. That said, if your music library is in need of a little Japanese art pop futurism, Deerhoof vs. Evil is a must-have.

Rating: blank star Deerhoof: Deerhoof vs. Evil Review