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Originally Posted by Severian
Deerhunter - Monomania.
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thoughts?
I'm glad I approached this with a fuckload of trepidation, as after 3 listens I think it is by a considerable distance their worst record. I don't understand this hyperbolic crap that cox spewed up about reich and schaeffer, as there is nothing even remotely avant-garde about this record; in fact, it's decidedly pedestrian and could easily be the work of those who are now their peers in light of how shit this record is.
cox doesn't seem to realize that, now that he's laid all his cards on the table in terms of songwriting he has to undergo a massive shift in the manner in which he creates an album, ie by actually putting some effort into crafting it as a whole. it's pretty obvious that he's controlling it all now, seeing as there aren't any extended full-band jams or anything on this record. it sounds like a batch of outtakes from the last atlas sound record, just roughed up a bit as a means of showing this contrived authenticity and grime which they used to be the fucking kingpins of, it was seemingly intrinsic.
it really says a lot that pundt's track is by some distance the best here (even though it doesn't compare to his brilliant pop songs like desire lines, strange lights, agoraphobia), and I think it proves a fear of mine which has come to the fore of late: if cox is indeed monomanic, then his obsession is quite blatantly his own self-mythologising. he has gotten into this rut where he thinks that his lyrics can speak for themselves when they can't. moreover, he needs to realise he isn't fucking bo diddley, he's just a skinny white kid who
had a knack for quirky pop songs and beautiful atmospheric noise rock.
I'd be interested to hear what other people have to say though as I feel like an absolute fucking killjoy. maybe it's just because my listening proclivities have drifted well away from this 'indie' stuff but I used to be absolutely fucking
obsessed with this band, I thought they were going to save not only underground rock but the form in general. here, they're just playing it so fucking safe that is beyond unbearable, at least for me.