Deerhoof – Deerhoof vs. Evil

Seems like every hip young musician I know in New York professes undying love for Deerhoof. Until this week, I had never heard their music. But given the quartet’s impeccable cred, I figured Deerhoof vs Evil would be a masterpiece.

I am sad to report than I will be unable to drink the Kool-Aid. Maybe the previous ten albums are more to my liking, but after some brief amusement at Satomi Matsuzaki airy vocalizing on some quasi-Stereolab knockoffs, my interest level plummeted. The band’s playful pop-prog feels way too twee and precious for my black coffee tastes, commendable structural gamesmanship coated in a cotton candy overload.

Songs like “Super Duper Rescue Heads?” are keenly aimed at a specific sensibility – I’m thinking Williamsburg happy hours – but the arty pretension, instead of being disarming, actually makes me want to grab a shotgun. I am, no doubt, a fogey and a crank, a Rooster Cogburn of rockcrit, and lazy at that – go figure. I’d gladly have a beer with these guys but please don’t make me listen to this record again. My money’s on Evil.

Deerhoof
Deerhoof vs. Evil
[Polyvinyl]