Deerhoof is an art rock band from San Francisco. Since their formation in 1994, this band has seen a revolving membership (one of its co-founder, Robert Fisk, left in 1997). The musicians in Deerhoof currently comprise only three members, but I will only talk about two of them: Japanese sweetie Satomi Matsuzaki and Greg Saunier, co-founder. The two are also married which is convenient, I guess. Matsuzaki sings and plays the bass while Saunier does the drums. Well, OK, let’s talk about the third member now: he is John Dieterich, and he’s responsible for the sound engineering. Basically, John works in the background and makes the Deerhoof sound even more wicked cool than it is. That's an important job.
Friend Opportunity is the eighth album from Deerhoof. It’s a fantastic little oddity that features Satomi Matsuzaki’s sweet cartoonish little girl voice and unconventional melody, rhythm and choruses. Predictability has been Deerhoof’s forte; they don’t disappoint this time. The 10 tracks on the album are diverse and enjoyable. The lyrics are fluff (there’s a song called “Kidz Are So Small” which features amusing songwriting, “…if I were a man and you a dog, I’d throw a stick for you”), but lyrics have never been the focus. Sound and texture is everything for Deerhoof.
If this is your first time with Deerhoof, listen to “Cast off Crown” to sample their wonderful sound: a clash of Satomi's cute vocals and scratchy lo-fi. (Although this time, the sound is quite crisp, suspiciously studio-worked.) I should also add that
Friend Opportunity is Deerhoof’s most accessibly work yet. Many have welcomed this thaw in the band’s uncompromising attitude – track #9 “Matchbox Seeks Maniac” is a radio-friendly chamber pop song. Like the album, it may be accessible, but it’s not a compromise. For the cynics, the album ends with the 11-minute instrumental epic “Look Away."
A fun fun fun album.
1/2 out of
