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Deerhunter


Formed: 2001
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Genre: Neo-Psychedlia, Indie Rock
Years Active: 2005 - 2019
Meaning of the Name: A temporary name that stuck. The film The Deer Hunter is about the loss of innocence after the Vietnam War. Bradford Cox despises the name.
Core Members: Bradford Cox (vocals), Moses Archuleta, Lockett Pundt
Way of Working: Led by Bradford Cox
Assoicated: Atlas Sound, Lotus Plaza

Essential Releases

Deerhunter - Cryptograms

Cryptograms (2007)

A raw album that shifts between ambient soundscapes and angular post-punk.

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)

Microcastle (2008)

More melodic indie rock with a healthy dose of psychedelia

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Halcyon Digest (2010)

Career highlight that infuses their work with a keen nostalgic sense


Independent record labels allowing unconventional artists to express themselves away from the constraints of the mainstream is generally considered a good thing. But sometimes, the gates to wider society are kept locked for a reason.

Sometimes, the unconstrained musings of the deeply weird are restricted to darkened rooms to protect us all. It would take a truly brave listener to enter such a world. Deerhunter, an art project led by the reclusive Bradford Cox (pictured below), who has stated he was a virgin at the age of 36, is the embodiment of such music.

Emerging from the peach trees and dense forests of Atlanta in the mid-2000s, Deerhunter's output is far from conventional; it's all too honest for that. Their songs contain themes which include agoraphobia (on the track of the same name, Cox expresses a desire to be locked in a 6x6 room), disassociation and mental illness, such as on Spring Hall Convert (that was made while Cox was drifting in between mental states after taking the painkiller hydrocodone), and cruelty, as on Helicopter (which is about a victim of human trafficking).

The band's music, with its distorted, effects-laden guitars and drones, sounds like a drug-induced haze of oblivion that slides between emotional states like a writhing snake. Songs feature stark dynamic shifts, from whisper to shriek, from hypnotic ambience to dissonant feedback, that evoke mental distress. Underlying it all, however, is a haunting vulnerability that comes through in Cox's strained vocals.

This isn't the work of an angsty teen with the latest games console in his room provided by a loving family; it's a deeply personal account of a troubled man struggling with the colossal weight of mental illness. Cox has Marfan Syndrome, which affects his appearance and has contributed to his depression, anxiety, and dissociation.

It's an uncomfortable truth that troubled people are also people. We tell our children of a happy world full of friends holding hands, and we hope to shield them from the worst of reality. But the truth is, their experience of humanity, while different from that of the majority, is no less real, and because of its scarcity, perhaps more precious. But remember: caution all those who enter here. Exploring such mental states can be dangerous and is an undertaking only for the brave.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
95

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
80

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
70

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
85

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
95

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
55

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
70

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
75

Singing

i Technical attributes.
65

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
85

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
45

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lower value.
15

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.
75

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
65

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
55

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
15


Commercial & Critical Success

Awards

Certifications

Charts

Critics >>>

  • Guardian: Fading Frontier - Best Albums of 2015: #12
  • NME: Fading Frontier - Best Albums of 2015: #14
  • Pitchfork: Microcastle - Best Albums of the 2000s: #50
  • Pitchfork: Halcyon Digest - Best Albums of 2010: #3
  • Pitchfork: Halcyon Digest - Best Albums of the 2010s: #29


CRITICISM

  • Bradford Cox provokes audiences at the band's live shows with long, rambling monologues inbetween songs and even walk offs mid-set. He also has a history of posting homoerotic fantasies online some have deemed unnecessary.


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