Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Continued (Album Review)

 

Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Continued

(2008) 

My copy: 2009 press by Kranky.

Microcastle was Deerhunter’s heavily anticipated third album after they had gained major attention for 2007’s Cryptograms. Internet leaks spoiled not only Microcastle itself, but also Weird Era Continued, a secret bonus LP that was intended to release simultaneously as a surprise for fans. While the pair of records boast substantial highs, with dreamy melodic layering and sharp post-punk rocking, a lot of detail is lost due to a lack of dynamics.

Microcastle enters with diaphanous vocal harmonizing and guitar strums, setting up a motif for the end of “Agoraphobia” which combines crystalline guitars with hazy shoegaze layering. The progression is almost totally tension, only paying off in the end as everything succumbs to feedback. “Never Stops” is another amazing proof of concept, with jagged bumpy guitar lines that smoothen out with the addition of a ride cymbal for gliding choruses. Bradford Cox’s vocal delivery often sounds sedated, feminine and transcendental. The compositions sweeten up on “Little Kids,” and though the glockenspiel is annoying, it is nicely contrasted against harsh guitar textures later in the song. The title track begins as a gentle ballad to the void before drums shift the tone to burning garage rock. 

Tracks 6 through 8 are continuous, with “Calvary Scars” setting the atmosphere for the mysterious piano and vocalizing on “Green Jacket,” only to culminate in the freak-folk sound collage of “Activa.” “Nothing Ever Happened” is almost purely post-punk with its sharp rhythm section, though following a vibrant chorus, the track locks into a groove that almost drones on too long before the melodies are reinvented with stretched out guitar riffs. Elements of the blues surface via the riffing on “Saved By Old Times” until a sampled speech lifts the progression into a triumphant resolution. “Neither Of Us, Uncertainly” feels like a hollow vessel for its more interesting outro with layers of discordant piano and drones. “Twilight At Carbon Lake” closes Microcastle with psychedelia through reversed cymbals and guitars that blast off in the end despite limp bass. 

There are many experiments in lo-fi production, and while it works out most of the time, some of the more impactful moments end up crippled by a serious lack of low-end. Weird Era Continued kicks right off with energetic arpeggios on “Backspace Century” though the panned acoustic guitar slamming is quite distracting. “Operation” is catchy and fun with a dance beat and smooth chords that perfectly accompany Cox’s harsh lyrics. The track opens up to a sarcastically romantic waltz, bouncing between the two until the main melody is devoured by distortion. There is a dark take on Yo La Tengo in the undeniable grooviness of “Dot Gain” though Deerhunter makes it their own with urgency and syncopation, until opening up to sunny chords. “Vox Celeste” is a very strange EQ experiment in which rolling snare builds to heavily muted instrumentals, almost sounding more akin to Guided By Voices - it doesn’t really work for this style. 

“Cicadas” is one of the more fun interludes, as it holds the widest palette of fluttering instruments. “VHS Dreams” has more good textures and layering but by this point much of it is rehashed from earlier pieces. Many of the middle tracks fall into undercooked mush, with little in the way of dynamics to really snap instrumentals into focus. There are too many drawn out arpeggiated progressions. This continues into “Focus Group” and “Slow Swords” with the latter lasting too long in spite of a curious key melody. “Weird Era” is another instrumental ambient interlude with shrieking feedback and reversed sounds before the odd noir romp of “Moon 

With Cartridge” which feels like it’s taking the piss out of The Clientele. Fortunately, Weird Era Continued graces us with their most enveloping ambiance yet in the ten-minute “Calvary Scar II/Aux. Out.” There are utterly ethereal twinkling keys that linger just underneath the surface, waiting patiently as guitars and drums build under Cox’s chilling charisma. The instrumentals erupt with furious strumming and percussion, maintaining a hypnotic swell in the vein of kraut-rock before releasing itself into the comforting atmosphere that’s been buried under the surface all along. These are some of the most unique tones on the album, and they’ve been saved strategically for the end. 

Both Microcastle and Weird Era Continued have stellar high points, but they are also victims to what feels like an overly ambitious work ethic. If you stripped the albums of the more forgettable moments and pushed them together into one forty to fifty minute collection you’d have a genuine masterpiece. The problem as it stands is that there are just too many soupy experiments and padded compositions to reach above greatness.