Deerhunter is an American
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band from
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of
Bradford Cox
Bradford James Cox (born May 15, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Cox formed Deerh ...
(vocals, guitar, keyboards),
Moses Archuleta
Moses Archuleta is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the indie rock band Deerhunter, with whom he has recorded seven studio albums.
Archuleta also records so ...
(drums, electronics, sound treatments),
Lockett Pundt
Lockett James Pundt IV (born October 7, 1982) is an American musician, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of Atlanta-based indie rock group Deerhunter. Pundt joined Deerhunter in 2005 as a guitarist. He releases solo material under the name Lot ...
(guitar, vocals, keyboards),
Josh McKay (bass) and Javier Morales (keyboards, synthesizers, alto saxophone).
Founded by Cox and Archuleta, Deerhunter's first stable line-up included guitarist Colin Mee and bass guitarist Justin Bosworth. After recording a
split EP with Alphabets, Bosworth died on March 29, 2004, of head injuries suffered during a skateboarding accident. He was 23 years old. The band recorded their first studio album, ''
Turn It Up Faggot
''Turn It Up Faggot'' is the debut album from indie rock group Deerhunter. The album's title refers to a taunt that was shouted at the band during early live shows although the album is also referred to as self-titled. The album's notes dedicate ...
'' (2005), with
Josh Fauver
Joshua Donald Fauver (December 4, 1978 – November 2, 2018) was an American musician. He served as the longtime bassist for the Atlanta, Georgia band Deerhunter from 2004 to 2012. Fauver replaced the original Deerhunter bassist Justin Bosworth ...
occupying the vacant role of bass guitarist. Following the album's release, Cox asked childhood friend,
Lockett Pundt
Lockett James Pundt IV (born October 7, 1982) is an American musician, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of Atlanta-based indie rock group Deerhunter. Pundt joined Deerhunter in 2005 as a guitarist. He releases solo material under the name Lot ...
, to join Deerhunter as a song-writing partner, second guitarist, and occasional lead vocalist.
Recorded in two days, the band's follow-up, ''
Cryptograms
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle that consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that the cryptogram can be solved by hand. Substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by ...
'' (2007), combined
ambient work and more angular garage rock songs. The release was quickly followed by the EP, ''
Fluorescent Grey
''Fluorescent Grey'' is an extended play accompaniment to ''Cryptograms'', the second studio release by Atlanta-based band Deerhunter. The EP was released on CD by Kranky on May 8, 2007, and later as a vinyl bundle with ''Cryptograms''. A mus ...
''. While touring the releases, Mee departed from Deerhunter, due to disagreements over the band's schedule, but rejoined soon after. Deerhunter released two studio albums, ''
Microcastle
''Microcastle'' is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008, while physical copies were released on October 27, 2008. In the U.S. the album was released on K ...
'' and ''
Weird Era Cont.
''Weird Era Cont.'' is the fourth album by Deerhunter released concurrently with ''Microcastle''.
After ''Microcastle'' had leaked months in advance of its planned release date, the band recorded a new album in an attempt to reward those who awa ...
'', in 2008. Both albums were recorded without the participation of Mee, who again departed for a second and final time. The band enlisted former cheerleader and high school friend of Cox, Whitney Petty, as his touring replacement.
Recorded as a four-piece with producer Ben H. Allen and engineer
David Barbe
David Barbe (pronounced ˈbɑɹ.bi BAR-bee; born September 30, 1963) is an American musician and producer/engineer from Athens, Georgia and director of the Music Business Certificate Program at the University of Georgia. He is chief of Chase Pa ...
the band's fourth studio album, ''
Halcyon Digest
''Halcyon Digest'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide (previously 4AD only handled ...
'' (2010), was released to widespread critical acclaim, ranked as
Pitchfork's 29th and
Stereogum's 78th best album of the decade. In 2012, the departure of long-time bassist Fauver placed the band's future in doubt. Cox, Pundt and Archuleta regrouped with new members, bassist Josh McKay and guitarist Frankie Broyles, to record the primitivist
garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
and
musique concrète
Musique concrète (; ): " problem for any translator of an academic work in French is that the language is relatively abstract and theoretical compared to English; one might even say that the mode of thinking itself tends to be more schematic, ...
-influenced ''
Monomania
In 19th-century psychiatry, monomania (from Greek , one, and , meaning "madness" or "frenzy") was a form of partial insanity conceived as single psychological obsession in an otherwise sound mind.
Types
Monomania may refer to:
* De Clerambaul ...
'' (2013). The album expanded on a darker and more disturbing sound, complete with treated tape recordings of rats and insects, exploring themes of disassociation and mental illness.
The following year, Cox was struck by a vehicle while walking his dog near his home in Atlanta's Grant Park. During his recovery and rehabilitation he focused on writing songs resulting in the album ''
Fading Frontier
''Fading Frontier'' is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on October 16, 2015 on 4AD. Produced by Ben H. Allen, who had previously worked with the band on '' Halcyon Digest'' (2010), and the band itself, ...
'' (2015).
Deerhunter have described themselves as "
ambient punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
," though they incorporate a wide range of genres, including
noise
Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference arise ...
,
garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
,
art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
, as well as significant
pop elements.
History
2001–2005: Formation and ''Turn It Up Faggot''
The band was co-founded in 2001 by vocalist
Bradford Cox
Bradford James Cox (born May 15, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Cox formed Deerh ...
and drummer and keyboardist
Moses Archuleta
Moses Archuleta is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the indie rock band Deerhunter, with whom he has recorded seven studio albums.
Archuleta also records so ...
. The name Deerhunter (which Cox has repeatedly remarked upon despising) was chosen by the band's first drummer, Dan Walton. Cox did not care then what the band was called as he thought it to be just another temporary art project. The band was joined by Colin Mee, whom Cox met while Mee was living at the Atlanta label
Die Slaughterhaus Records
Die Slaughterhaus Records is a record company based in Atlanta, Georgia, that includes punk rock acts such as Deerhunter, Black Lips
Black Lips is an American garage rock band from Atlanta, Georgia formed in 1999.
History
The band formed in ...
with members of
Black Lips
Black Lips is an American garage rock band from Atlanta, Georgia formed in 1999.
History
The band formed in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Rer ...
. The two bonded over a shared interest in
Dada
Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...
and 20th Century Composers
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically ...
and
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti (; ; 28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as "one of the most important avant-garde composers in the latter half of the twentieth century" ...
, as well as British bands
The Fall,
The Raincoats
The Raincoats are a British experimental post-punk band. Ana da Silva (vocals, guitar) and Gina Birch (vocals, bass) formed the group in 1977 while they were students at Hornsey College of Art in London.
Signed to the label Rough Trade, the ...
, and
Cabaret Voltaire. In 2004 the group's first bassist, Justin Bosworth, died of head injuries suffered in a
skateboard
A skateboard is a type of sports equipment used for skateboarding. They are usually made of a specially designed 7-8 ply maple plywood deck and polyurethane wheels attached to the underside by a pair of skateboarding trucks.
The skateboarde ...
ing accident. He appeared on only one Deerhunter release, the ''
Deerhunter/Alphabets Split
The discography of Atlanta, Georgia-based Ambient music, ambient and Psychedelic music, psychedelic band Deerhunter includes six studio albums, two extended plays, five vinyl singles, three split albums, and four music videos. The band has also m ...
'', issued before their debut album.
Joshua Fauver, of Atlanta punk band Electrosleep International, then took up the position as bassist. Deerhunter's first album, ''
Turn It Up Faggot
''Turn It Up Faggot'' is the debut album from indie rock group Deerhunter. The album's title refers to a taunt that was shouted at the band during early live shows although the album is also referred to as self-titled. The album's notes dedicate ...
'', was "the result of a lot of negativity".
After the band finished the album, in an indication of how difficult it was to record in the wake of his bandmate's death, Cox said "I don't ever want to make this album again".
[ The album's liner notes are dedicated to Bosworth. After the release of ''Turn It Up Faggot,'' Cox asked his best friend from high school, Lockett Pundt, to join the band.
]
2005–2007: ''Cryptograms'' and ''Fluorescent Grey'' EP
The band, now featuring Pundt's reverb
Reverberation (also known as reverb), in acoustics, is a persistence of sound, after a sound is produced. Reverberation is created when a sound or signal is reflected causing numerous reflections to build up and then decay as the sound is abso ...
-saturated guitar sound, went on tour, playing shows with the likes of Lightning Bolt and Gang Gang Dance
Gang Gang Dance is an American band based in Manhattan, New York City. They are known for their distinctive sound which blends elements of psych-rock, ambient electronics, hip-hop, and Eastern music influences with the vocals of singer Lizzi B ...
. This tour culminated in a recording session engineered by acclaimed folk musician Samara Lubelski
Samara Lubelski is an American singer, violinist, guitarist and bassist. She has been a member of numerous bands, including Of a Mesh, Metabolismus, Salmon Skin, the Sonora Pine, Hall of Fame, the Tower Recordings, MV & EE and the Bummer Road, a ...
at Rare Book Room, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. This session failed to produce anything that could be used, due to Cox's mental and physical state at the time, as well as technical disagreements that emerged with Lubelski.[ Cox has kept a copy of the sessions on "a scratched CD-R under my bed" and has stated that "nobody will ever hear them".][ In spite of Cox's claim excerpts from those sessions were later posted as a free download on the band's blog. The band returned to the same studio where they recorded their first album outside ]Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
and decided to give recording their second album another attempt. This was partly due to advice received from the band Liars, who encouraged them to re-record it.[
It took only two days in November 2005 for the band to record their second album, entitled '']Cryptograms
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle that consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that the cryptogram can be solved by hand. Substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by ...
''. In 2006, before its release, Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
added "Spring Hall Convert", a song from the record, to its "Infinite Mix Tape series". The album was released by Kranky in January 2007. The album revealed a more subdued and introverted sound for the band. As with their first album, ''Cryptograms'' also had a dedication inside the album's liner notes, this time to a friend of Cox's, Bradley Ira Harris, a heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
addict who died in 2005.[
On May 8, 2007, the group released the '']Fluorescent Grey
''Fluorescent Grey'' is an extended play accompaniment to ''Cryptograms'', the second studio release by Atlanta-based band Deerhunter. The EP was released on CD by Kranky on May 8, 2007, and later as a vinyl bundle with ''Cryptograms''. A mus ...
'' EP, which was recorded in July 2006. The EP featured more use of rudimentary keyboards, bells, and pianos.
On August 29, 2007, the group became a quartet with the loss of guitarist Colin Mee. Mee departed because he "...couldn't make it to a couple of shows we had booked next weekend and that was unacceptable to certain bandmates". Mee rejoined the band four months later, but departed the band for the final time before 2008.
2007–2009: ''Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.'', ''Rainwater Cassette Exchange'' EP, and hiatus
Deerhunter contributed the song "After Class" to ''Living Bridge'', a compilation put together by Rare Book Room Records. The song was recorded in the same place where they attempted to record their second album. They returned to Rare Book Room studios in April 2008 to record "Oh, It's Such A Shame," a Jay Reatard
James Lee Lindsey Jr. (May 1, 1980 – January 13, 2010), known professionally as Jay Reatard, was an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. He was signed to Matador Records. He released recordings as a solo artist and as a member of the Reat ...
cover that would be released as a split single with Reatard himself covering the ''Fluorescent Grey
''Fluorescent Grey'' is an extended play accompaniment to ''Cryptograms'', the second studio release by Atlanta-based band Deerhunter. The EP was released on CD by Kranky on May 8, 2007, and later as a vinyl bundle with ''Cryptograms''. A mus ...
'' title track. In the same month they recorded their next album, ''Microcastle
''Microcastle'' is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008, while physical copies were released on October 27, 2008. In the U.S. the album was released on K ...
''. Prior to the announced release date for the LP, the band continued to tour, with one date opening for The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamb ...
and a select of fall shows opening for Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
.
The quartet's third offering, ''Microcastle'', was set to be released on October 27, 2008, although it became available through peer-to peer networks in late May. In an attempt to reward fans who awaited for the street date, the group reconvened to record a new album of material, ''Weird Era Cont.
''Weird Era Cont.'' is the fourth album by Deerhunter released concurrently with ''Microcastle''.
After ''Microcastle'' had leaked months in advance of its planned release date, the band recorded a new album in an attempt to reward those who awa ...
'', which later leaked before its street date also. However, ''Microcastle'' did manage to debut at No. 123 on the Billboard 200, a first for Deerhunter. Mee left the band again, for the final time, and the band enlisted former cheerleader and high school friend of Cox, Whitney Petty, as his touring replacement.
While touring the ''Microcastle'' album in the UK, Cox booked an evening in a studio and recorded what would become the ''On Platts Eyott'' cassette. This was released in two batches of 100 copies each; an edition of pink cassettes was given out to competition winners by his record label and orange cassettes were sold at a special Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
concert in Atlanta on October 31, 2008. In a comment left on the Deerhunter blog on February 28, Cox announced that Whitney Petty was no longer a member of the band, stating:
While on tour, the band managed to release ''Rainwater Cassette Exchange
''Rainwater Cassette Exchange'' is an extended-play by Atlanta-based indie rock band Deerhunter. Much like their previous effort, it was recorded at Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive w ...
'', an EP of songs written during the ''Microcastle'' sessions, and " Vox Celeste 5," a Sub Pop single of songs from ''Weird Era Cont.'' and ''Microcastle''. To promote the releases, they embarked on a short summer trek with No Age
No Age is an American noise rock duo consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles, California, and was signed to Sub Pop records from 2008 to 2013. No Age's fourth studio album, ''S ...
and Dan Deacon
Daniel Deacon (born August 28, 1981) is an American composer and electronic musician based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Deacon is renowned for his live shows, where large-scale audience participation and interaction is often a major element of the pe ...
as the "No Deachunter Tour." Later during a performance at All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''.
Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
2009 Music Festival in September (curated by The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...
), Bradford Cox announced that the band will be going on hiatus to "devote time to some other things," calling the show their last "for a long time." During the hiatus, Bradford Cox continued with Atlas Sound and released his second album ''Logos
''Logos'' (, ; grc, wikt:λόγος, λόγος, lógos, lit=word, discourse, or reason) is a term used in Western philosophy, psychology and rhetoric and refers to the appeal to reason that relies on logic or reason, inductive and deductive ...
'', Josh Fauver resumed work with his record label Army of Bad Luck, Moses Archuleta enrolled in culinary school, and Lockett Pundt performed some shows in celebration of '' The Floodlight Collective'', his debut album as Lotus Plaza released in March of that year.
2010–2012: ''Halcyon Digest''
In early January, it was revealed that the group would serve as openers on the upcoming Spoon
A spoon is a utensil consisting of a shallow bowl (also known as a head), oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery (sometimes called flatware in the United States), especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for ...
tour to promote their album ''Transference
Transference (german: Übertragung) is a phenomenon within psychotherapy in which the "feelings, attitudes, or desires" a person had about one thing are subconsciously projected onto the here-and-now Other. It usually concerns feelings from a ...
''. Along with the Spoon tour, the group also announced some shows of their own, including stops at the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
, and All Tomorrow's Parties (curated by Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
creator, Matt Groening
Matthew Abram Groening ( ; born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, and animator. He is the creator of the comic strip ''Life in Hell'' (1977–2012) and the television series ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), ''Fut ...
.) During these shows, the band began to debut some new material, including the songs "Helicopter," "Primitive 3D," "Fountain Stairs" and "Revival," all of which would end up being recorded for their next studio session to follow.
In June, Deerhunter took a short break from touring to record ''Halcyon Digest
''Halcyon Digest'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide (previously 4AD only handled ...
''. Initial news of the album became public when music industry firm, Milk Money, posted a message on their Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
account that the band had been mixing the new record with Ben Allen (who also worked on Animal Collective's ''Merriweather Post Pavilion
Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue located within Symphony Woods, a lot of preserved land in the heart of the planned community of Columbia, Maryland. In 2010, Merriweather was named the second best amphitheater in the Unit ...
'' and '' Fall Be Kind EP''.) A week later the band launched a new website, where they announced the title and release date of the LP, along with a guerilla
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tact ...
style marketing campaign. The first single, " Revival," was made available to fans who had assisted the band with promotion for the new album through a link via official email. In the same month, director John Albrecht posted a trailer for an upcoming live video on his Vimeo
Vimeo, Inc. () is an American video hosting, sharing, and services platform provider headquartered in New York City. Vimeo focuses on the delivery of high-definition video across a range of devices. Vimeo's business model is through software as ...
page set to be released later in the year.
In 2012, it was announced that Deerhunter was to provide an original score to ''The Curve of Forgotten Things'', a short film by the fashion line Rodarte starring Elle Fanning
Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, inc ...
. That same year, bassist Josh Fauver left the band via email in 2012, just prior to the recording of ''Monomania''.
2013–2014: ''Monomania''
On March 22, 2013, Deerhunter announced their sixth studio album would be released on May 7, 2013. The album, entitled ''Monomania
In 19th-century psychiatry, monomania (from Greek , one, and , meaning "madness" or "frenzy") was a form of partial insanity conceived as single psychological obsession in an otherwise sound mind.
Types
Monomania may refer to:
* De Clerambaul ...
'', was recorded in New York with frequent collaborator and producer Nicolas Vernhes at his Rare Book Room Studio, where Microcastle and Parallax were taped. For ''Monomania'', Josh McKay took over bass duties, and Atlanta native Frankie Broyles was brought in to play guitar. Deerhunter's press release described the record as "nocturnal garage" while having an avant garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or 'vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical De ...
context. On April 2, 2013, the band performed the song "Monomania" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.[ About pag ...](_blank)
.
Deerhunter headlined and curated the All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''.
Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...
music festival held at Pontins holiday camp in Camber Sands
Camber Sands is a beach in East Sussex, UK, in the village of Camber, near Rye. It is the only sand dune system in East Sussex, and is east of the estuary of the River Rother at Rye Bay stretching to just beyond the Kent border, where shing ...
, England from the June 21–23, 2013. At the event they performed the ''Cryptograms
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle that consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that the cryptogram can be solved by hand. Substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by ...
'', ''Microcastle
''Microcastle'' is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008, while physical copies were released on October 27, 2008. In the U.S. the album was released on K ...
'' & ''Halcyon Digest
''Halcyon Digest'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide (previously 4AD only handled ...
'' albums in full, with Atlas Sound
Bradford James Cox (born May 15, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Cox formed Deerh ...
also performing. Deerhunter was announced as a headliner at Austin Psych Fest
Levitation (formerly Austin Psych Fest) is an annual 3-day music festival developed and produced by The Reverberation Appreciation Society. Since its sixth year in 2013 it has been held at Carson Creek Ranch in Austin, Texas. Inspired by the creat ...
, the 6th annual festival held April 26–28, 2013, Heineken Primavera Sound (Barcelona), Optimus Primavera Sound (Porto), and perform live at Dancity Festival (Foligno, Italy) along with FYF Fest
FYF Fest (short for "Fuck Yeah Fest Fest") was an annual three-day music festival held at the Los Angeles Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by Sean Carlson in 2004 and is now solely produced by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary o ...
in Los Angeles during 2015. Deerhunter have also been asked to play at the Meredith Music Festival this December in Victoria, Australia.
On December 4, 2014, frontman Bradford Cox was seriously injured and hospitalized after being hit by a car in Atlanta, GA.
2015–2017: ''Fading Frontier''
On August 16, 2015, Deerhunter released a video for a new song titled "Snakeskin," and announced that their new album, ''Fading Frontier
''Fading Frontier'' is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on October 16, 2015 on 4AD. Produced by Ben H. Allen, who had previously worked with the band on '' Halcyon Digest'' (2010), and the band itself, ...
'', was released on October 16, 2015, on the 4AD label. The song featured alto saxophonist Zumi Rosow and the video was directed by Valentina Tapia. On October 13, Deerhunter shared the video for 'Living My Life', dedicated to Miles Davis. The LP was very well received by critics.
2018–present: ''Double Dream of Spring'' and ''Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?''
In 2018, the band released a cassette-only studio album during their Spring 2018 tour called ''Double Dream of Spring''. A mostly instrumental album, it was made to fill the void until their next album would be released the following year.
Former bass guitarist Joshua Fauver died in November 2018 at age 39. He was a member of the band from 2004 to 2012.
Deerhunter's eighth album ''Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
''Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?'' is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released on January 18, 2019, on 4AD. The album was co-produced by singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon, Ben H. Allen (who had p ...
'' was released on January 18, 2019. The album's first single, "Death in Midsummer", was released in October 2018 co-produced by Cate Le Bon
Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh musician and record producer. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo studio albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon has toured with artists such as St. ...
.
On Halloween 2019, Deerhunter released the 13-minute long single "Timebends". A separate entity to their eighth studio album, ''Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?,'' "Timebends" is a partly-improvised stream-of-consciousness outpouring, recorded live direct to tape and in one take with minimal overdubs and mastered using a completely analogue signal chain.
The next day, Cox released the ''Myths 004'' EP in collaboration with Cate Le Bon
Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh musician and record producer. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo studio albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon has toured with artists such as St. ...
, recorded in Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a city in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas, between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park. It is the county seat of Presidio County, Texas, Presidio County, and its population as of the 2010 United States Cens ...
as part of an ongoing series with Dev Hynes
Devonté Hynes (born David Joseph Michael Hynes, 23 December 1985), also known as Blood Orange and formerly Lightspeed Champion, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and director based in New York City. From 2004 to 2006, Hynes was ...
, Ariel Pink
Ariel Marcus Rosenberg ( ; born June 24, 1978), professionally known as Ariel Pink, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter whose work draws heavily from the popular music of the 1960s–1980s. His lo-fi music, lo-fi aesthetic and home ...
and Connan Mockasin
Connan Tant Hosford, better known by the stage name Connan Mockasin and sometimes credited as Connan Hosford, is a New Zealand musician, composer and record producer. Critically acclaimed and described as "a psych-funk oddball...a contrarian", ...
.
Musical style and influence
The band has revealed many artists and genres that contribute to Deerhunter's sound. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' concert review mentioned "the Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherson ...
, Stereolab
Stereolab are an Anglo- French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetit ...
, disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
rhythm, krautrock
Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...
, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...
’s noise breakdowns, girl-group pop, the picked eighth-note bass lines of 1980s indie rock", as influences. The song "Coronado" from ''Halcyon Digest'' features saxophone sounds inspired by the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
' album ''Exile on Main St
''Exile on Main St.'' is the 10th British and 12th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. Recording began in 1969 in England during sessions for ''Sticky Fingers'' an ...
''. Cox recalled, "I wanted that sax on there because I was listening to the Stones' ''Exile on Main St'' reissue a lot...I began to see a pattern forming. Saxophones are becoming this thing. That's why we did it early. Next year everyone's gonna have a saxophone on their record because saxophones are just cool."
Deerhunter has been described as indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
, experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...
, psychedelic pop
Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...
, noise rock
Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
, garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
and art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
.
Members
Current
*Bradford Cox
Bradford James Cox (born May 15, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Cox formed Deerh ...
– lead vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards, electronics (2001–present)
*Moses Archuleta
Moses Archuleta is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the indie rock band Deerhunter, with whom he has recorded seven studio albums.
Archuleta also records so ...
– drums, percussion, electronics (2001–present)
*Lockett Pundt
Lockett James Pundt IV (born October 7, 1982) is an American musician, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of Atlanta-based indie rock group Deerhunter. Pundt joined Deerhunter in 2005 as a guitarist. He releases solo material under the name Lot ...
– guitar, occasional lead vocals, keyboards (2005–present)
* Josh McKay – bass guitar, organ (2013–present)
*Javier Morales – keyboards, piano, saxophone (2016–present)
Former
*Rhasaan Manning – percussion (2016–2017)
*Frankie Broyles – guitar (2012–2014)
*Josh Fauver
Joshua Donald Fauver (December 4, 1978 – November 2, 2018) was an American musician. He served as the longtime bassist for the Atlanta, Georgia band Deerhunter from 2004 to 2012. Fauver replaced the original Deerhunter bassist Justin Bosworth ...
– bass guitar (2004–2012; died 2018)
*Whitney Petty – guitar (2008–2009)
*Colin Mee – guitar (2001–2007, 2007–2008)
*Justin Bosworth – bass guitar (2001–2004; died 2004)
*Paul Harper – bass guitar (2001)
*Dan Walton – drums (2001)
*Adam Bruneau – "auxiliary drum kit in one line-up"
Timeline
Discography
*''Turn It Up Faggot
''Turn It Up Faggot'' is the debut album from indie rock group Deerhunter. The album's title refers to a taunt that was shouted at the band during early live shows although the album is also referred to as self-titled. The album's notes dedicate ...
'' (2005)
*''Cryptograms
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle that consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that the cryptogram can be solved by hand. Substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by ...
'' (2007)
*''Microcastle
''Microcastle'' is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008, while physical copies were released on October 27, 2008. In the U.S. the album was released on K ...
'' (2008)
*''Weird Era Cont.
''Weird Era Cont.'' is the fourth album by Deerhunter released concurrently with ''Microcastle''.
After ''Microcastle'' had leaked months in advance of its planned release date, the band recorded a new album in an attempt to reward those who awa ...
'' (2008)
*''Halcyon Digest
''Halcyon Digest'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide (previously 4AD only handled ...
'' (2010)
*''Monomania
In 19th-century psychiatry, monomania (from Greek , one, and , meaning "madness" or "frenzy") was a form of partial insanity conceived as single psychological obsession in an otherwise sound mind.
Types
Monomania may refer to:
* De Clerambaul ...
'' (2013)
*''Fading Frontier
''Fading Frontier'' is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on October 16, 2015 on 4AD. Produced by Ben H. Allen, who had previously worked with the band on '' Halcyon Digest'' (2010), and the band itself, ...
'' (2015)
*''Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
''Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?'' is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released on January 18, 2019, on 4AD. The album was co-produced by singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon, Ben H. Allen (who had p ...
'' (2019)
Touring
During live shows, Cox has worn sundresses and has performed with fake blood smeared over his face and hands, their live show being "much more savage" than their albums. In his explanation of the sundresses Cox has said, "I don't like the idea of going around stage in just jeans and a t-shirt. It seems anticlimactic."
Deerhunter have supported many bands on tour, including Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
, TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and Jale ...
, Project Pat
Patrick Earl Houston (born February 8, 1973), better known by his stage name Project Pat, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the older brother of Juicy J, the co-founder of Three 6 Mafia.
Houston was formerly a member of hip h ...
, Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O (born Karen Lee Orzolek), guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complem ...
, Spoon
A spoon is a utensil consisting of a shallow bowl (also known as a head), oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery (sometimes called flatware in the United States), especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for ...
, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamb ...
, The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces are an American indie rock band, formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York.. - ''In 2000 they moved Brooklyn... and began playing as the Fiery Furnaces late in the year''. - Allmusic The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor ...
, Lower Dens
Lower Dens was an American alternative indie pop band from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The band was formed in 2010 by Jana Hunter, Geoff Graham, Abram Sanders and Will Adams. Lower Dens has released four albums: their debut on Gnomonso ...
, Ex Models
Ex Models is an American no wave-influenced post-hardcore band based in Brooklyn, New York.
Career
The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make the ...
, Battles
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, and Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill.
The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and gar ...
.
See also
*Atlas Sound
Bradford James Cox (born May 15, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Cox formed Deerh ...
- Bradford Cox's solo project
*Lotus Plaza
Lockett James Pundt IV (born October 7, 1982) is an American musician, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of Atlanta-based indie rock group Deerhunter. Pundt joined Deerhunter in 2005 as a guitarist. He releases solo material under the name Lot ...
- Lockett Pundt's solo project
Moon Diagrams
- Moses Archuleta's solo project
See also
*List of ambient music artists
This is a list of ambient music artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as those who have been on a major label). This list does not include little-known ...
References
External links
*
Official Halcyon Digest Website
{{Authority control
4AD artists
Alternative rock groups from Georgia (U.S. state)
Ambient music groups
American experimental rock groups
American noise rock music groups
Indie rock musical groups from Georgia (U.S. state)
Musical groups established in 2001
Musical groups from Atlanta
Musical quartets
Neo-psychedelia groups
Post-punk revival music groups
Shoegazing musical groups
Remote Control Records artists