Deerhoof's 'Future Teenage Cave Artists' is a jack in Pandora's box of mythical lyrics and musical mixologies
Deerhoof are releasing their new studio album 'Future Teenage Cave Artists' on May 29. The new LP follows 'Mountain Moves' which released in 2017. Consisting of members Satomi Matsuzaki (bass and vocals), Ed Rodriguez and John Dieterich on guitars, and Greg Saunier (drums, vocals and piano), the independent music group initially performed noise-punk, but gathered a wide following and renown in the 2000s through their self-produced creative output.
Take what you know about conventional verse-chorus music structures and throw it away for a wild mesh of improvisation, unified coordination and skillful sonic shenanigans. 'Future Teenage Cave Artists' won't let you confine them into a particular genre. In a dimension between sarcasm and wit, the new record combines mythical lyrics, kiddish banter, and intellectual prodding over randomized grooves: a musical jack-in-the-Pandora's-box, if you will. Drama or pompousness has no place on 'Future Teenage Cave Artists'.
Deerhoof's lyrics on the LP project take a slight detour from any throughline storytelling, but in the self-titled and first track on 'Future Teenage Cave Artists', we get a glimpse of a more direct theme, possibly the album's anthem track. The opening lyrics, "gonna be a couple vandals and be set free. Gonna carve both our initials into a tree. Gonna leave a future treasure for all to see" appear to be the entire album's proclamation: the song's following tracks are the jewels in this "treasure" chest.
'Sympathy for the Baby Boo' gets unbound splashy drumming as electric guitar rides and screams in untempered partnership with the song's subject of ill musical devotion. "You're a little wild thing aren’t you. Baby boom boom. I’m a little wild thing too, baby woo woo. I’m a little wilder than you," sings Matsuzaki.
The album is not only unfettered to musical structures or norms, but boasts a turn away from production expectations also. Many of the instruments and vocals were recorded with nothing more than the built-in mic of a laptop, as revealed in a press release statement.
The upbeat 'Zazeet' races a crunchy guitar, with moments of scratches and slips that let you fall into a high-speed trudge (take a moment to imagine that). The result is both hypnotic and energetic and one of the many reasons Deerhoof prove they've worked their abilities to a fine art.
'O Ye Saddle Babes', one of the more melodic tracks on the LP (although "melodic" is still a far-reaching description for Deerhoof's default sound), opens in similar tastes to your unconventional Radiohead track, but pops into something more jagged. With a complex drum rhythm and bluesy bass/guitar combo, the song applies arbitrary textures and intentional recording mishaps. Warped effects, mallet instrument taps, are just a few of the weird sounds you will hear on this track.
To be upfront, 'Future Teenage Cave Artists' album is not for those into rich, commercially viable recordings. You might find yourself adjusting your speakers' equalization levels in concern that there may be something wrong with them, but keep listening and you will notice Deerhoof were cocky in formulating that into their art. The new album is a recommended smash for those into things bizarre, music that is skillfully played, and lyrics that decide in their own way how to slap.
