Deerhunter - Fading Frontier (2015)

The more I think about it, Deerhunter's highly acclaimed Halcyon Digest doesn't always feel inspired. But that doesn't mean it's bad, in fact, it still remains as quite an excellent record. "Desire Lines"? You know I still play it. There's something magical and eerie about Halcyon Digest that makes it unforgettable.

And considering that Fading Frontier is Deerhunter's latest record, I should expect something good, right? Fading Frontier is quite good, but its greatest sin is that it's very forgettable. Clocking in at a brief thirty-six minutes, Frontier unfortunately has no standout tracks to speak of. The music all sounds fine, but once the record stops, there's only a feeling of "that's it?"

Unfortunately, that is it. Fading Frontier sounds like something that's been done before, and done better. Frontier lacks Digest's gravitas, the pull that makes Digest an arresting listen. I hope Deerhunter's next record is something less safe and more inspired than this.

6/10

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (2010)

I love Halcyon Digest, but I'm not sure why. I tried reading Pitchfork's review, and though it was effusive in praise, but it offered little insight in what made Digest great.

Halcyon Digest's greatest asset is mood. It's sometimes ambient, and sometimes foot-tappingly playful. The album cover is dark and a little creepy, but Digest is quite accessible. It's almost poppy, but that's not a bad thing.

Of course some songs are stronger than others, but that's to be expected. Standouts were  "Revival", which sounded a lot like an upbeat track that Yellow House-era Grizzly Bear would have released, and the epic "Desire Lines".

Still, I can't pin down what makes Halcyon Digest so good, and what makes it fall short of a 10. I do feel I could've done without "Fountain Stairs", and maybe opener "Earthquake" could've been trimmed a bit, but Halcyon Digest is superb, unique rock.

9/10