On their much-anticipated follow-up to Cryptograms, Deerhunter are mellower but more focused than ever. A greater transparency in their songwriting reveals tighter arrangements and considerable restraint in their use of strange textures and ambient noises, instead saving them and their loud guitars for moments of maximum dramatic impact. Relying on clarity rather than obfuscation, they manage the rare feat of evolution without sacrificing their unique qualities in the process.
While the anticipation of this album has deprived it of the element of surprise that caught audiences pleasantly off-guard with their previous album, the band immediately disarms listeners with greater emotional involvement. The voice of guitarist Lockett Pundt is first heard on "Agoraphobia" asking for cover and comfort, while later vocalist Bradford Cox sings about children wanting to grow older on "Little Kids" and the redemptive power of nostalgia on "Saved By Old Times." Cox's presence is more noticeable on this album, but the whole band's playing at a high level.
Although there is a more laid-back atmosphere on many of these songs, the band still strike up the volume when it suits them. The title track perfectly epitomizes this duality. Starting with quiet introspections, it erupts into a blissful despair that makes it the album's most immediately memorable track. The band also tosses lightning on the fiery finale of "Nothing Ever Happened" and uses cathartic feedback on "Never Stops." These single-worthy tracks are set at intervals throughout the album to keep things moving in all the right places. There is a small section that might be too quiet for some, beginning with "Calvary Scars" and ending with "Activa," but the tracks are decent and brief enough that it's more of a pause for breath than a delay. Otherwise, the pacing is just about perfect.
Not only has Deerhunter perfected the qualities that brought them attention in the first place, they've also developed their songwriting further. Cryptograms may indeed be a memorable record, but the songs on its successor are even better.
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