Album Review: Deerhunter's Cryptograms

I thought that after hearing Deerhunter’s 2008 album, Microcastle, they were a very strong band that brought something unique to the indie rock table. I regarded them very highly and picked Microcastle as my favorite album of 2008. After listening to 2007’s Cryptograms, I feel like they are on the shortlist for one of the better bands in indie rock.

Cryptograms is certainly a darker record than Microcastle, with various cloudy guitar riffs and ambient shoegazing sounds. It seems at times that there are a few filler tracks, but after a couple listens the beauty of all the songs can be discovered. 

The album has two distinct halves. The first is the creepier, less pop oriented side. The title track kicks things off with a blast of guitar that may confuse you after hearing what follows it. Tracks like “White Ink” sound like a night at the beach watching the ocean roll in, and “Providence” like exploring an old haunted house with various plants and vines growing up the dilapidated walls. These instrumental songs could turn off listeners who must have vocals to enjoy the music, but I find them to be quite peaceful and would probably be good for those who indulge themselves in hallucinogens.

The second half of the record lightens up and brings in poppier, normalized song structures. Vocalist Bradford Cox has a very light and smooth voice that floats along as another instrument throughout the latter half. Most of the later songs call upon nostalgic feelings that give them a certain warmth.  “Spring Hall Convert” sounds as warm as the sun itself, while “Hazel St.” reminds us of adolescence and the old times running around the neighborhoods. “Strange Lights” and closer “Heatherwood” have some of the most audible vocals, and both sound great. Bradford did not hide his voice in other songs for a lack of vocal skill.

            In it’s overall context I find Cryptograms to be pretty amazing. It is a very different record from their newer music but yet has the same effect on me. This seems like a record that is meant to be heard on vinyl, as it is broken up into its two distinct halves. Even though these halves are very different they make sense together and create an aural experience like nothing I’ve heard.

9/10