Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Moses Archuleta (drums, electronics, sound treatments), Lockett Pundt (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Josh McKay (bass) and Javier Morales (keyboards, synthesizers, alto saxophone).
Not to be confused with fellow American rock band The Dear Hunter. For the film, see The Deer Hunter.
Deerhunter
2001–2019 (on hiatus)
- Bradford Cox
- Lockett Pundt
- Moses Archuleta
- Josh McKay
- Javier Morales
- Dan Walton
- Paul Harper
- Justin Bosworth
- Colin Mee
- Adam Bruneau
- Whitney Petty
- Josh Fauver
- Frankie Broyles
- Rhasaan Manning
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 24 years old. The band recorded their first studio album, Turn It Up Faggot (2005), with Josh Fauver occupying the vacant role of bass guitarist. Following the album's release, Cox asked childhood friend, Lockett Pundt, to join Deerhunter as a song-writing partner, second guitarist, and occasional lead vocalist.
Recorded in two days, the band's follow-up, Cryptograms (2007), combined ambient work and more angular garage rock songs. The release was quickly followed by the EP, Fluorescent Grey. 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 and Weird Era Cont., 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 the band's fourth studio album, Halcyon Digest (2010), was released to widespread critical acclaim, ranked as Pitchfork's 29th and Stereogum's 78th best album of the decade.[1][2] 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 and musique concrète-influenced Monomania (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.[3] During his recovery and rehabilitation he focused on writing songs resulting in the album Fading Frontier (2015).[4]
Deerhunter have described themselves as "ambient punk," though they incorporate a wide range of genres, including noise, garage rock,[5] art rock, as well as significant pop elements.
History[edit]
2001–2005: Formation and Turn It Up Faggot[edit]
The band was co-founded in 2001 by vocalist Bradford Cox and drummer and keyboardist Moses Archuleta.[6] 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 with members of Black Lips. The two bonded over a shared interest in Dada and 20th Century Composers Olivier Messiaen and György Ligeti, as well as British bands The Fall, The Raincoats, and Cabaret Voltaire. In 2004 the group's second bassist, Justin Bosworth, died of head injuries suffered in a skateboarding accident at age 24. He appeared on only one Deerhunter release, the Deerhunter/Alphabets Split, 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, was "the result of a lot of negativity".[7] 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".[7] 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[edit]
The band, now featuring Pundt's reverb-saturated guitar sound, went on tour, playing shows with the likes of Lightning Bolt and Gang Gang Dance. This tour culminated in a recording session engineered by acclaimed folk musician Samara Lubelski at Rare Book Room, New York City.[8] 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.[8] 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".[8] 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, Georgia 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.[8]
It took only two days in November 2005 for the band to record their second album, entitled Cryptograms. In 2006, before its release, Pitchfork Media added "Spring Hall Convert", a song from the record, to its "Infinite Mix Tape series".[9] The album was released by Kranky in January 2007. The album revealed a more subdued and introverted[10] 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 addict who died in 2005.[8]
On May 8, 2007, the group released the Fluorescent Grey 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".[11] Mee rejoined the band four months later, but departed the band for the final time before 2008.[12]
2007–2009: Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. and Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP[edit]
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 cover that would be released as a split single with Reatard himself covering the Fluorescent Grey title track.[13] In the same month they recorded their next album, Microcastle. Prior to the announced release date for the LP, the band continued to tour, with one date opening for The Smashing Pumpkins and a select of fall shows opening for Nine Inch Nails.[14]
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., which later leaked before its street date also. However, Microcastle did manage to debut at No. 123 on the Billboard 200,[15] 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 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:[16]
Musical style and influence[edit]
The band has revealed many artists and genres that contribute to Deerhunter's sound. The New York Times concert review mentioned "the Breeders, Stereolab, disco rhythm, krautrock, Sonic Youth’s noise breakdowns, girl-group pop, the picked eighth-note bass lines of 1980s indie rock", as influences.[43] The song "Coronado" from Halcyon Digest features saxophone sounds inspired by the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main St. 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."[44]
Deerhunter has been described as indie rock,[45][46][47][48] experimental rock,[49][50] psychedelic pop,[51] noise rock,[52] garage rock[53] and art rock.[54]
Touring[edit]
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.[56] 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."[57]
Deerhunter have supported many bands on tour, including Nine Inch Nails, TV on the Radio, Project Pat, Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spoon, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Fiery Furnaces, Lower Dens, Ex Models, Battles, and Kings of Leon.