October 10, the San Francisco based group released their newest album, Offend Maggie. Interestingly enough, although the release is somewhat a departure from traditional Deerhoof weirdness, if you will, it does follow the trend of recent experimental bands recording significantly more listenable material (see Radiohead, TV on the Radio, No Age, etc). Offend Maggie has managed to incorporate a new element of composition that has often restricted Deerhoof to a smaller audience: Melody. Although the record is still somewhat a sonic playground for theory nerds, this is ultimately the most melodic the band has has ever sounded on record. For the first time you can actually bob your head and tap your foot to a Deerhoof record without getting dizzy or feeling like an idiot.
"The Tears and Music of Love", the very first track, sets the tone of this new direction. Complete with heavy, swooping chords; the song progresses more like a classic rock anthem than the guitar tinkering of one of the most high profile art-rock groups in modern music. Satomi Matsuzaki's falsetto voice pirouettes above and balances out the new and heavy sounds of the rest of the band. The awkward end in a minor scale is almost an afterthought on this kind of album, not commonplace as it was in the past.
"My Purple Past" and "Snoopy Waves" might be the most commercial sounding songs on the record (aside from their names that is). In addition to building drums and four and five chord based melodies, the songs also incorporate the loud vs. quiet effect pioneered by bands like The Pixies and Nirvana and used by just about every major rock band today.
Two favorites of mine off the album are tracks 9 and 10 "Family of Others" and "Fresh Born" respectively. The former feels like a 60's acoustic piece with passive male vocals as opposed to Satomi's sometimes attacking vocals. "Fresh Born" opens with an acoustic intro and jumps into a hip-hop/funk/jazz inspired riff that lasts practically until the end of the three and a half minute piece. One can't help but think that if this song hadn't been recorded about 15 years too late, it would have been an easy pick for A Tribe Called Quest to sample.
Possibly the best song on the record is the title track, "Offend Maggie". Complete with Celtic-like arpeggios (almost bagpipe-like) and powerful windmilling chords, the piece is the best example of Deerhoof's new musical direction: strange, sometimes bizarre (especially the lyrics), but always melodically conscious.
Of course no Deerhoof album would be complete without the headscratchers (see "Basket Ball Get Your Groove Back", that's all I'm going to say) but Offend Maggie is a delightful change of pace from what was/is an increasingly awkward and experimental band. If you have never listened to Deerhoof or perhaps the method behind their madness has always escaped you, now is an opportune time to start listening.
For more information on the Band/Album/Tour, visit http://deerhoof.killrockstars.com/
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