Deerhoof – “Friend Opportunity ” – [5 Rue Christine]

Thurston Hunger   1/18/2007   A Library, CD

KFJC DJ’s and other diehards have already got Deerhoof-prints up and down
their backs, Nitre Pit tracks occasionally bubble up on 89.7 as well. So
what more can be said at this point? To my ears this is more an album
for an existing friend, rather than a new friend opportunity. That being
said it leaps out of the gate with Saturday morning superpowers. The
first two tracks would shatter anyone’s fortress of solitude. Charged
by frantic organ on the first track, and a sort of Dr. Who woosh, “The
Perfect Me” should be a theme song to a cartoon about some hero crossed
between the Tick and Underdog. On “+81” marching band horns and drumroll
kick out the jams with a chugga-chugga blues rock riff and there’s all
kinds of little funk elements that guitarist John Dieterich tucks in as
well. Speaking o’ the funk, drummer Greg Saunier should release a drum
break record. Meanwhile does Satomi really sing “Ju-ju-ju-ju-be-be” for
the chorus on “+81?” As always there is a taste of candy to a Deerhoof
release, but they’ve got their own wily Wonka ways as well. Savor the
flavor of “Choco Fight.” Deerhoof nails the ying and yang marriage of
catchy and complex. It’s hard to believe that most of these songs barely
break three minutes, such is the enthralling power of their eccentric
and epic pop ditties. In such a unique universe, the lush life of synth
strings for the piano ballad of “Whither the Invisible Birds” seems even
stranger. Deerhoof never gets their freak “off”, you want a koan-hop for
canine-human role reversal, they’ve got “Kidz Are So Small.” At the end
they pull out a sorta Mingus/Ives with Nels Cline ripples prog-storm.
I keep flashing on the notion that I wish Deerhoof would make kids books.

Is Satomi a Mom, she should be? They all should be Moms…

-Thurston Hunger (I’ve been told I’m a real mother myself…)