Record Review - 2 April 15 2004

Deerhoof’s deliberate evolution from a scattered noise-pop outfit to a stylish group that relies more on strange, silly pop tones than grating noise is an ongoing but gratifying process. Deerhoof’s latest shows the San Francisco act eager and able to improve on its past accomplishments by plunging headlong into the depths of a concept album.

A prog-rock opus, Milk Man is rife with both abstract and actual imagery telling the tale of a boogie-man character who lures children into his seemingly innocent dreamland to carry out some sinister intentions. Evoking the old masters such as Cactus and Genesis, the weightiest elements of the recording lie in repeated musical phrases that jump from tempo to tempo and instrument to instrument. From the plodding guitar, bass and organ in the title track, to the stabbing motion of “Rainbow Silhouette of the Milky Man,” each song turns on a dime with calculated precision and sticks to its story. All the while, vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki’s pansexual crooning enhances everything from a sense of melancholy to utter confusion in songs like “Dog on the Sidewalk” and “C.”

“New Sneakers” closes the record on a happy note with both clarity and sophistication that pushes the group’s abilities beyond simple noise and intricately calculated pop songwriting. Milk Man may not be the group’s defining moment, but it can only be surpassed by Deerhoof’s next record.

Deerhoof plays MJQ Drunken Unicorn Mon., April 19. 8:30 p.m. $7.