Deerhunter — Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.

Bradford Cox did a peculiar thing this summer. Upset that his first magnum opus, Microcastle, leaked to the internet in the spring, Cox and the rest of Deerhunter put together a second record called Weird Era Cont. The result is two discs that move in completely opposite directions, but work surprisingly well in tandem. Microcastle is a rock record that's drenched in Velvet Underground atmospherics ("Agorophobia," "Saved By Old Times") and early Police staccato beats ("Never Stops," "Nothing Ever Happened"). It far exceeds the melodic potential of Cryptograms and Fluorescent Grey. Weird Era Cont. is a lo-fi psych trip for fans of the group's early output that ensures Deerhunter is truly for everyone. Both are diverse, intoxicating and reveal more with each playback. With Microcastle and Weird Era Cont., Cox establishes himself as the must-hear songwriter many of us hoped he would turn out to be.

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