album #51

kaputt (destroyer)

This Might be my favorite Destroyer record, it certainly contends, and it's so incredibly different than anything else he's released. Lately I've thought of Daniel Bejar as being this generation's David Bowie, in his pursuit of reinvention with each album- in which case, this is his Young Americans. I'm amused at the thought of somebody who falls in love with Destroyer at Starbucks, looks into his back catalogue, and comes up with a whole lot of his nasally, barely melodic 7-minute tangled blues rock tracks. I think Bejar said this was the first time he truly set out to make a pop record- and boy, if this is what he comes up with, he should really keep it up.

“Chinatown” is one of my favorite songs, a contender for my favorite Destroyer song- well paced, beautifully constructed, with a seductive key line sneaking up and down in the chorus. “Suicide Demo For Kara Walker” is a lovely, misty island. I remember Kara Walker's art and I often picture that room in the Met, with silvery light air and blue currents, when I hear this song. This is a silly thing to confess, but a lot of this album reminds me of the misty pond level of Bugdom- white fog and clear waters and far journeys from port to port (hey, after all, Bejar talked about far-flung imperial outposts as an influence on this record.) “Kaputt” is a wonderful song, a wistful, pretty synthetic dance. I would absolutely dance to it in a cool, dry European disco of whites and blues. “Downtown” is a jewel, I love the vibrant bass, the choir, the smoky curl of the saxophone, the shape of the whole track just works for me. It's another one of my favorite songs, and it would sound amazing in a dentist's office.

It's easy listening, baby, and it's easy on my ears. More than anything I'm curious about what this means for the next Destroyer album- if this is an aberration or a distinct step towards a new direction.