Deerhoof - La Isla Bonita

Deerhoof aren’t a band with delusions of grandeur. La Isla Bonita is their twelfth record, so one would imagine that now would be about the time that they collectively let their success and longevity go to their heads.  Thankfully that isn’t so. La Isla Bonita is minimalistic and a bit abrasive, but always accessible. Guitarist John Dieterich is as apt as ever at balancing abstract noises with stripped-down guitar sounds. As always, vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki paints a layer of surreality over Dieterich’s oft-dissonant meanderings. The reverb-laden “Mirror Monster” provides an ethereal breather, and Matsuzaki’s voice is also an initial guiding light throughout the nebulous “Big House Waltz.” More than anything else, Deerhoof’s latest effort is fun. It isn’t tying to be groundbreaking or tackle lofty themes: this is Deerhoof at their most idiosyncratic—and least self-conscious. This is a band that knows its own limits. And, quite frankly respecting them is a bolder move at this stage than any effort at reinvention could be. When it comes down to it, Deerhoof still make more effective use of noise-elements than most emerging acts do. And a full two decades into their career, their formula still sounds fresh.