-- By Bob Boilen, NPR Music
America is an album packed with melody and noise, minimalism and excess,
harshness and beauty — sometimes all the same time. Dan Deacon's music
is steeped in pop, electronics and classical music, making this record
an absolute adventure.
Deacon spent time studying composition and electronic music at Purchase
College, State University of New York. He was encouraged to be playful
at a time when minimalism was already having an impact on not only new
classical music but pop music like the Talking Heads and rap. And you
can hear all of that on this album — those modal forms, hypnotic drones
and fierce beats. And there are simplistic and lulling marimba sounding
rhythms on this record made of what sounds like cello, piano and
percussion. And make no mistake, there's electronics — gigantic,
walloping walls of sound that grate and enchant, gnaw and delight.
Side One of America is the pop side, and here Deacon has played with his
singing style somewhat. In the past, it's fair to say, it was more
chant and repetition; on America it can be more word driven. And even
when the music is dense, there's more space. The sounds are more clearly
defined and the total is experience less exhausting and more
exhilarating. It's still intense, but it's friendlier.
Side Two is a piece in 4 parts. The piece is called USA, a play on the
name of an old favorite band of Dan's called the USAISAMONSTER. The band
had done an epic concert at his home, Baltimore's Wham City, and that
inspired Deacon to compose something very very big. It's a piece of
music that made him feel happy to be living in America. It's devoid of
politics and celebrates the land.
America is not a one-listen record. You have the whole week to sink your
teeth into this, so take the time and do it. If the sounds feel brash,
let them wash over you. This album is worth the ride.
America will be available to stream on demand from Monday August 20 through August 27, 2012.