Kevin Bronson on November 17th, 2014

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It is a rarity for a long-standing band to not only maintain their musical identity but concurrently continue to push the boundaries of their creative vision. Deerhoof is one of those bands. For two decades and 12 albums, their punk-pop-noise-rock vibes remain as fresh and edgy as ever. Their latest album release, “La Isla Bonita,” contains the reliable, upbeat songs that Deerhoof can deliver, like “Doom” and “God 2.” The album also contains deep, poetic tracks that upon first listen are quite simple, however have major impact both musically and lyrically. “Mirror Monster” includes sway-worthy guitar melodies, which feel both romantic and tragic. The ballad expresses themes of legacies ending and fading away, as the lyrics describe, “And will soon be the victims of our imitators, what did we expect?” Todd Chandler’s video for the song is equally haunting, showing footage of old, abandoned cars being crushed into pieces and hauled away. Drummer Greg Saunier was naturally inspired by the footage while writing tracks for the album, saying, “When I saw these cars getting smooshed, the lyrics just came.” At the opposite end of the sonic spectrum is the new video for “Exit Only,” which stars actor Michael Shannon. Stuff like this will make your head explode.

– Caitlyn Trudnich

||| Live: Deerhoof plays the Troubadour tonight, supported by Crystal Skulls and Go Dark.

||| Also: Watch the video for “Mirror Monster” below: