If there’s one thing Bradford Cox is singularly obsessed with, it’s making music; since 2005 his output has been ceaselessly prolific. However, it’s been almost three years since Halcyon Digest, the last full Deerhunter release, and though Cox recently found time for a solo outing as Atlas Sound on Parallax, Deerhunter’s full return on Monomania is both welcome and long-awaited. They’re back and louder than they’ve been in recent times.
Thumping drums cocooned by cavernous thrashing guitars opens up the noise-drenched ‘Neon Junkyard’, thrusting Cox’s shouts to the forefront and submerging the listener into a den of garage-rock. A far cry from the intricate sonic explorations and warbling tones ofHalcyon Digest, Monomania begins with a bang and doesn’t ease up, cascading into the even louder ‘Neon Jacket II’, which comes complete with a seductively catchy riff and abrupt mid-track breakdown.
Discarding the spectacular astral projections of Halcyon Digest in favour of a rougher direct feel wasn’t what was expected, though given that Cox has the chutzpah to play ‘My Sharona’ on loop for a whole hour during live sets, a slight subversion of expectations isn’t as calamitous as it could’ve been. Instead, we’re left with a rare treat, a record that initially shocks, yet grows in strength and ultimately awes. Where Halcyon Digest was a fantastical dream, Monomania is an all too real awakening.
A penchant for pop hooks and subtle tracks hasn’t left the Atlanta rockers, with ‘Dream Captain’ and ‘T.H.M’ harking back to some of the finer moments of Deerhunter’s ambient forays. Title track ‘Monomania’ encapsulates the whole record wonderfully; it’s not lacking in classic sensibilities, demonstrating Cox’s unquestionable prowess for a strong hook, yet is shrouded in reverb and descends into a tantalising explosion of noise as Cox’s repeated drawls of ‘Monomania’ refuse to fade or die.
Cox’s response to lines of questioning regarding his virtuoso rendition of ‘My Sharona’ was to claim that his ‘job is to simply sodomise mediocrity’. There’s no question over whether or not Cox is ordinary (he clearly isn’t), whether Monomania is evidence that his talent is extraordinary is open to question. One thing’s for sure though – it’s anything but mediocre.
Rishi Modha 