Microcastle | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 19, 2008 | |||
Recorded | April 2008, at Rare Book Room Studios, New York | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:53 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Nicolas Vernhes | |||
Deerhunter chronology | ||||
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Singles from Microcastle | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
Microcastle is the third studio album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet,it became available on iTunes on August 19,2008, [4] while physical copies were released on October 27,2008. [5] In the U.S. the album was released on Kranky and on 4AD in Europe. The album was recorded over the course of one week in April 2008 by Nicolas Vernhes at Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn,NY. [6] In the U.S.,the album has managed to sell over 50,000 units. [7]
Unlike Cryptograms ,the band decided to forgo heavy utilization of effects pedals. Throughout the recording of the record,only a number of drum tracks and the vocals on "Agoraphobia" were treated. Of the musical direction of the new material,Bradford Cox has said "I'm more interested in the micro-structure. I want things to be a lot shorter,I don't want there to be as much long-windedness to it." The band premiered the album live at Brooklyn's Market Hotel on April 11,2008. A bonus disc, Weird Era Cont. ,was released concurrently with the album.
"Saved By Old Times" features an appearance by Cole Alexander of the Black Lips. His appearance was recorded over an iChat session. [6]
The original pressing of the vinyl on Kranky was one white vinyl LP,had a single panel jacket with different artwork than the CD (see alternate artwork),and came with Weird Era Cont. on CD in its own paper sleeve. Since the album has gained popularity,there has been another pressing,with both parts of the album being pressed on black vinyl in a gatefold jacket with the orange artwork originally used for the CD.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.3/10 [8] |
Metacritic | 81/100 [9] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
The A.V. Club | A− [11] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ [12] |
The Guardian | [13] |
Los Angeles Times | [14] |
Mojo | [15] |
Pitchfork | 9.2/10 [16] |
Q | [17] |
Rolling Stone | [18] |
Spin | [19] |
Microcastle has been met with much acclaim since its release,currently holding an 81 rating on Metacritic,from a weighted average of 35 professional critics,indicating "Universal Acclaim". [9] Both Tiny Mix Tapes [20] and Sputnikmusic awarded the album with a perfect score. [21] Spin , [19] Billboard , [22] The New York Times [23] and The Guardian [13] all gave the album an 8/10. Rolling Stone rewarded the album a 3.5 score,and RS contributor,Daniel Kreps listed Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. as his favorite album of 2008. [24] Pitchfork also rated the album highly,naming the album 50th best record of the decade [25] and 5th best of the year, [26] along with awarding it with a 9.2 upon initial review. [16] Pitchfork also named “Nothing Ever Happened”the 6th best song of the year [27] and 81st best song of the decade. [28] Hype Machine rated the album as 11th best of the year. [29]
All tracks are written by Bradford Cox, except where noted
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Cover Me (Slowly)" (instrumental) | 1:21 | ||
2. | "Agoraphobia" |
| 3:22 | |
3. | "Never Stops" | 3:04 | ||
4. | "Little Kids" |
| 4:22 | |
5. | "Microcastle" | 3:40 | ||
6. | "Calvary Scars" | 1:37 | ||
7. | "Green Jacket" | 2:09 | ||
8. | "Activa" | 1:49 | ||
9. | "Nothing Ever Happened" | 5:50 | ||
10. | "Saved by Old Times" | 3:50 | ||
11. | "Neither of Us, Uncertainly" | Pundt |
| 5:25 |
12. | "Twilight at Carbon Lake" | 4:24 | ||
Total length: | 40:53 |
Charts (2008) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200 [30] | 123 |
US Billboard Heatseekers [31] | 1 |
US Billboard Independent Albums [32] | 14 |
US Billboard Tastemaker Albums [33] | 10 |
Cryptograms is the second album from Atlanta, Georgia-based indie rock group Deerhunter, released through Kranky on January 29, 2007 on CD and vinyl. Following the 2005 release of its first full-length album Turn It Up Faggot, Deerhunter began recording material for its next record at Rare Book Room studio in New York. This initial recording session failed, due to the physical and mental state of lead singer Bradford Cox, as well as malfunctioning equipment in the studio. The band returned to Atlanta, only giving recording a second try after encouragement from members of the band Liars. The final version of Cryptograms was recorded in two separate day-long sessions, months apart, resulting in two musically distinct parts—the first includes more ambient music while the second contains more pop music elements. Cox sang most of the record's lyrics in a stream-of-consciousness manner; they include themes of death, companionship, and Cox's experiences with his genetic disorder Marfan syndrome. Cryptograms was generally well received by critics, and several publications placed the album on their lists of the top albums of 2007.
Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox, Moses Archuleta, Lockett Pundt, Josh McKay (bass) and Javier Morales.
Fluorescent Grey is an extended play accompaniment to Cryptograms, the second studio release by Atlanta-based band Deerhunter. The EP was released on CD by Kranky on May 8, 2007, and later as a vinyl bundle with Cryptograms. A music video for the track "Strange Lights" is included with the CD release. The album's cover is a photograph of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt as a seventh-grader. Its lyrical themes touch on death and the decomposition of the human body—"Fluorescent Grey" is the name lead singer Bradford Cox gives to the color of dead flesh. Fluorescent Grey received a number of positive reviews upon its release. Cox later released a free series of demos over the internet, being early versions of tracks on Fluorescent Grey and other material.
Bradford James Cox is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound.
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel is the debut album by Atlas Sound, the solo project of Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox. The album was released in North America by Kranky on February 19, 2008 and in Europe by 4AD on May 5, 2008.
Nouns is the first studio album by American noise rock duo No Age. It was (partly) recorded at Southern Studios in London. The album was leaked onto the internet on April 16, 2008, and subsequently released by Sub Pop on May 6, 2008. On May 5, it earned a 9.2/10 rating from Pitchfork Media; and is the website's joint highest-reviewed original release of 2008. The album ranked third in Pitchfork Media's list of the top 50 albums of 2008, and was listed at number 50 on Rolling Stone's list of the best albums of 2008.
Weird Era Cont. is the fourth album by Deerhunter released concurrently with Microcastle. After Microcastle had leaked months in advance of its planned release date, the band recorded a new album in an attempt to reward those who awaited its street release date although like Microcastle, it also leaked in advance. Weird Era Cont. was officially made available as a bonus disc/12", depending on format, with both the 4AD and Kranky releases.
Lockett James Pundt IV is an American musician and multi-instrumentalist. He is the guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of Atlanta-based indie rock group Deerhunter which he joined in 2005. Pundt also releases solo material under the name Lotus Plaza.
Rainwater Cassette Exchange is an extended-play by Atlanta-based indie rock band Deerhunter. Much like their previous effort, it was recorded at Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn with producer Nicolas Vernhes. It became available for download on May 18, 2009, and released on CD and vinyl on June 8. The EP was distributed by Kranky in the US while 4AD handled overseas distribution. The title track became available for download on April 17.
The discography of Atlanta, Georgia-based ambient and psychedelic band Deerhunter includes six studio albums, two extended plays, five vinyl singles, three split albums, and four music videos. The band has also made appearances on a number of compilation albums. Deerhunter was formed in 2001 by vocalist Bradford Cox and drummer Moses Archuleta. Members to later join were guitarists Colin Mee and Lockett Pundt, and bassists Justin Bosworth and Josh Fauver. Bosworth was killed in a skateboarding accident early in the band's career, leading to his replacement by Fauver. Mee left Deerhunter in 2007 after scheduling conflicts preventing him from performing at a number of shows.
The discography of American musician Bradford Cox includes his work with Deerhunter, the band he cofounded with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001, and his solo efforts as Atlas Sound. With Deerhunter, Cox has released four studio albums and two extended plays, and as Atlas Sound he has released two albums, several vinyl singles and splits, and over fifty individual tracks on his blog. Cox was born in 1982 in Athens, Georgia, and has used the name "Atlas Sound" to refer to his own music since he was a child, when he recorded on a tape player created by the company Atlas Sound. He is known for having the genetic disorder Marfan syndrome and his live performances with Deerhunter during 2007, in which he would come out on stage in dresses and covered in fake blood.
Halcyon Digest is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide The album was produced by the band and Ben H. Allen, and was recorded at Chase Park Transduction studios in Athens, Georgia with engineer David Barbe. The final track, "He Would Have Laughed" was recorded separately by Bradford Cox at Notown Sound in Marietta, Georgia and is a tribute to Jay Reatard.
"Nothing Ever Happened" is a song by Atlanta-based indie rock band Deerhunter. It is the first and only single released from Microcastle. The single was released on October 14, 2008. It came backed with a demo of another Microcastle track, "Little Kids" recorded during summer 2007. When playing the track live the band will usually improvise the last section for an extended time, with the song length exceeding anywhere from eight to twenty minutes, as heard when the group played a free show at Pier 54.
"Vox Celeste 5" is a Deerhunter single released as part of the third edition of Sub Pop's Singles Club. Units were set to ship out in June 2009, but due to delays were not released until August 28. The records were pressed in a limited set of 1,500 on yellow vinyl. The tracks that appear here are re-workings of songs that initially appeared on Microcastle and Weird Era Cont. To date, it is the only release by Deerhunter to appear on Sub Pop.
Parallax is the third studio album from Bradford Cox's solo project Atlas Sound, released November 7, 2011 on 4AD. The album debuted at #97 on the Billboard 200 and has received critical acclaim.
Spooky Action at a Distance is the second studio album by Lotus Plaza, a.k.a. Lockett Pundt, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter for Deerhunter. It was released on April 2, 2012 on Chicago-based label Kranky.
Monomania is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on May 7, 2013 on 4AD. Produced by both the band and Nicolas Vernhes, the album is the first to feature bassist Josh McKay, and is the only studio album to feature guitarist Frankie Broyles.
Fading Frontier is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter, released on October 16, 2015 on 4AD. Produced by Ben H. Allen, who had previously worked with the band on Halcyon Digest (2010), and the band itself, the album was preceded by the singles "Snakeskin", "Breaker" and "Living My Life".
Joshua Donald Fauver was an American musician. He served as the longtime bassist for the Atlanta, Georgia band Deerhunter from 2004 to 2012. Fauver replaced second Deerhunter bassist Justin Bosworth in 2004 following Bosworth's death. Fauver played on their debut self-titled album (2004), Cryptograms (2007), the Fluorescent Grey EP (2007), Weird Era and Microcastle (2008), Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP (2009), and Halcyon Digest (2010).
Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released on January 18, 2019, on 4AD. The album was co-produced by singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon, Ben H. Allen, Ben Etter and the band itself. The first single, "Death in Midsummer", was released on October 30, 2018. The same day, a world tour in support of the album was announced, starting on November 4, 2018. The second single from the album, "Element", was released on December 6, 2018. The album leaked on December 12, 2018.