“It’s very easy to identify ‘negative’ in change, but I want this record to showcase the positive aspects of change, and how things like getting older, or dying, or the end of civilization, or the end of a species isn’t a … bad thing.”

From any other artist, in practically any context, this quote would wreak of absurd neophytic existential posturing, but spoke by Dan Deacon in Pitchfork TV’s In The Studio piece about Bromst, why can’t he also challenge our traditional ideas of life and dying? After all, along what process did we associate getting older with the loss of youth? Why can’t getting older remeble the the explosive surge at roughly 0:58 on ““Get Older”“?

Yes, we know we might “obsessing” a bit, having already featured “Snookered”, “Paddling Ghost” and Get Older, compounded by Tripwire Editor Derek Evers’ “blowjob of a review”, but hey, we’re not the only ones:

The Onion A.V. Club: “Deacon has always said that he writes within his physical means (then: homemade equipment, sweltering clubs; now: actual studios, actual venues). A word of advice for anyone who crosses Dan’s path: Give this man anything he asks for.”

Pitchfork: “The music becomes something like a natural process: one clean, simple sweep, but built from an insane complexity of detail. And there’s enough to un-knot in there to make this a terrific step for Deacon — out from the sticky basements into a space where he can try to tackle the sublime.”

Tiny Mix Tapes: “The way Deacon transitioned from the format of his cartoon-y debut to the sparkling sidewalk-chalk innocence here is astonishing, comparable to the bump in quality and focus we all felt when Ágætis Byrjun proceeded Von or Person Pitch followed Young Prayer. It’s the hyper-distinguishable leap from idiosyncratic-but-lovable to just-plain-lovable that makes Bromst — and Danny Boy himself — of increased import.”

Bromst Is Awesome.

Dan Deacon tour dates
04.03.09 – Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church)
04.04.09 – Baltimore, MD (TRANSMODERN FESTIVAL: H&H BUILDING)
04.05.09 – Williamsburg, VA (The Little Theater)
04.06.09 – Asheville, NC (Orange Peel)
04.07.09 – Knoxville, TN (Catalyst)
04.08.09 – Birmingham, AL (Bottletree)
04.09.09 – Athens, GA (88/cp)
04.10.09 – Atlanta, GA (Eyedrum)
04.11.09 – Tallahassee, FL (FSU/Club Downunder)
04.13.09 – New Orleans, LA (The Candle Factory/The Heavy)
04.15.09 – Baton Rouge, LA (Spanish Moon)
04.16.09 – Houston, TX (Orange Show)
04.17.09 – Austin, TX (Emos)
04.18.09 – Fort Worth, TX (Fort Worth Modern Art Museum)
04.20.09 – Tempe, AZ (The Clubhouse)
04.21.09 – San Diego, CA (Che Cafe)
04.22.09 – Los Angeles, CA (Troubadour)
04.23.09 – San Francisco, CA (Great American Music Hall)
04.24.09 – Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
04.25.09 – Seattle, WA (The Vera Project)
04.26.09 – Vancouver, BC (Richards on Richards)
04.29.09 – Salt Lake City, UT (Kilby Court)
04.30.09 – Denver, CO (Bluebird Theater)
05.01.09 – Kansas City, MO (Pistol K.C.)
05.02.09 – Minneapolis, MN (Triple Rock Social Club)
05.04.09 – Madison, WI (Majestic Theatre)
05.05.09 – Milwaukee, WI (Turner Hall Ballroom)
05.06.09 – Urbana, IL (Canopy Club/Club Void)
05.07.09 – Chicago, IL (Metro)
05.08.09 – Mount Pleasant, MI (CMU / The Wesley Foundation)
05.09.09 – Detroit, MI (TBA)
05.10.09 – Toronto, ON (The Deleon White Gallery)
05.11.09 – Montreal, QC (La Sala Rossa)
05.12.09 – South Burlington, VT (HG Showcase Lounge)
05.13.09 – Cambridge, MA (Middle East Downstairs)
05.14.09 – Providence, RI (RISD Market Square)
05.15.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Danbro Studios)
05.16.09 – New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)
05.17.09 – Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)

In case you haven’t already noticed, Dan Deacon’s new album Bromst is a work of fucking genius. It’s such a lovely cacophony of sounds and ideas that I hardly know where to begin, though discussing “Snookered” seems like a good start. Abstaining from his strategic neurosis, “Snookered” is a moment of musical accessibility and bold honesty from Dan Deacon. He sings precise and clear, declaring the most evocative lyrics of his career: “Been wrong so many times before/ but never quite like this.” With only two short stanzas, Deacon layers “Snookered” over a sprawling eight minutes. Beginning with notes from a music box amidst thick fuzz, Deacon sings loudly as if he refuses to be drowned out. Though never using “you”, his confessional words atop such a bittersweet melody makes “Snookered” feel entirely dedicated to one person.

“Snookered” is just one more example of Deacon’s ability to transgress genre without ignoring structure or traditional pop hooks. Easily one of the best songs of his young career, this track is another reason why Bromst is a stunning accomplishment.

Dan Deacon – “Snookered”