Deerhoof, one of the biggest and quirkiest bands in the indie rock scene, released its 11th album, “Deerhoof vs. Evil,” on Jan. 25.

After 16 years of making music, Deerhoof shows no signs of slowing and its latest album is just as original and fun as past albums have been.

As with most of their albums, Deerhoof brilliantly blends pop and traditional indie rock with light doses of experimentalism and hard rock, true to their own art rock style. Topped with the distinctly cute, childish and sometimes eerie vocals of Japanese-born front woman and bassist) Satomi Matsuzaki, the mix blends into a genuinely unique experience.

The album is a bit jarring at first, opening with Matsuzaki singing in Catalan on the song “Qui Dorm, Només Somia,” which features a cluttered opening followed by a steady beat and melody that grows and twists as the song progresses.

“Qui Dorm, Només Somia” is followed by the constrasting “Behold a Marvel in the Darkness,” which is more poppy and fun with a simple, enticing chord progression on an acoustic guitar at the start. Along with a pretty chorus from Matsuzaki of “what is this thing called love?” answered by a hard rock instrumental response presented in call- and-response fashion, the song comes off as cutesy and fun with a bit of punch.

The album alternates between a experimental song and one that’s sweet and more melodious for almost every track, sometimes in the middle of one. The album never settles down with one feel but instead darts around seemingly at random.

Whether there is an actual method to the madness, the one clear fact is that the band seems to have a lot of fun.
Some standout tracks with a pretty fun feel are “No One Asked to Dance” (recently featured on NPR’s “Song of the Day”) and “I Did Crimes For You.”

Those interested in the more intriguing, experimental songs should check out “The Merry Barracks” (available for free at www.polyvinylrecords.com) and “Must Fight Current.”

“Deerhoof vs. Evil” isn’t an amazing new piece of art, but it’s certainly a fun and welcome addition to Deerhoof’s solid discography. The album indicates that the band will continue to satisfy in the foreseeable future.

Deerhoof is set to play on Feb. 26 in Portland at Holocene at 6 p.m. Visit www.holocene.org/calendar for more information.

Tune in to KSLC 90.3 FM to hear tracks from “Deerhoof vs. Evil.”

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Braden Smith/KSLC 90.3 FM
Braden Smith can be reached at kslcmusic@gmail.com.

We live in a musical era in which drummers get kicked out of bands by drum machines because it makes them sound more like LMFAO, in which artists would rather you buy 13 singles than one album because the record companies steal all their money, in which Justin Bieber gets nominated for Grammys and in which the two most famous musicians are not famous because of their music, but because they‘re either giant douche bags or they wear meat bikinis.
Yes, folks, these are trying times indeed. All we wish for is a simpler time, away from the My Chemical Romances, the Maynard James Keenans, the idiots at the Academy, the Kanye Wests and the Lady Gagas (all from which my previous accusations come from).
In this 3OH!3 and Ke$ha-ridden world, where can we turn for some musical peace and quiet?
I would suggest turning to coming artist Andreya Triana, a sultry R&B singer from Great Britain who has recently released her first solo album, “Lost Where I Belong,” on independent label Ninja Tune.
Triana is a stark contrast to the corporate hustling and bustling of today’s popular music since she is a completely self-made woman. She taught herself to sing at a young age and made her first recordings with cheap cassette recorders in her bedroom. Her musical repertoire expanded as she began studying musical technology while fronting multiple experimental Latin, fun, soul and jazz outfits.
As she honed her musical skills and styles, she began to attract critical acclaim and was eventually asked to contribute vocals to popular experimental acts as Flying Lotus (in their song “Tea Leaf Dancers”) and Bonobo, with the latter featuring Triana on three of the tracks off his most recent album, “Black Sands.”
He was pleased with her work on the songs, Bonobo eventually approached Triana in hopes of being able to produce her first solo album. She agreed, and the result is a wonderful debut we have now.
The album itself is as DIY and eclectic as this star duo will have it, resulting in a smooth, mellow, yet perpetually fun and entertaining album. The two wrote the songs together, combining live instrumentations and found sounds in unique and subtle ways.
The album is undeniably jazzy and full of deep, funk-laden bass lines, spunky shuffle-rhythms, soft horns and lush vocals, melting us in the same way that chocolate melts into crushed velvet by candlelight. Bonobo’s production gives the songs intricate layers, and all the while keeps the tracks spacious, giving us and Triana ample space to breathe.
Highlights include the peppy “A Town Called Obsolete,” the bossa nova-y “Something in the Silence,” and the funky, flute-powered soul jam “Up in the Fire.”
Tune into KSLC 90.3 FM to catch a tune off of Andreya Triana’s debut album, “Lost Where I Belong.”

Philip Yovetich/KSLC 90.3 FM
Philip Yovetich can be reached at kslcmusic@gmail.com.

Gold Panda’s full-length debut album, “Lucky Shiner,” seems a fitting introduction to the sound of a new decade’s interpretation of what trance and electronic genres are beginning to sound and feel like.
The new-wave school of computerized music that Gold Panda exemplifies is full of lush, electronic beats that have been carefully orchestrated and sound less like the confusing synthesized pudding of Aphex Twin and more like the effort of an Indian DJ raised on Chicane and Massive Attack.
From beginning to end, this album sounds solidly European, with none of the bouncing twangs or jittery skips of the American electronic genre.
What’s new and unexpected is that this album feels human, which is quite a feat when a mixing board and computer are the instrumentation. Although the drum beats are synthesized and the instrumentation is overlaid, all of the components of the tracks seem to come together in a way that makes an artificial production sound organic.
Yet, not all the changes brought out in this interpretation of trance are for the best. “Lucky”’s main drawback seems to be that it doesn’t have a fluidity between the tracks. This sounds like an album of greatest hits instead of a cohesive whole, and that’s really disappointing considering the strength of composition Gold Panda displays in each track.
There’s nothing which particularly stands out, and yet this album doesn’t sound complete. Each song is masterfully laid out, yet, although there are some unifying characteristics between songs, there is a carrying theme for the album.
This results in an effort that, although pleasant in short doses, is exhausting to actually listen to; the listener is constantly being required to pay attention to what they’re listening to.
Another detractor, which ensures that “Lucky Shiner” isn’t going to make it big, is the album’s almost complete lack of vocals. Although this alone shouldn’t doom an album, albums that manage to succeed without any vocal backing typically maintain a great amount of creativity, or some sort of catch to pull in the listener.
Some artists use freedom from vocals to their advantage, creating memorable soundscapes or bending sound in strange ways. Contemporaries such as Tiesto or Pulsedriver are certain masters of this talent, but there are no such aspirations from Gold Panda.
In reflecting on this album, there are certain things which can’t be described; there’s almost a certain feeling of invitation in listening to “Lucky,” as though this album was created for creative celebration instead of for any sort of audience. This certainly isn’t the sort of trance album that’s going to enjoy any popularity. Rather, “Lucky” sounds like the sort of music that, 10 years down the road, will continue to enjoy celebrity among the sort of crowd that uses patchouli as deodorant.
In listening to this album and attempting to develop an opinion about it, I couldn’t really decide whether I loved or hated it. The artist has unbelievable potential, and it’s exciting to think that, with some grooming, Gold Panda could hit it big. Yet, at the same time, there’s a sense of frustration that this album isn’t more: more cohesive, more cultured, more exciting. Ultimately, none of these criticisms really makes this album any less then what it is supposed to be.
“Lucky” makes you think.

Eric Tompkins/KSLC 90.3 FM
Eric Tompkins can be reached at kslcmusic@gmail.com.