Halcyon Digest

Start Here

Nice

3 Waiting in the rain at rail road crossing is the feeling I get.

Awful

Pleasant, competent but wholly unremarkable 00s indie.

Chill, but like four songs played and I didn’t even notice it had changed.

Music by People on Antidepressants for People on Antidepressants (?) At some point around 2010 this weird limpness started pervading and then predominating "Alternative & Indy" music. Across sub-genres and styles recordings suddenly featured a noticeable lack of passion, energy, and emotion and a reliance on computerized soundscapes for intensity. This album fits squarely into this category. It bores me, sure. But it also frustrates me because I feel like there are musicians in there who just need to put down the blue pill and take the red.

Never heard of before. But a very pleasant surprise.

5/10 - I thought it would be a bit more experimental but I can't really recall much, the first song is interesting but the album is kind of meh

Opening track hit a big mood for me today. Sucks that the remainder doesn't follow that thread.

Cool indie

I really like albums like this, just a very simple and straightforward indie rock album, nothing too crazy about it but I'm just glad to have discovered it.

I mean it’s such perfect shoegaze dream pop stuff but with a little more indie rock in there to make it hit even harder

pretty pretty pretty good like i remember

Never heard of them before. Some decent tunes on but also some annoying pieces. In total nothing really remarkable for me.

Kind of like driving through Death Valley. Interesting, but all kinds of blends together into a pleasant yet forgettable experience.

Very nice

Such a trip, sounds like the beats are being played in reverse and doing backflips. The way the tracks build has such a euphoric climactic feeling. It's a beautiful, meandering project that dips between being thoughtfully slow and mindfully rocky. I didn't expect from the first track, for this to become an indie rock album.

I mean it’s fine middling indie

Enjoyed it, I think I need to listen a few more times for it to become as great as its acclaim suggests. I like a lot of bands that are this style, so with more listens this could be a 5 star album.

I remember back in 2010, after growing up with the big rock burst of the 90s-00s, I went off new music because it felt like every album that the critics recommended was a boring, atmospheric snoozefest. This is the exact sort of thing I mean

Not sure if I really have heard of this band. Interesting music.

Good album need to give it another listen though

Pretty boring really

better than I thought for never having heard of

Uninspiring electro/folk/psychedelic indie. Well executed but boring. Favourite tracks: Desire Lines maybe?

Not my thing. One word to describe it. Boring.

nit schlecht, aber man kann sich an nix erinnern nachdem mans ghört hat

This album will always be a 10/10 for me. It’s a beautiful indie masterpiece, with amazing lyrics which bring forth so much emotion. People saying the band sounds bored with what they’re singing have no idea what they’re talking about. I will always love this album and Deerhunter in general.

Flaccid

It did not catch me.

A floating, neo psychedelic, pop rock classic. These tunes are right up my street. Loose, catchy numbers with the right amount of experimentation to keep things interesting. Everything drenched in reverb and delay. Those 1 2 1 2 riffs on the guitar are a trademark of this record, best showcased throughout the epic conclusion of Desire Lines. Every listen brings out new textures and little production quirks that make this an album well worth replaying again and again. The bass drives onwards and onwards. The vocals, whether ethereal or slacker vibes, are on point. I just love this record. A lot. Favourite tracks - Earthquake, Desire Lines, Helicopter. 9/10

i did not like it

4.5/5

A few interesting songs but nothing very special

Not bad indie lo-fi.

Torn between 3 and 4 just felt a bit too uninspired in parts to deserve a 4. Still nice listening

En oikein tykkää miten vokaalit in haudattu ison kaiun ja eq:n taakse. Indie rokkia, ei sillein mitään hirveän erikoista eikä omaa suosikkia. Parhaat: Desire Lines, Coronado

This was boring. Pretty, but boring.

It was fine.

Got all excited for Deerhoof, then remembered I always get these guys confused.

Perfectly decent, but nothing to call home about

British alt

Alt rock, lo-fi vibe

I finished not bad but a bit boring overall ig just a similar sound for every song

Middle of the road indie rock that is all over this list.

Earthquake is unexpectedly beautiful, and sets the tone for the whole album, which was really beautiful. Reminds me of Low Roar a little bit. I like it.

I wasn't enjoying the first half much at all. Too dreamy and echoey. Some songs sounded like demos or early takes. Then a couple of the songs near the end were OK and different, and bump it up to a mediocre rating, a low 3/5.

Makes me feel like I'm dreaming.

It's not terrible (better than Krautrock and Nick Cave and Scott Walker), but it's not very good. Again, yet another album on this list that really shouldn't be on this list. I would have been perfectly fine not hearing this album before I die.

I enjoy that this project exposes me to new music. I do my best to be receptive, but in the end it comes down to just liking what you hear. I don’t want to dump on Deerhunter as a band because they’re well received and it’s high quality and creative. But meh, nothing new for me to see here. Thanks, anyway.

Never heard of Deerhunter before and, now I’ve listened to the album, can confidently say I’ve still not heard them. What a bland album. Didn’t even really notice it was on, and certainly not a song that grabbed my attention. I’m going to have to listen to it again and try and pay attention as first listen was just blah background noise. Ok, second listen was better as I heard the songs and music. Still found it a rather bland album with no track jumping out at me. Technically not bad though, but as nothing grabbed me it’s getting a 2.

Thought I was going to love this - didn't

This is a tough one and feels like the kind of thing that probably suffers from this format of listening in a day and then judging. I wonder if I would rate this higher had it been a Friday entry? It faded out on me at points but there was some stuff I liked and would like to really properly listen.

This era of Indie Rock is in my wheelhouse so I had a decent time with this but I have a hard time defending an album like this getting on the list, especially one so dreary and moody like this. 6/10

Standard indie rock, but I didn’t hate it. I’m not sure it needs to be on the list with The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, but it was a pretty good representation of 2010 indie rock for future generations.

Ok indie music. Calm vibes but two listens and I can't remember a single young unique

It has moments that tickle my taste, but in the end, I’m glad I got there.

This album, from start to finish, gave me the feeling of an ethereal ambivalence toward life. Almost as if life was encapsulated in a dream-like state: along for the ride, with little or no control. Veiled from full experience, or slightly inebriated, to soften the edges of reality.

Weird lil album I kinda fw it tho

Probably need a relisten but I think the vibes were good?

A nice, indie album. I was really vibing with He Would Have Laughed today. 7.5/10.

Listened to this with my Grandma. Asked her what she thought of it. She responded with an unrelated answer because she clearly can’t hear anymore. So I guess we’ll never know what she truly thinks of Deerhunter. Overall this album was pleasant to listen to. Your stereotypical indie album imo.

This album felt like background music to me. It was chill. But, I didn't find any song that I absolutely loved

Different! But I liked it. Was very layed back, but the instrumentation would get weird at times, which offered some interesting dynamics. From those first few drum hits when the album started I thought I was in for a bad time lmfao. But it mellowed out quickly. Overall, had some good and some not so good throughout. Favorite song: Desire Lines 6.5/10

The best thing about this album is I've already forgotten it.

Correcto

Couple bangers but not enough to make it more than meh.

Not my style. Rather boring.

This album is quite deceptive, in the sense that it takes a couple of listens to really understand it. At first glance you may wonder why it's on this list, as it is not reinventing any wheel, or really a sound that is very unique to them. After spending the day with it, I started to get it more, my initial reaction of "why this one?" softened. Some songs are really all time great. Helicopter is perfect for example. In general, the writing is quite precise and succinct, albeit not very specific or original (Desire Line for example is a good song that doesn't say much in terms of meaning). It leaves the impression that the words are kinda working for the music, rather than the other way around. It doesn't need to be that profound of a meaning every time, it's much more about the sound of words and the syllables in my opinion, none of it feels accidental or there as a flourish. It's very much precise, which is interesting given the diversity of sounds. It's not all "dream pop" and the soundscape is quite larger than the opening would suggest. So it has ambition, which is important to me in rating and appreciating an album. However, it is not perfect either, I still think it starts at track 3 though, and the first two are skips in my opinion. I don't think it's revolutionary, or a must listen, but it's nice, it's solid, and very much a window in indie 2010's. That sound in the larger sense deserves recognition on there.

Ein großartiges Album. Auch heute noch tolle Lieder.

chill

#DÍA 40: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Alcanzando los 40 álbumes, uno moderadamente moderno de pura psicodelia indie. Ahora veo que Deerhunter comenzó la década pasada pisando fuerte con este LP, ojalá me hubiese tocado este antes que Django Django para hacerme una mejor idea de lo que es la Neo-Psychedelia… Tuvo una fabulosa recepción y no es para menos, sólo hay calidad aquí. Producido por mano de santo, Halcyon Digest arranca de un modo que se me asemeja a deathconsciousness de Have a Nice Life, solo que menos abrumadoramente depresivo, es más como nadar entre recuerdos borrosos o pura nostalgia… El sonido es fabuloso, hay un manejo de texturas impecable, tonos de guitarra que te masajean el cerebro, un bajo limpio y sereno y la percusión es sólida pero en un estilo íntimo, entre Indie y Trip Hop. Los añadidos de sintetizadores son enriquecedores, en general hay una paleta sonora que parece infinita y nada chirría, ni siquiera esa especie de clavicordio de los versos en Helicopter. La voz de Cox es fantástica, tiene una fragilidad y una dulzura, que junto a lo orgánico de la grabación tiene un acabado cercano y pero muy expresivo y creíble. Sobre todo me sorprende Sailing, un tema guiado casi completamente por su voz y una extraña progresión de acordes en la guitarra, donde ahí hace muestra de una voz relajada y unos falsetes preciosos. Los temas sobre madurar, nostalgia, miedo, soledad y pesimismo inundan el álbum. El tema de apertura ya nos habla sobre una situación de inestabilidad y desconcierto, luego acompañada de Don’t Cry, que parece ponerse en el lugar de un mayor que trata de consolar a un niño cuyos sentimientos no parecen atendidos. Sailing es una expresión preciosa de la soledad y lo ambigua que se siente, entre refugio y tortura. Desire Lines, interpretada en voz por el guitarrista Lockett Pundt, trata sobre cómo cambiamos de ideales y metas mientras crecemos, siempre con un cierto miedo y tentación a escapar, como parece que nos hace vivir la banda al envolvernos en un torrente psicodélico durante más de la mitad del tema. En general el álbum es genial, la dinámica entre temas lentos, largos con composiciones más abstractas junto a otros más directos y pegadizos hacen una experiencia genial. Pienso que la única canción que no aporta demasiado es Fountain Stairs, que parece más convencional y no tiene tanta exploración sónica como el resto de temas. Aparte que el siguiente tema, Coronado, tiene un estilo también luminoso que termina por opacar por completo a la anterior. Merece la pena escucharlo, tengo pocas pegas que ponerle, a lo mejor me hubiese gustado un final más hipnótico como hacen en Desire Lines, no tan abrupto… Pero en fin, muy buen álbum de indie, muy recomendable para fans del Shoegaze o en general de la música alternativa, sobre todo aquella más natural y orgánica. Favoritas: Earthquake, Don’t Cry, Sailing, Desire Lines, Helicopter, Coronado, He Would Have Laughed Menos favorita: Fountain Stairs #DAY 40: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Reaching the 40-album mark, here’s a moderately modern record of pure indie psychedelia. Now I see that Deerhunter started off the last decade strong with this LP. I wish I had come across it before Django Django, to get a better idea of what Neo-Psychedelia really is… It received fabulous acclaim, and for good reason, man, this is pure quality throughout. Produced to perfection, Halcyon Digest opens in a way that reminds me of deathconsciousness by Have a Nice Life —only less overwhelmingly depressive— it’s more like swimming through blurry memories or pure nostalgia… The sound is gorgeous: impeccable handling of textures, guitar tones that massage your brain, a clean and serene bass, and percussion that’s solid yet intimate, somewhere between Indie and Trip Hop. The touches of synthesizers are enriching, and overall there’s a sonic palette that feels infinite. Nothing clashes, not even that clavichord-like sound in the verses of Helicopter. Cox’s voice is fantastic, fragile and sweet, yet with an organic quality in the recording that makes it both private and deeply expressive. Sailing especially surprises me, a track guided almost entirely by his voice and a strange chord progression on guitar, where he showcases a relaxed delivery and some beautiful falsettos. Themes of growing up, nostalgia, fear, loneliness, and pessimism flood the album. The opener already speaks of instability and disorientation, followed by Don’t Cry, which feels like the perspective of an elder trying to comfort a child whose feelings are being overlooked. Sailing is a beautiful expression of loneliness and its ambiguity: sometimes a refuge, sometimes torture. Desire Lines, sung by guitarist Lockett Pundt, deals with how our ideals and goals shift as we grow, always with a certain fear and temptation to escape. Then, the band translates this into music by wrapping us in a psychedelic torrent that takes over more than half the track. Overall, the album is brilliant, the dynamic between slower, longer and more abstract compositions and the more direct and catchy songs creates a wonderful experience. The only track I feel doesn’t add much is Fountain Stairs, which sounds more conventional and doesn’t dive as deeply into sonic exploration as the others. On top of that, the following track, Coronado, with its equally bright style, completely overshadows it. It’s well worth listening to, I have very few complaints. Maybe I would have liked a more hypnotic finale like they did on Desire Lines, not such an abrupt close… But in the end, it’s a very good indie album, highly recommended for fans of Shoegaze or alternative music in general, especially the more natural and organic side of it. Favorites: Earthquake, Don’t Cry, Sailing, Desire Lines, Helicopter, Coronado, He Would Have Laughed Least favorite: Fountain Stairs

Never heard or heard of this band before. Can’t decide if this is a two or a three. Will land on a three, I guess.

2,4/5

Ok 2/5

My biggest compliment is that Halcyon Digest is boring. This is definitely music and it's listenable, but it's all too dreamy to pay attention for longer than one song. Deerhunter's album flows and is full of shoegaze, and even evokes a sixties/seventies feeling (particularly in "Memory Boy"), but it all comes back to me being too darn bored.

I mean, this wasn't awful, or even really bad, but the psychedelic-shoegaze sound that this album heavily employs just bores me. The touches of dream pop don't really help matters, either. Not really sure what makes this such essential listening, but it didn't do it for me.

Not my style

Overall a really nice album. Really pretty and really good.

meh

Fine

Eh, wallpaper music

1.9

It was ok

Not sure of I liked this because it's good or because I was really stoned

Nothing to say

If you told me, this was early demo tapes of Cyndi Lauper, I would believe you

Best Track - "Memory Boy"

Never heard of this band at all but Wiki review and other 1001’s reviews convinced me I was in for a treat. And it was. Not a bad album at all. Not something I wish to own but good enough to save it to my streaming service of choice. Was hard to buttonhole which is good because the band were obviously trying to be different. Closest I can compare them with are the Eels. That’s the band not the long slimy variety popular with cockney’s. 3/5 12/9/25

Look, I have never really been a fan of indie rock. My group has gotten quite a few albums that've been put under that label, and it's pretty rare that they completely click with me. I mean, even accepting genre as a spectrum and less as something with defined, hard lines, there have been very few YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROTs I can gel with and a whole lotta Arcade Fires that I'm just baffled by. The critics seem to like it — I can't figure it out for the life of me. So, what, is this album gonna end up being some secret cheat code to finally getting it? Nah. Not really. Not at all. No. I mean, this thing had a pretty promising start with the first track, "Earthquake". It made me think this was gonna be a much more sonically interesting album? One where maybe I can discuss "feels bad" music and how, while I do a share of those kinds of songs I like, I just generally don't have too much room in my life for the harder stuff? But then the second track hit and, ah, no, it's just an indie rock album. Maybe there's some kind of lyrical theme that ties it all together. A fellow member of the group I'm in theorized as such: it's something about looking back on a life well lived and then dying at the happiest possible moment. Or something? This theory didn't convince him to bump his score up from a 3 (though he did anyway for the sake of the site), and it's sure not convincing me either. So if this thing had to live and die on the strength of its sonics... Then I guess it just dies. It's like biting into a piece of stale food. It's not offensive in any way, but somehow it's worse than if it actually made me throw up. At least I would be able to tell people about the time I ate something bad enough to vomit on the kitchen floor. Who would want to hear me talk about biting into a stale piece of white bread? Nothing remarkable about it whatsoever, and wholly unengaging. I seriously debated with myself not even finishing the record for just how bored I was by the halfway mark. I didn't, for the record, but I came **very** close. And it **did** take me a few hours to return to it once side one had ended, so... Look, this album is just a bore to me. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, and if you're really that deep in love with the whole spectrum of indie rock, you might probably get a kick out of this. There are a few interesting moments here; they are completely keeping this thing from a 1. (Heck, I kind of liked "Helicopter", to be 100.) But on the spectrum of indie rock, yeah, this is leaning closer to Arcade Fire than anything else. And maybe this is more of a reaction to my boredom at indie rock as a whole than to just this album... But probably not. Hey, Randomizer! Next time give me something more interesting to digest, huh?

Groovy stuff. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 3.5 and I’ve got to talk myself one way or the other. This album is… interesting. From the first track, I thought it would be a Cocteau Twins / My Bloody Valentine-esque shoegaze-y album with an indie rock lean, and I was pretty sold on it. Once the track abruptly ended though, and I got thrown into something similar yet different, and that pattern repeated for the next few tracks, I couldn’t really grasp the concept of the album. This is my first Deerhunter album (& possibly my only one, since it’s the only one on the list), so I just didn’t have anything to go off of. I googled stuff while listening, sure, but nothing about this album became more clear to me as a result of it. The lyrics felt weird, the instrumentation felt a bit repetitive, the vocals unclear at times, and overall, the thing just felt… blurry. All of that is intentional, and it’s why I’m nearly tempted to go up to a 4 solely on account of the guts it takes to release an album that’s so… forcefully cryptic, yet still so open. On a first listen, there’s not really an overarching theme here, nor is there a sense of continuity. A few tracks flow into each other, but usually, these cut off abruptly. It took googling the album title to reveal much more; “Halcyon” means happiness, so we’re digesting happiness throughout the album here, as the album is hopping from piece to piece, a series of memories, capped off by “He Would Have Laughed”. If you check the song titles, it all seems to add up. In a way, this album is telling you exactly what it is, if you choose to engage deeper with it: a long tribute to a life well lived, abruptly cutting off at possibly its happiest moment right before death. Normally, that sort of narrative revealing itself to my brain would be able to convince me to bump an album up, as it explains far more, giving everything a bit of depth, and expanding the soundscape. The issue, however, is that for as cool as the concept is, I don’t think the album itself really does a great job of actively telling that story. In the abstract & on paper, the idea of floating from memory to memory works, but in execution, I don’t think this album sells it well enough from a musical standpoint. The abrupt cuts feel too abrupt, the lyricism feels a bit too abstract, the instrumentation feels a bit stale at times, a few tracks go too long, and vocally, it never feels as engaged as it could be. I know some of that is intentional, but there are ways to do it that blend into the music in a way that keeps the listener engaged without the need to figure out the narrative. For a 46 minute album, these are genuine criticisms that I can’t fully ignore. Going into this album with nothing to work off of, it’s up to the music to be able to create & set the tone to its most fulfilling potential, and I just don’t think it gets there. So, what the hell do I rate this? I’m not really sure. I’ll compromise. I think, just for the sake of the site, I’m going to give it a 4 solely to keep the average steady & as a vote of confidence for what the album is trying to achieve (and what it arguably does achieve). For my musical tastes, I think it’s at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3, but it’s far from a bad album. It’s a recommended one that I just think doesn’t meet its full potential for my tastes, as there are other albums on the list that nail this sort of dreamy, floating, stream of consciousness vibe just a little more effectively to my ears. It’s still a good album, and for the site, I’ll give it a 4.

Ok, so I tried, I really tried, but there just isnt much here that I like. This sounds very experimental. It's just not my thing.

This is the kind of music I think stoners would like.

Very forgettable

I had only heard of Deerhunter through them showing up on Indie playlists. At that point in my life, the musical universe had expanded so much, as much as it continues to expand today, into highlighting bands I know nothing of. Deerhunter fell by the wayside as a I chose to follow similar sounding bands like Wilco, Band of Horses, etc. So listening to this album was familiar sound-wise, and it contains a lot of elements similar to the aforementioned bands. It is one I will revisit, especially after finding a few tracks I really like so far in Revival, Fountain Stairs, and Desire Lines. These all sandwiched between the opening and closing tracks that encapsulate this album perfectly.

Highlights: Helicopter

This was a little different and better than what I was anticipating. It’s indie rock with a neo-psychedelia, dreamy, and ethereal soundscape. You have reverb-drenched guitars, with a mix of traditional and electronic percussion. The electronic elements are subtle, adding depth and atmosphere to the songs. The production is very crisp and clean. It’s not the best thing I’ve come across, but I’m definitely going to play it a few more times just to absorb it better.

Mmmmm, nei. Enten krangling i ørekanal eller helt anonymt.

Pretty good, ambiance based indie rock. (?) Revival is a really good song

che noiaaa

The 1920s were the best. There's a reason why they're remembered as the Roaring '20s.

mah

Not for me, issa 2.

I don't see why this is on the list.

Trendy too clever name? Check Concept album with a weak concept? Check Dead band member? Check Sorta not bad but not good? Check Not really remembered outside a small clique of white boy critics? Check A mishmash of bs genres? Check Extra points for dedicating a song to a no talent, in this case jay reatard? Double check So mediocre that the universe turned itself inside out rather than suffer this. I present 1001 albums you must hear before you die poster child.

I can't even get snarky about it.

I read a Brian Eno interview in the 90s where he talked about how many bands sent him demos, wanting him to produce their records. They were almost always dull, but occasionally the demos were badly recorded in a way that was inadvertently interesting, despite the averageness of the songs themselves. (Mind you, Eno went on to work with Coldplay, so take that as you will.) That sums up Deerhunter's Halcyon Digest for me; a bunch of mediocre songs, lackadaisically played without verve or vigour, but occasionally recorded in a slightly interesting way. As I listen, I find my mind wandering and thinking about their recording techniques, because the songs and playing and singing aren't very engaging. If this was more professionally produced, there wouldn't be much of interest on this record at all. It's pleasant enough (although the saxophone on Coronado is not good), but I have listened through three times in a row, and I swear I cannot remember a single note after it has played. This was pretty highly rated when it was released, but I think that speaks more to the parlous state of alternative rock in 2010 -- this album was #3 on Pitchfork's top albums of 2010, which proves what a really dull time it was. You really needed to look elsewhere than alt rock in 2010 to find exciting music. I do like the cover photo, though.

Snoozer, 2010s indie folk

Många låtar känns som de har något men leder aldrig någonstans. Desire Lines och Helicopter är banger dock

File this one in the “I should have totally known this one but didn’t for some reason” folder. This band is from my hometown and was hanging out in the town I went to college at the time this album was recorded. I used to go to a lot of local shows and I know several of Deerhunter’s associates acts, but somehow completely missed this whole band in the 00s.

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a Deerhunter album before, but I remember this album being on several best of 2010 lists. I listened to a lot of indie music in the 2010’s, but Halcyon Digest somehow passed me by. I’m not quite sure what to expect from this album, but I’m hoping that I’ll find a new favorite discovery. Halcyon Digest was pretty uneven in my opinion, but the best songs on this album made it a pretty good experience overall. I thought the album was at its best when the guitar tones were unique, and when the percussion contrasted with the shimmering guitar playing. I found this album was at its weakest when the guitar playing was bland and the percussion was minimal. The best melodies on this album were nice, and I enjoyed the overall relaxing vibe. I really enjoyed the percussion on “Earthquake.” It sounded harsh to me, but it created a really great contrast with the beauty of the main melody. “Memory Boy” was really good too. I liked the punchiness of the percussion and the upbeat sound. The guitar playing was some of my favorite on the whole album. The drums on “Desire Lines” reminded me a lot of Funeral-era Arcade Fire, and it had more guitar tones that I enjoyed, specifically during the outro. I loved the echoing effect on “Fountain Stairs.” I thought this song had a great rhythm that went well with the shimmering guitar. The guitar playing on “He Would Have Laughed” was incredibly unique. I loved that shimmering effect, and the heavy bass and percussion rounded out the sound nicely. While this album did have some nice songs on it, the rest of it was pretty forgettable to me. I can’t see myself seeking this album out again, just because it was so uneven, and if I were in the mood for a vibe like Halcyon Digest, there are plenty of other albums out there that do the same thing, but better.

Why can't I rate this album?

This album is pretty nothing, honestly. It's some fine 2000s indie rock, but I don't think it does anything different or better than any other generic modern indie rock. This is so un-notable, that I didn't take any notes on it while listening. Usually, I'll write a couple of things that stand out to me, including my favorite song, as they happen. But even my favorite song from the album is so mid that I didn't note it until a couple of tracks later. Favorite Song(s): Sailing

Getting into the first track I like the sonics of it but the distorted vocals felt bothersome. That unfortunately plagues the entire album. The production was a highlight though and it establishes the lowkey, dreamy, and mellow vibe that the album was going for. The songs that stand out, stand out fine but any of the other songs on here I just don't care for em. At the very least it had a great outro. Overall, it was a solid album. Top 3: Helicopter, Revival, and He Would Have Laughed Worst: Sailing and Basement Scene 3.00-3.50/5

More wishy-washy indie that never actually goes anywhere and sounds like it was recorded in a shipping container. I try to pick a highlight from every album, but I genuinely cannot differentiate between or remember any of the songs. It wasn't offensively bad, but I'm tempted to give this 1 star because of how fucking boring the entire thing was.

This album bored me to tears. One playthrough is definitely enough and I have no plans to suffer through it again.

Not half bad for hipster bollocks. Sounds pretty good as a whole

Half listened but sounded good I think i need to listen again

Standouts : Desire Lines, Helicopter, Revival Not bad, just a little bit forgettable/boring to me overall and I don't think it flows really well as an album.

Beautiful anthemic indie songs that please the ears

Distinct sound, but too much sameness for me. Definitely took some risks but had a clear vision

Lovely ambient rock, kind of like a vanilla Radiohead. 4/5

thoughts: the opening track feels very “shoegaze vocals over a 90s RPG soundtrack” (complimentary). there are a lot of panda bear-y, beach house-ish vibes through this but with some more conventional song structures. (they even jumped on the saxophone-in-indie-music trend in the back half!) i’m really surprised this album didn’t fall into my early 2010s music view because i’d have been all over it songs: “earthquake”, “memory boy”, “he would have laughed” rating: 8.1/10

It was a great surprise to see Veckatimest on this list, and now it’s a great surprise to see another record in the same late 2000s / early 2010s indie scene that I hold close to my heart. Though I hadn’t heard this yet. The Spotify description of Deerhunter says they make “charming, wistful pop”, and it’s hard to disagree. It isn’t half charming, and by jove if it isn’t wistful too. There’s a mix of everything that indeed makes this musical niche so charming, the psychedelic swelling, nonsensical, simple and generic lyrics, and most of all, a great variety of guitar sounds. Combine them all and you get a lovely ¾ of an hour spent with Deerhunter, extremely replayable and endlessly comforting.

Low energy, sad indie music: I thought this would be in my bag, but honestly it just doesn't click. Honestly, for my tastes, for as low energy as this is, it may not be sad *enough*. At the very least, the kind of sad served here doesn't do much for me. Earthquake is an admittedly strong start, seemingly informed by slowcore, and pretty great. But after that, we get a little more "regular indie" with the sound and while this *does* have a sound of it's own, I'm still just sort of whatever on it at large. The songwriting isn't bad per say, I just haven't clicked with it, and honestly, most of this didn't leave a strong impression on me. And that's too bad, I really expected to like this and I'm a little disappointed, maybe just because this isn't what I expected. But I will leave this open to future listens, I do kind of get the sense that *something* is here.

I really could have died before hearing this album, no sweat. It just boring vegan Cafe music.

Sick of these wishy washy modern indie records that are just so shit!

Indeed I did hear from this record before. The one Interpol adjacent track 'Desire Lines' wormed my ears, and now I can hear the a little overlap with The Strokes and some of the other aughties New York aesthetics. Apart from those dated tinges there's a lot of free roaming, lo-fi daydreamy variety. But now I have to also disclose I still idolize 4AD and the Athens GA music scene, so that combination might misdirect my discernment.

This is a solid album, with good songs - particularly after the first few songs. But, I won't be coming back too often to listen to it as it is quite dreary throughout.

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia A more mellow, more arranged take on the aughts Indie Rock boom, this had some really solid tracks, but wasn’t altogether my favorite listen. Will look to revisit, as Desire Lines and He Would Have Laughed were wonderful, so perhaps a 2nd listen will do this one better. For now, this was pretty good. 3/5

oh very radiohead at times. big fan

I mean this is perfect indie rock. The only complaint I have is that some of the songs should be longer cause the groove gets cut short a tad

Is it "Deerhunter" by Halcyon Digest or "Halcyon Digest" by Deerhunter? I'll never know because this is unlistenable dreck.

Not my speed

Genre d'album qui m'a pris quelques écoutes avant d'apprécier pleinement. Je suis déjà allé voir Deerhunter en show avec mon père Marcello (China ne pouvait pas venir) et à ma grande surprise il m'a dit à la fin qu'il avait trouvé ça très bon!

Il y a du potentiel et de la variété mais j'ai pas réussi à accrocher totalement pendant que Paul accrochait ses dents: dans la pile LATER. La deuxième toune fait très Wilco de Wilco The Album ou Star Wars

Autre classique de mon jeune temps. Toujours aimé l’aspect un peu planant de la proposition. Desires Lines ma preférée avec son rythme répété et hypnotisant!

Interesting stuff here. Would have sworn they were British. Beatles inlence I hear. Very poppy rock music but certainly not commercial. Pretty unique.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Great record but I would have picked several others of theirs before this one to have on the list.

Okay.

Generally did not enjoy this! One of those 2010 albums that I was told by music critics and friends was gonna be one of the next big things, and while I even had a couple songs from this album on my college, I was always suspect about the quality here! And I think time has justified me! Other than being on this list, has this album had an outsized influence on anything? What even is it? How would you describe it? It’s very half-hearted and unsuccessful ambient experimental pop? Maybe? Idk it just leaves no lasting impression to me! Sorry!

Dreamy, gloomy 8/10

Somehow haven't heard of them? But I didn't miss out on anything. Worst type of indie bullshit, some sad boy strumming his guitar with shit vocals that make it hard to understand what language he's even singing in. God, what a bad album 1/5

I think I missed the part of my 20s where I was supposed to start liking indie rock. I hated this.

Drivel

Maaan this is really nice. Shoegaze that doesn't make me want to fall asleep or put a gun in my mouth. This album DOES make me want to lay in bed all day (in a good way), like I'm just vibing. I really enjoyed this especially Helicopter. Very close to a 5 but there were a few forgettable songs

Well this is Indie as fuck! This album definitely has a unique sound to it. I'm far from an avide indie indulgeder and this genre is not my style. But I can give it a little credit, very unique indeed. I won't be listening to this again and my low rating is based of of personal taste only.

Interesting music. Often very quiet and somber. Sometimes very Brit pop esque. It's cool to hear some droney dream pop jams on this list. I can really hear Arcade Fire in these songs. John Lennon must have been a huge influence on this singer, at least on some of the songs. I liked it, but this isn't really the kind thing I would keep in rotation.

As much as I've listened to Deerhunter in the past, I never got around to this album. Probably my new favorite of theirs.

Love this album, love Deerhunter

couldnt get past the first 10 mins, just not my type of music

Pretty chill, but maybe too chill. I got bored. Not bad... just not for me.

3/5

Second half of the album better than first

i live!! dani loves

Had never heard if it but excellent album, hauntingly good lyrics and a wide range of musical styles. Will definately listen again

solid indie album that’s aged better than many others. didn’t grab me super tight, but it’s a pleasant listen

A nice reunion with "helicopter" and "he would have laughed". The other tracks I find a bit dull.

Dream pop has this issue for me where things don't tend to leave an impression on me. And anything psychedelic often faces the same issue for me. So I guess I should have seen this coming, but I'm still surprised that I remember absolutely nothing of what I listened to yesterday other than it didn't sound terrible Standouts - 3/5

I liked it. made me want to hear more from this artist

I was expecting more from this one tbh

This one is fine, I’m not sure if I’ll add it to my favorites or anything, but it was interesting hearing a recent album like this. I’d say three out of five, I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t absolutely love it or anything.

Add this to the pile of other generic late 2000's alternative rock records. Nothing distinguishable on this from a bunch of other similar bands from the same time.

Nice background hum.

This was good, im not sure if its something I'd go back to but it felt like it belonged with its eerie indie vibe.

at least 5 times better than expected

it’s okay

When there are melodies in a song they are repetitive to the point of boring.

Interesting

This is fine. There's nothing here that's really standing out to me. Each song blends into the next, but mostly in a way that blurs/obscures the whole project. I have no previous connection to this album so this isn't hitting for me.

Layered and atmospheric.

Great for people who find Pavement too uplifting and vocally gifted.

This is an above average indie album from the 2010's and I generally like it fine. BUT!... I'm having trouble figuring out what separates it from 100 other indie albums from that era that I like as much or more.

Kjedelig

3 - It was fine

This grew on me as the album went on. At times a little ploddy and boring, but at its best moments just had that certain je ne sais quoi. Fave Tracks: Helicopter, He Would Have Laughed 3.6/5

Pretty neat; not bad music but focuses on meaning over enjoyment

Hig

Digo...¿no podrían dedicarse a otra cosita?

Perfectly acceptable, but not groundbreaking indie rock. Enjoyable but not breathtaking.

Meh. This wasn't horrible but it was pretty unremarkable. There was nothing here that was good enough to distract me from reading the paper while I listened.

Of the modern (past 20 years) albums we’ve listened to so far, this is definitely the best one. Not that I found it to be an absolute classic, at least not on first listen, but I enjoyed it all the way through. A couple songs made it to my favorites list. Overall I’d say really good, but not instantly great. That opinion may change given another listen or two.

Wow ... that was pretty awful! I love how Wikipedia states that this album was released to Universal Critical Acclaim! What!? I can already see this album has a solid 3 star average rating which means people either give it 5 stars or 1 star. Well I am definitely giving it 1 star. Absolutely nothing happens in this album. It's like they come up with some simple riff, and then just play it over and over none stop for 3 to up to 7 minutes. I just have to wonder, when you think of a band going into a studio, there has to be a sense of excitement creating a record. We're these guys actually excited creating this album, because it sure doesn't translate onto the finished product.

Okay. det her var fedt nok. Jeg er en sucker for lidt fin shuegaze, og det her ramte lige hvor det skulle idag.

Et album jeg fik hørt i 3 bider. Nok ikke de bedste forudsætninger. Det har en cool vibe men det fanger mig ikke 100% ind. Tænker det er et album jeg skal genbesøge

From Lightning Bolt to Deerhunter...the universe has a sense of humor, and good musical taste! Thanks universe!

4.1 I've had a couple of these tracks before years ago on my discover weekly random playlists, so it was good to hear the full album. A lot more varied than the tracks I saved. A bit psychadelic pop, but without it inducing any eye-rolling. Very inoffensive, but not in a bland way. Will put it on my rotation list for sure.

This album is all atmosphere, specifically the atmosphere of realizing you are trapped in an indie horror movie. Stay out of the woods. Favorite tracks: "He Would Have Laughed," "Desire Lines"

Fine, just not for me.

First listen and I’m underwhelmed. It’s an okay listen but nothing outstanding. I’m a fan of that dreamy, shoegaze sound that opens the album. I love the jangly guitar on Memory Boy, which reminded me of Stereolab and 80s indie pop. But it gives it a slightly inconsistent feel - some tracks are lazy soundscapes and others are a bit more uptempo. It’s the sort of band you stay to listen to in the student union. I really don’t find much of the album to be remarkable, but it’s decent enough and a pleasant listen.

Pleasant but quite dull, wouldn't put it on again.

This is peak Deerhunter. In the height of 2000s indie rock, Deerhunter was one of those bands that was always on the periphery of my music tastes. At best, their early records were ambitious, creative and obscure. At worst, they were ambient noise sludge for pretentious hipsters. I really do think everything came together with this record. I listened to it a bit in 2010, but really dabbled more into in 2013. But even then.. it never totally scratched my itch, and admittedly, I'm still not sure that it does. This record does have some incredible songs. Revival and Coronado are fantastic songs, and even the whimsical lazy ballads like Sailing have a place. I like the experimental elements, the peppy fast indie rock songs, the slow ones. There are parts of this record that do kind of bleed into themselves and kind of draw out. I get lost, but not in the a fun. More in a way that it just becomes noise. Still a really good album, and I had a blast giving it a few spins this morning.

Has some really good songs. Strong album overall

Pretty neat

Pretty creepy album cover, pretty good music.

Just a bit too Indie for me Best Song: Desire Lines Rating: 6.5/10 (Fine) Stars: 3/5

Don't Cry and Revival are good. The very ending of the album is nice. The whole thing has an overall nice sound to it.

Not bad, as far as Indie albums go. I liked the opener Earthquake especially. 3.5/5

Own this on CD. Intense and sonically interesting. Great with headphones. Uses distortion to drive emotional feeling of loss and confusion - like Bon Iver, Wilco, and Wye Oak.

As it went along I liked it more than I thought. Very chill.

det er meget kedeligt. nej nej nej. coveret er et billede af mig, der beder til at det snart er ovre

Yessss så glad for at se den her plade på listen! Lyder lige så alien som den gjorde i 2010!

The outro of Desire Lines is way to short.

Pleasant indie rock that's enjoyable enough, but Deerhunter has never been one of my favorites from this era of indie. The first half is sometimes jangly and sometimes hypnotic, with the jangly songs not sounding different from other artists and the hypnotic songs not making an impression. Things turn around with Desire Lines, which feels more immersive than the other tracks. The album continues to be much better after it; Coronado has some great horns and there's cool drumming on the closer (though that one does kind of overstay its welcome by getting repetitive by the end). Would get a lower score if it didn't pick up by the end.

I like the sound. I'll revisit. there were'nt any super standout tracks, but a few I liked

Disco traz um clima nostálgico de psicodelia com seus efeitos de guitarras e vocais contidos. É um disco agradável, mas irregular. Faixas como "Desire Line" (lembra U2), "Fountain Stairs" e "Coronado" se destacam por suas melodias, mas as demais não sustentam o álbum no mesmo nível.

Not bad

Great

Will listen again at some point. Probably in the fall or winter

As is the case with many of their other albums, Deerhunter creates a complete sonic world on *Halcyon Digest* with fairly simple ingredients. On their best tracks the band delivers solid pop songs in a post-punk style without lapsing into the clichés of either genre. On this particular record the songwriting is somewhat inconsistent but the high points (including the epic "Desire Lines") are stellar.

I feel like I should like this more but it just doesn’t do much for me

It's alright. The music has some interesting moments, but didn't really care for the vocals.

Torn between 3 and 4. Some really good stuff but also some stuff that just dragged and wasn’t that appealing. I think I overall land on a 3

Meh, not me again but it wasn't terrible.

Bored now

BOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGGGG (except Helicopter)

Listening to this to wind down on a work afternoon was probably the right spot to listen to this one, I imagine it would have been a little dull otherwise. I dig the vibe this was going for but it was perhaps a bit too aimless for my tastes, I couldn’t name a single track on this one off the top of my head even after a relisten.

I enjoyed the vocals and instrumentals overall. This album is a well-packaged one; the more upbeat tracks have better replay value. I liked the sound and style offered up, even on the slower and moodier tracks

Could not pay attention to the music as I was too distracted by the album cover.

Im convinced this album has subliminal messaging in it that makes you wanna blow your brains out. Was super obsessed with this album in uni and listened to it a lot, despite being adamant it was a 6/10 Its a bit better than that on the whole with some masterpiece singles. Maybe (?) The saddest album ever made, idk it certainly gives Antennas by GSYBE and XXX by Danny Brown competition 7/10

I love mopey, dream-pop shit and this hit just right for me. Only a few tracks stand out to me as highlights but the overall vibe of this album is immaculate. It does verge on becoming repetitive but I have a feeling this may be due to listening to it too many times in one day. Four solid tracks and a bunch of other decent tracks makes for a good album, the quality peters out towards the end but the closer brings it home. Highlights: Earthquake, Revival, Basement Scene, He Would Have Laughed

Favorite songs: Memory Boy, Desire Lanes, Fountain Stairs, Coronado, He Would Have Laughed Least favorite songs: Earthquake 2/5

Litt kjedelig. Noe var eksperimentelt, men ikke på den kule måten.

3/5 its pretty good

Great album. Love the psychedelic vibe.

'Come on, kid / Keep your head up and sigh / You don't need to understand / The reasons why oh why oh why oh why oh.' Tho it starts off slow and a bit purple, Halcyon Digest clarifies via simple, unfeigned emotiveness. Cox sings w/ just enuf power and art to keep things soulfully afloat, avoiding the all too common flatness of indie rock. The songwriting is tight, a mix of short tracks that keep things honest and long ones that give you time to ruminate and explore. Lyrically, there's a gorgeous integrity, like: 'It could be the death of me / Knowing that my friends / Will not remember me.' In the end, however, it suffers from what all indie rock suffers from: softness; intensities that stem from problems that ain't problems. But very good 'tis.

Muy buen disco. Muy melancólico, de pronto con algo de ira o incertidumbre, pero siempre atrapante. Me sorprendió mucho y lo escuché dos veces para confirmar las 5 estrellas.

first song is amazing, the rest ranges from very good to kinda ass

15 years I’ve been meaning to actually sit and listen to this album, fifteen. I had friends, acquaintances I suppose, who swore it was the second coming of something. “Deerhunter” I’d hear time and again as we talked about bands all night, danced a bit, smoked a lot of cigarettes, pretended we were across each other’s book recommendations. It was usually The Bird, or that venue behind it where the bigger acts would perform (Machinedrum, Lapalux, OneOhTrixPointNever) – the name escapes me. Always interesting nights; conversations that you’d be all in on, half out of it, in between and in the middle of. People you’d see in new lights, under different lights, in new circumstances, in the background. And always, always horrific mornings after. Ones you’d recover from, but maybe only just. Fifteen years. Wow. Anyway, there’s a record on. It’s good, yeah, who did you say it was by again? Oh yeah, Deerhunter, I just couldn’t quite hear it properly that’s all, yeah. It’s good this, I’ve been saying so for weeks. The second coming of something, surely.

This is probably going to be one of the reviews in which I'll type an ellipse "[...]" later to indicate the passing of time during which I'll have changed - or fortified - my opinion. For now, I had a decent enough time listening to the whole thing. Even going to say that it seems like a proper pick for 2010s indie rock you need to make a list with. But, the cover and the first song and its sound had set me up for something it largely didn't deliver. Something darker. Instead, jingly-jangly garage pop. Some Oh-oh-hooohh arena era Coldplay tangents. Cool production but the fuzz and grit - while it's some good cement to glue it all together - doesn't really manage to obscure how little this album's indie hodgepodge songwriting does for me. [...] Turns out, not much change after the break: meh. Meh plus, like 3.8

It’s fine? I feel like I should have more to say about it but I don’t.

A few songs were enjoyable but the lyrics were so self absorbed I just wanted to speed through the album.

I had to listen to this twice for any of it to sink in. Not much sunk in. Very derivative music, that felt like more of a "spot the influence" exercise than actual fun. Two stars.

Really surprising. Enjoyed it a lot.

Self-indulgent, self-important, shoe-gazing, navel-gazing, hipster, unremarkable and generic are some of the words used by reviewers here to describe this album and I think those are really appropriate.

Deerhunter has been a regular on my playlists since this album came out. Five stars for Desire Lines and He Would Have Laughed by them selves. Desire Lines itself is a masterpiece. Perfect rainy Sunday morning soundtrack this weekend.

A band I never really got into despite wanting to. I think I used to like them actually. I don’t know

Since these guys are pitchfork darlings, I've always thought I should listen to them but I found this album quite underwhelming. The main guy seems interesting though

havent heard this since it dropped when I was 12 years old due to its positive pitchfork review and i usually hate bullshit like this.... but i liked it :)

Great record. I’ve heard the name for years but never got a chance to check out this band. Added to the rotation for sure.

Favorite Track: Revival

This MIGHT be something I'd listen to on my own. The overarching sound and production is interesting, very dreamy/foggy like with plenty of reverb. Didn't "wow" me or anything though, there's probably better indie album reps that could feature on this list.

Day528 - never heard of this and wish i hadn’t now. the shoegaze sound isn’t sonically appealing

Damn, this is right up my alley. Some transitions between songs were rough, but others were beautifully done. Sometimes a song would start and I didn't think it would match the vibe, but in the end I loved the whole album. Amazing to drive to on a groggy morning Didn't like Basement Scene, but Desire Lines is my new jam

Sounds like an artifact found in a dusty attic, wrapped in faded lace and old Polaroids, humming with the static of memory. It’s spectral, melancholic, and oddly comforting, like a half-remembered childhood dream.

Boring.

I had friends who were into Deerhunter back in the day, but they never resonated with me. I was kinda hoping this would be different, and I did like some of it, particularly towards the end. Problem is, much of this album is incredibly boring.

I came to Deerhunter a bit late, without any early associations, but this album has a number of tracks that stuck with me. It dives into themes like nostalgia, identity, purpose, spirituality, even death in a way that feels both intimate and universal. There’s a bittersweet, almost upbeat melancholy throughout that feels honest, not forced. Desire Lines a favorite. Helicopter stands out with layered instruments, and the final track, He Would Have Laughed, haunts me a bit.

I remember hearing "Desire Lines" and "He Would Have Laughed" somewhere, so that was my point of entry for this band. A fantastic introduction, I must say. However, my memory is a piece of mouldering cheese, so it's very possible I have listened to this record before and just forgot. Funny that some of the themes of this record deal with how we remember things. Anyhow, in this release, I'm hearing a big Pet Sounds influence, but with strong lonely, misunderstood, twee, wearing-a-cardigan-in-the-summer-with-a-messed-up-haircut vibes. Also a lot of 60s rock/soul, Phil Spector-style production projected through a modern, angular, shimmering indie rock prism. And I am totally here for it. I like the buzzy, narcotic, lo-fi spacey feel of it; all young and free and drenched in reverb. It reminds me a bit of the sense of discovery I felt when I first heard Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. Although the compositions are quite varied, they still feel unified presented here as a whole. I seldom pay attention to lyrics, but I bet the words are kinda brooding and sad. I can totally see this becoming a classic of the era. I have mistakenly overlooked these guys. Since I'm not that familiar with the rest of their stuff, I will be dedicating the rest of the day to catching up on their entire discography. Di đi mau!

moody, vibey, lush. bradford cox is a really talented musician and an interesting person. i was really excited to see deerhunter on here, but candidly, i kind of wish this was Microcastle instead, which i found much more dynamic and even more impressive.

what a cool, weird, trippy indie rock album. i've listened to this a few times now and while it's not my favorite, it's got some neat vibes. favorites: revival, desire lines, helicopter, he would have laughed

Its quite good. Relaxing, good vibe None of it particularly memorable but maybe that comes with repeat listens, but honestly it's quite nice so maybe id get there some day Is it a 3 for now with room for future growth? Maybe

Not bad background tunes

The album is not bad, there are a lot of sounds (music). A little overwhelming but not too bad. The bass and the vocals are my favorite. Sailing is the best song. overall 7/10

Spirit of shoegaze meets Flaming Lips-style verbed-out instrumentation and repeating, plaintively sung lyrics. It's like a watercolour wash of garage indie rock.

It's fine. But not very memorable. Sounds just like every other shoe gaze album/band. Another 2.5 stars

Enjoyed the first few tracks but then it really started to drag

Dull, too dreamy for me

Was trying to place where I knew Revival from, then realized Aldous Harding did a (great) cover of it. And Desire Lines outro reminded me of Pixies No. 13 Baby. Overall, this was the kind of thing I like.

"oh why oh why" indeed. This is what I imagine the inside of Perry Farrell's head sounds like when heavily medicated.

Not unpleasant to listen to - but not really breaking any new ground here.

Indi Album, hörbar aber auch nicht mehr. Teilweise anstrengend.

I like the balance between the up beat higher energy tracks and the slower contemplative ones. Some of these songs are prime staring -out-a-rain-soaked-bus-window or listlessly-swinging-in-a-park-on-a-foggy-summer-night tracks.

Tämä ei nyt lähtenyt. Oli melkoisen psykedeelinen alku, eikä se siitä juuri parantunut.

Eiih...

Ei jatkoon.Toki pari ihan ok laulua

Nääh.. Arppa on paaljon parempaa

Ei, tämä on kuraa!!

dreamlike and forgettable 2 star

One of those albums I've always been aware of but never given the proper time to listen to. It's great!

I'm personally a big fan of the indie sound that Deerhunter has. Some of the songs are so ethereal and some are pretty acoustic so it has a great blend of sounds to keep me interested. Really solid album, overall.

5.5/10

It's all been done before by better people, one song sounds like a Sigur Ros ripoff, one sounds like generic indie band sample #8 in GarageBand. It's not bad per se, it's just so bland overall apart from the abrupt ending, that caught me off guard.

Very much middle of the road for this list. Not a bad listen but I didn't really like any of the individual songs. Some songs had a good instrumental but that's about all that's worth talking about on this album.

I find these shoegaze albums so hard to rate. Like, I did vibe at times. But this is something I’d put on in the background and never engage with. Something to set the mood and not to enhance it. Good but not essential. 3/5

This is the album for sitting in the rain staring out the window spiral into a fit of depression.

Am I missing something? Why do so many indie heads cream their jeans to this?

Classic Indie band. Nothing outstanding or overly offensive. Just middle of the road. Didn’t hate it, but it’s nothing I’d be excited about diving into deeper. Felt very experimental a few too many odd beats or distorted vocals for me.

Another group I’ve never heard of, but I really liked. Who knew I liked Indie? That last song He Would Have Laughed is so good!

Snoozefest all the way through. I guess everyone should listen to this before they die in the same way everyone should drink water before they die. The best part of this album was when LCD Soundsystem autoplayed after.

Album art is too scary

I am baffled by this album. I love some of the songs, and am really annoyed by others. Sometimes I hear some hints of Velvet Underground, sometimes a little Floyd influence, and other times it sounds like whiney Indie bullshit.

Indie rock is a huge blindspot for me. I wasn't interested in most any of it I listened to in the '90s and thus have never tried since. What I heard by chance in the '00s I hated more still. Never heard of Deerhunter but they seem exactly what a Pitchfork reviewer would lord over the unwashed masses. I listened to this album twice back to back because it was hard to tell if I like it. I legit like two songs: Earthquake and Helicopter. Earthquake sets a mood the rest of the album does not maintain which I find disappointing. Overall the production is fantastic which is what I love the most. And the cover art is weird and great. I can't say this band is my thing but this is a pretty good album. I see myself liking specific songs from them more than full albums.

I can imagine people like it, but I don't.

A few nice bits but they play each theme to death.

I cannot remember a single thing about this album.

It's just fucking weird, man. 3/5 because it's not bad music, just weird. would be a 3.5/10.

Decent indie vibes. Singing isn't bad, lots of auto tune. My favorite song is Desire Lines.

B Earthquake 3 Don't Cry 3 Revival 5 Sailing 3 Memory Boy 4 Desire Lines 4 Basement Scene 4 Helicopter 3 Fountain Stairs 3 Coronado 3 He Would Have Laughed 3 I came in with Revival as a top song of mine, but hadn’t really listened to anything else. It’s a fun time.

Wow this is a blast from the past for me. I was really into these guys back then and for some reason I haven't listened to them in many years. It still 100% holds up as some gorgeous indie rock. Bradford Cox is such an interesting person.

Absolutely immaculate soundscapes and textures. I tended to enjoy the sounds more than the actual songwriting, but don't let me give you the impression that this album was anything other than pleasant.

Tsja, er staan echt wel een paar hele vette nummers op(Zie FAVO) maar het grootste deel is toch ook weer gewoon indie zoals iedereen indie kent. Het is niet super bijzonder, maar de paar nummers die er uit springen springen er wel echt uit. Het is iets meer een dromerig trippend album, dat trek ik meestal ook wel goed. Zou ik dit zelf op een 1001 lijst zetten? Nee niet echt, daaardoor word dit toch gewoon 2 sterren. Ik kan er ook bar weinig over zeggen, omdat het album gewoon heel erg ok is, maar niet zo bijzonder. FAVO: Sailing, Desire Lines

A beautiful album and some of the best indie rock I had never heard of. Reminds me a lot of STRFKR. Sometimes a little like The Strokes.

So there is nothing overly bad about this album, but theres also nothing good, I didn't dislike nor enjoy it

This album comes up a lot in “Best of…” type lists, but that doesn’t always mean much. In this case, I was really impressed. Jangly, often Baroque and a bit shimmery pop.

It took me a full listen to understand the tone the group wanted. I kept expecting something closer to a Radiohead/Deftones, but the mood stayed pretty consistent throughout. I didn't connect with it too much, but it wasn't bad in the background

I didn't know this band but they are completely up my street. Going into heavy rotation, though missing out on full marks by a whisker.

Memory Boy