Dehd
Poetry
Possum fat
May 15, 2024
Issue #72 – The '90s Issue with The Cardigans and Thurston Moore
Dehd's outstanding playlist-worthy single “Bad Love” (from his 2022 album, Blue skies) had a surf-punk vibe, but the band's new album, Poetry, largely ditches the punk in favor of the more relaxed freezy twang of surf. While the original compositions are made with pop sensibilities in mind, most are a familiar and comfortable mix of retro style and hazy dream pop, similar to the contemporary compositions of Beach Fossils, The Drums, Surfer Blood, etc. Occasionally looking for the adventurous, most tracks are pleasantly messy, well-produced indie pop consisting of light and airy melodies and cool guitar strums.
The exceptions are the album's lead single 'Mood Ring', as well as 'Light On' and 'Shake'. All three display strong songwriting as they shape the music in new and catchy ways with a hint of bitterness that imbues the tracks with some edge. “Mood Ring” begins with a stunning and powerful combination of drums and bass before moving into an unforgettable melody, while a rapturous excitement drives the soaring guitar riffs of “Light On”. “Shake” captures lightning in a bottle with a more complex sound that's decidedly more bitter than sweet, with some distorted guitar rhythms.
Unfortunately, the remaining 11 tracks are a bit of a mixed bag, as Dehd seems content to stay in his lane, too afraid to conjure up bright, radio-friendly beats. Most hooks fade out of simple and smooth melodies without much variation, so there isn't much clarity left. The saving grace is singer Emily Kempf's very rarely used, and slightly flimsy, shiny hood.
Although well executed and tasteful, Poetry it's hard to come back to again and again because there's not a lot of substance or edginess. Without the innovation and clever pop style heard on previous releases, Poetry it ends up being more pleasant than satisfying. (www.dehd.horse)
Author Rating: 5.5/10
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