Believe the Hype - No Ripcord Recommendations

The changes in Van Etten’s life are reflected on two of the strongest singles she’s ever written. Over the synth-heavy stomp of Comeback Kid, she sees her own life mirrored in the eyes of others. “Kid at the top of our street/I was somewhat like him, I was somebody,” she sings as the music propels forward. The powerful rhythms and synths of Seventeen would fit perfectly on Born in the USA, with Van Etten looking back at her time in New York City as a teenager. As she thinks about her younger self and all the good and bad in front of her, Van Etten gives an all-time great vocal performance, screaming out “I know that you're gonna be/You'll crumble it up just to see/Afraid that you'll be just like me.”

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Tonal changes aside, those worried if Deerhunter have stepped away from their feverish art rock needn't worry. Futurism is one of their most sparkling tracks to date, as it enjoys one of those chromatic guitar riffs (accomplished with the assistance of White Fence's Tim Presley) they've been writing since their Microcastle days. And then there's the piano-led chug of What Happens to People?, a meditation on what it means to lose your goodwill which possesses one of their most textured soundscapes - Cox channels some of the languid allure of Nico from a performance standpoint, a more subdued, yet comparable take to the tight musicianship of fan favorites like Desire Lines and Nothing Ever Happens. There's something oddly bewildering about how Deerhunter subvert their wailing guitars with a muted, if classicist, technique.

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