Noble and Godlike in Ruin

Its a blessing and a curse that whenever theres a crisis, Deerhoof rises to the occasion. The same issues -- climate change, growing authoritarianism, a global pandemic -- that made the 2020s such a fraught time also made them banner years for the bands music, and Noble and Godlike in Ruin takes its place as another eloquent statement on the topical and timeless problems facing humanity. Deerhoof embodies this turbulence, venturing into denser, more challenging territory than they did on either Actually, You Can or Miracle-Level. Its a thrill to hear them throw everything theyve got at their audience on songs like "Kingtoe," a jaunty contraption of chugging rhythms, counterpoint vocals, and rippling pianos that interlock like turning gears. The groups enduring inspiration from classical music and free jazz resurfaces on "A Body of Mirrors," where strings, brass, and processed vocals combine with the impact of planets crashing into each other, and on "Who Do You Root For?," where squalling sax tangles with barbed guitars. As good as Deerhoof is at making the wildest sonic combinations seem effortless, Noble and Godlike in Ruins warring musical factions might be even more expressive: From its sludgy rhythms and mockingly bright melody to its dystopian spoken-word coda, "Disobedience" captures the unmoored feeling of the albums era. Deerhoof unites all of Noble and Godlike in Ruins artfully jarring sounds to remind listeners that in times of conflict, empathy is vital. On the deceptively gentle opener "Overrated Species Anyhow," Satomi Matsuzaki sends love to all the "savages," "aliens," and "animals"; later, she and the rest of the band try on different viewpoints for size, bringing on Saul Williams for the funk-rock chaos of "Under Rats" and reframing the threat of nuclear war as queasy, pitch-black humor on "Ha, Ha Ha Ha, Haaa." Deerhoof delivers the albums message across movingly on its finale. "Immigrant Songs" crystallizes both Matsuzakis experience of being othered ("All I needed was kindness from you/But you think were in your house") and the losses of an exclusionary society as it morphs from a lilting indie-pop call for understanding into a shrieking abyss. Engaging and enlightening, Noble and Godlike in Ruin is political art of the highest order -- and more proof that Deerhoof will always find something deeply felt to communicate about the state of the world. ~ Heather Phares

全編日本語歌唱という挑戦を成功させた前作『Miracle-Level』(2023年)に続く通算20作目。独自の変拍子を駆使したエクスペリメンタルな楽曲が展開される一方で、各音は緻密に計算されて整然と配置されており、初期衝動のエネルギーと職人技の精密さが見事に融合している。USインディー界の雄としての貫禄を見せつける、刺激的で完成度の高い渾身の一枚だ。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二