Label - Merge Records
BLURB - I have to say, Destroyer's "Kaputt" has to be one of the biggest flops of 2011. I had such high expectations for the record, as a barrage of buzz was filtering in and out of Brooklyn Vegan and Gorilla vs. Bear. The album is slow, unadventurous and tedious. Yes, certain parts are incredibly mellow and unexpectedly colorful, but "Kaputt" is not something that will be making it's way into my everyday playlist.
Rating - 3 out of 10
FULL STORY - First things first, yes I know Destroyer has been around for years and years, and I am just now trying to get into his music. Forgive me. But in all seriousness, doesn't that just provide me with objectivity? The first time I heard of Destroyer was a few months back when Gorilla vs. Bear featured his video for 'Kaputt.' I loved it. Even if you haven't seen the video, just Google it...it's worth the six minute watch. But almost immediately after I watch the video I knew I'd have to go buy the album. The song itself was ok, but the video was so cool that it just kind of spiked my interest.
And so I guess I'll begin with 'Kaputt.' The worst part of 'Kaputt' is that it clocks as the sixth track on the album, so if you're trying to listen to the record straight through, you really have to sit through five terrible songs before you get to one 'ok' track. 'Kaputt' is very mellow and relaxing and kind of just floats around. It has a very day-dreamy feel to it. The lyrics also create a sense of wonder and aimless journeying:
"Wasting your days, chasing some girls. Alright..chasing cocaine - through back rooms of the world all night"
Musically, 'Kaputt' is very minimal - which I do like for this particular song. It reminds me very much of a pop / keyboard-driven version of The XX.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album is just an abysmal failure of monotonous and uninspired keyboard pop. I would really just be wasting time if I tried to go through, song by song, and review each. They are all that similar and invariably use the same formula. Slow keyboards, slow lackluster bass lines and the occasional saxophone solo. The vocals aren't anything to write home about either...pretty much just spoken dialogue in a soft tone. I'm just not feeling it...
Take a listen to Destroyer's 'Kaputt.'
Tracks
1.) Chinatown
2.) Blue Eyes
3.) Savage Night at the Opera
4.) Suicide Demo for Kara Walker
5.) Poor in Love
6.) Kaputt
7.) Downtown
8.) Song for America
9.) Bay of Pigs
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