Microcastle

Microcastle
Studio album by Deerhunter
Released August 19, 2008
Recorded April 2008, at Rare Book Room Studios, New York
Genre Shoegazing[1]
Length 40:53
Label
Producer Nicolas Vernhes
Deerhunter chronology
Fluorescent Grey (EP)
(2007)String Module Error: Match not found2007		 Microcastle
(2008)		 Weird Era Cont.
(2008)Weird Era Cont.2008
Singles from Microcastle
  1. "Nothing Ever Happened"
    Released: October 14, 2008
Alternative cover

Microcastle is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008,[2] while physical copies saw a release date of October 27, 2008.[3] In the U.S. the album was released on Kranky and on 4AD in Europe. The album was recorded over the course of one week in April 2008 by Nicholas Vernhes at Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn, NY.[4] In the U.S., the album has managed to sell over 50,000 units.[5]

Unlike Cryptograms, the band decided to forgo heavy utilization of effects pedals. Throughout the recording of the record, only a number of drum tracks and the vocals on "Agoraphobia" were treated. Of the musical direction of the new material, Bradford Cox has said "I'm more interested in the micro-structure. I want things to be a lot shorter, I don't want there to be as much long-windedness to it." The band premiered the album live at Brooklyn's Market Hotel on April 11, 2008. A bonus disc, Weird Era Cont., was released concurrently with the album.

"Saved By Old Times" features an appearance by Cole Alexander of the Black Lips. His appearance was recorded over an iChat session.[4]

Vinyl versions

The original pressing of the vinyl on Kranky was one white vinyl LP, had a single panel jacket with different artwork than the CD (see alternate artwork), and came with Weird Era Cont. on CD in its own paper sleeve. Since the album has gained popularity, there has been another pressing, with both parts of the album being pressed on black vinyl in a gatefold jacket with the orange artwork originally used for the CD.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
The A.V. ClubA−[8]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[9]
The Guardian[10]
Los Angeles Times[11]
Mojo[12]
Pitchfork Media9.2/10[13]
Q[14]
Rolling Stone[15]
Spin[16]

Microcastle has been met with much acclaim since its release, currently holding an 81 rating on Metacritic, from a weighted average of 35 professional critics, indicating "Universal Acclaim".[6] Both Tiny Mix Tapes[17] and Sputnikmusic awarded the album with a perfect score.[18] Spin,[16] Billboard,[19] The New York Times[20] and The Guardian[10] all gave the album an 8/10. Rolling Stone rewarded the album a 3.5 score, and RS contributor, Daniel Kreps listed Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. as his favorite album of 2008.[21] Pitchfork Media also rated the album highly, naming the album 50th best record of the decade[22] and 5th best of the year,[23] along with awarding it with a 9.2 upon initial review.[13] Pitchfork also named “Nothing Ever Happened” the 6th best song of the year[24] and 81st best song of the decade.[25] Popular online blogging site, Hype Machine rated the album as 11th best of the year.[26] The album achieved a score of 8.5 on Review aggregator site AnyDecentMusic? and remains in its All Time Top 10 chart.[27]

Track listing

All tracks written by Bradford Cox, except where noted.

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Cover Me (Slowly)" (instrumental)
1:21
2."Agoraphobia"
  • Pundt
3:22
3."Never Stops" 3:04
4."Little Kids"
  • Cox
  • Pundt
4:22
5."Microcastle" 3:40
6."Calvary Scars" 1:37
7."Green Jacket" 2:09
8."Activa" 1:49
9."Nothing Ever Happened"
5:50
10."Saved by Old Times" 3:50
11."Neither of Us, Uncertainly" (lyrics by Pundt)
  • Pundt
5:25
12."Twilight at Carbon Lake" 4:24
Total length:40:53
  • Tracks 6–8 are part of a suite

Personnel

Deerhunter
Additional musicians
Technical staff

Chart positions

Charts (2008) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[28] 123
US Billboard Heatseekers[29] 1
US Billboard Independent Albums[30] 14
US Billboard Tastemaker Albums[31] 10

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Continued". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  2. ↑ Deerhunter's Microcastle Available Now on iTunes. Pitchfork. Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  3. ↑ KRANK 127 - Deerhunter "Microcastle". Brainwashed.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  4. 1 2 3 "Deerhunter’s Microcastle Album Art & "Game Of Diamonds" (Demo)". Stereogum. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  5. ↑ Interview with Cam Lindsay, Exclaim! October Issue. url= http://exclaim.ca/articles/coverstory.aspx?csid1=148 {accessed September 29, 2010}
  6. 1 2 "Reviews for Microcastle by Deerhunter". Metacritic. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  7. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Microcastle – Deerhunter". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (October 27, 2008). "Deerhunter: Microcastle". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  9. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (November 7, 2008). "Microcastle". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Lynskey, Dorian (December 19, 2008). "Deerhunter: Microcastle/Weird Era Cont". The Guardian. London. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ Wappler, Margaret (October 28, 2008). "Album review: Deerhunter's 'Microcastle'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Deerhunter: Microcastle". Mojo (181): 108. December 2008.
  13. 1 2 Hogan, Marc (October 27, 2008). "Deerhunter: Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Deerhunter: Microcastle". Q (268): 121. November 2008.
  15. ↑ Ganz, Caryn (October 30, 2008). "Microcastle : Deerhunter". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Perpetua, Matthew (September 2008). "Don't Kill Yr Idols". Spin. 24 (9): 111. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. Music Review". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  18. ↑ Deerhunter - Microcastle (staff review). Sputnikmusic. Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  19. ↑ Archived November 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ Pareles, Jon (November 23, 2008). "Major Chords, Massed Harmonies". The New York Times.
  21. ↑ Rolling Stone. "Critics' Picks: Daniel Kreps' Top 10 Albums and Singles of 2008". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  22. ↑ Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 50-21. Pitchfork (2009-10-01). Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  23. ↑ Staff Lists: The 50 Best Albums of 2008. Pitchfork (2008-12-19). Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  24. ↑ Staff Lists: The 100 Best Tracks of 2008. Pitchfork (2008-12-15). Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  25. ↑ Staff Lists: The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 100-51. Pitchfork (2009-08-19). Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  26. ↑ Top 50 Albums of 2008 / The Hype Machine. Hypem.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  27. ↑ Reviews of Microcastle by Deerhunter , collected by Any Decent Music. Anydecentmusic.com (2008-10-28). Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  28. ↑ "Deerhunter - Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Deerhunter - Heatseekers Albums chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Deerhunter - Independent Albums chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Deerhunter - Tastemaker Albums chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
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