Destroyer - "Kaputt" Review

Artist: Destroyer
Album Title: Kaputt
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Record Label: Merge Records
Review by: Sean Kayden

One of the first prolific albums of 2011 has arrived. Destroyer’s 9th studio album, “Kaputt”, is nothing anyone would have anticipated from craftsman Dan Bejar. Perhaps the hardest working and most diverse musician in the independent rock world, Bejar has created an album unlike anything you’ve probably heard in the past ten years. Saxophones, conga drums, flutes, and trumpets pervade within all nine dazzling tracks. Musical influences are all over the place. Ranging from Bowie to Steely Dan, it’s easy to imagine such an album coming out in the late 70s or early 80s. Hardcore fans may be somewhat on the fence embracing Bejar’s new sound choices and that would be an absolute shame. A complete departure from his previous material, “Kaputt” is the singer/songwriter/musical engineer’s finest work to date.

Glossy, new wave, retro, and even jazzy, “Kaputt” is pure 80s velvetiness. However, it’s not another replica of wannabe 80s inspired tunes from a contemporary band with a taste of nostalgia. The lyrics are sophisticated yet complicated and outspoken. The listener gets a real sense of comfort hearing Bejar’s smooth vocals. However, you can still feel the pain, envision the tragedy, but contain a belief in the optimism throughout. This is a rare album where not only do the words tell a story, but the instruments speak as well. The arrangements of these songs are powerful, boisterous, and often magical. You get lost and found emotionally with every song. Bejar’s dialect is very eclectic. He’s an uncommon storyteller with an enigmatic writing style. This may raise concern for new listeners, while it still remains entirely intriguing for long-term fans. After carefully listening to the album in its entirety, it is inevitable to discover that each track brings something unique to the table. The content of the record is a completely outlandish creation.

Despite the earlier references to other artists, “Kaputt” feels organic, intensely curious, but still remarkable and untamed. For the music of 2011, it might be rare to find something this worthwhile to cling onto. I’m at the point where I’m starting to lose all hope in mainstream music because at the end of the day, the songs that top the sales charts feel soulless, empty, and artificially manufactured. There is no defining sound to this era we live in. On the contrary, Destroyer helps me believe that music can once again be thought provoking, rapturous, and deeply personal. With that being said, I won’t expect to hear another album quite like this for a really long time.

Key Tracks: “Suicide Demo for Kara Walker”, “Kaputt”, “Downtown”
9.5 out of 10

Published on February 5, 2011 by Mountain Views News.
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v05/htm/n06/p10.htm