American indie rock band Deerhoof formed in San Francisco in 1994. Their current lineup features Greg Saunier – drums, vocals (1994–present), Satomi Matsuzaki – vocals, bass (1995–present), guitar (1995–1997, 2005–2006), John Dieterich – guitar (1999–present) and Ed Rodríguez – guitar (2008–present).
They will be appearing at the popular Concorde 2 in Brighton on 30th August (courtesy of promoters Love Thy Neighbour) in support of their latest album ‘Miracle-Level’ which is astonishingly the first album that they have recorded and mixed in a studio. ‘Miracle-Level’ is Deerhoof’s 19th album and they wanted to open their secretive DIY comfort zone up to something new and uncomfortable.
“Seemingly out of nowhere, I was presented with a miracle-level opportunity to produce Deerhoof,” says Mike Bridavsky, a total stranger to the band until Joyful Noise founder Karl Hofstetter suggested him. “Two consecutive weeks at No Fun Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I began listening through their albums and realized: I have no f*cking idea how to make a Deerhoof record. Did anyone? They’d assembled a catalogue of thoughtful, wild, and unique records, each different from the one before. I was about to be inserted into a thriving creative organism that’s worked almost exclusively with each other, with unlimited control of every blip and bleep. This was the session I’d been dreaming of for my whole professional life—and I was terrified.”
Nor was this to be the only departure from standard operating procedure. The band emailed Bridavsky the music they’d been listening to for inspiration: Rosalía, Meridian Brothers, Les Freres Michot, Ngola Ritmos, Mozart opera. It occurred to them that none of this was in English. Satomi decided that she’d like to forsake the language of “the world’s policeman” and write Miracle-Level’s lyrics entirely in her native tongue, Japanese.
Check out the album on their Bandcamp page HERE.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased HERE, HERE and HERE.
Support will come from Sniffany & The Nits who are a deranged, genuinely troubling punk band from London featuring members of Joanna Gruesome, Ex-Void and The Tubs. ‘The Unscratchable Itch’ is their debut album via PRAH Recordings. As Sniffany explains: “In Sniffany & The Nits I like to exorcise and exhibit the deeply shameful parts of myself that I see as the toxic aspects of my own femininity.” These are confessional songs about love addiction, jealousy, possession, self-loathing and “egg smashing-fury”. As such, the band veer between atonal no-wave guitar assault, straight-up hardcore, goth/anarcho or whatever takes their fancy, while remaining identifiably Nit-like. Always grounded by a pounding, pogo-ing rhythm section, The Nits provide the perfect backdrop for Sister Sniffany’s wild, relentless live performances.
