Seattle Subsonic

The Halcyon Digest Experiment

August 6th, 2010

Bands these days are continually coming up with new ways to promote their music and get their fans invested in their art. Deerhunter has proven adept at this strategy, and the latest stunt for their forthcoming album, entitled Halcyon Digest, is no exception. About a month ago, the Atlanta queer-pop/ghost-rock band asked their fans to be a willing street promo army, print out a light pole flyer (that Bradford Cox created on a Xerox machine), put it somewhere public, and then snap a photo. They asked the pictures then be sent to them, wherein they would reciprocate with free music, the first single from the new record. I, of course, participated.

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A few days after I sent in my photos, I received the email, giddy as Augustus Gloop swimming in Willy Wonka’s chocolate river. Naturally, before I could even head to the website and redeem my spoils, the .mp3s, complete with “secret” password and instructions, were plastered all over the overindulgent internet. Apparently, my belief in well-earned exclusivity was shortsighted; nothing is neither sacred nor secret anymore. The band eventually asked that the password and instructions be removed. They did post a gallery with all 328 participants. You can view all those entries here; mine’s in there somewhere!

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So what’s that popular acquiescent phrase again? “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”? That’s right. Since everyone and their mother (who’re Deerhunter fans, anyway) already has these, I’ve no qualms about now sharing the music here. After all, “Revival” is an airy Deerhunter ditty, with some light, foot stompin’ giddy-up, throwback rhythms and a seemingly southern religious bent. The B Side is “Primitive 3D”, a short, driving psych pop tune with a 90 second plaintive piano outro.

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Revival

Primitive 3D

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Halcyon Digest will be out September 28 on 4AD (looks like they’ve eschewed their relationship with Kranky Records…?). The band will be playing the Showbox Market October 27th with Real Estate (yes!) and Casino Versus Japan. It should go without saying that I’m extremely excited. Track listing and cover art for the new record after the jump/cut/fold/whatever.

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1. “Earthquake”
2. “Don’t Cry”
3. “Revival”
4. “Sailing”
5. “Memory Boy”
6. “Desire Lines”
7. “Basement Scene”
8. “Helicopter”
9. “Fountain Stairs”
10. “Coronado”
11. “He Would Have Laughed”