When a primordial version of the new Deerhunter album (Microcastle) hit the net earlier this summer, I though I had been had. How could Deerhunter, purveyors of hazy-psych rock ambience by recording three minute pop songs now? Then, “Never Stops” hit the band’s MySpace along with “Nothing Ever Happened,” and it made sense. These guys are going legit (as in focusing on song craft) now, and this video of the band playing on Manchester’s Channel M proves it.

Gone is the sun dress, the confrontational stage presence, and the sloppiness, and in it’s place is a really tight band playing three-minute Pebbles-like psych rock. “Nothing Ever Happened” even sounds close to the Strokes (at least the bassline) for Bradford’s sake. What an unlikely transition.

 

At any rate, the tracks are pretty great, and Microcastle could be the album that makes this band something more than indie-oddities. No word on when the album actually comes out, but supposedly, by the end of this year (via Kranky).  The direct link to the video is here.

[Stereogum]