Customer Reviews

Milk Man

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just played Milk Man in the ears while I rode a bike around my neighborhood. I can't remember the last time I'd done that. Today's Sunday; I'd bought the album just the last Friday. I was bored and stuck in my house with no idea of what to do with the time. With it still being sunny outside, I grabbed my red hooded zip-up and my seven-year old brother's zorro hat and jumped on the old one-speed bike i hadn't picked up in years. As I got on the bike, i pressed play. Listening to it made me want to make video to the title track with the video camera I haven't used nearly enough. Also while listening to it, I wanted to write a short manual on "how to get to know yourself better" or " how to gain some confidence", with the entire album being the 'soundtrack'. People that I wanted to talk to but hadn't in a long time seemed to now be very easy to talk to. Thinking of video footage to put to music wasn't as hard as it had been. The world was fun, and I was the king of it. I had chosed the roads with people out in their front yards to ride by so as to see the odd looks they'd give me. 'Giga Dance' was interrupted by an old friend's dad who was out in his front yard. He had talked about his musical ambitions (he being a 40 year-old guitarist who has a serious passion for AC/DC). We ended our conversation with him saying that I should come down and play music with him sometime. I had responded with 'I love to play music'. I went down the steep hill with the organ-ic main line of the song going. I rode through all of the neighborhood and still had the last half of the cd to get through. I got to my driveway and drove to the small field behind the shed. I passed the time by half riding, half kicking a soccer ball around in the field until my legs gave out and i fell in the patches of grass, with the moon being directly above me and 'Dream Wanderer's Tune' halfway thru. I thought about how perfect it would be to get with some friends that I haven't seen in a long time and make a film to the album.
In all, Milk Man had made me think, and I really wanted to put some action to what I had thought about.
I got home and called two people. They didn't answer, so I left messages.

You know, I really liked this album. It's strange and jittery, and sort of feels like how I feel after I've drank a triple iced latte. It's not for everyone, and certainly not something I would recommend to people that like more mainstream music. But upon my 3rd listen, I started to feel the connection between the tracks and the overall theme of the album. And I actually think that if you're looking for something really out of the ordinary, you're sick of mainstream rock and you're ready to experiment with something way outside the perameters of "normal", this album is awesome!

A few months ago I saw Deerhoof perform at a music festival up here in Portland. They were so kooky. The drummer sat on a milk crate and beat on his drums like crazy. The female singer rocked out on the guitar and the band as a whole jelled successfully on stage.

I'm going to seek out more of Deerhoof's stuff. Aside from seeing them live, this is the only album by them I've heard. I'm excited to listen to Apple O now. I can see where long-time fans follow them faithfully. There's something so addictive about their sound!

Don't be afraid to try something new!

source: www.alternativemalta.com

San Francisco's Deerhoof have been around for ten years and in the meantime have released five albums. One website describes their music as cuddly and chaotic, a very apt description indeed.
Deerhoof really hit public consciousness with their fourth album `Apple O' (2003) and the infectious `Panda Panda Panda'.

Safe to say that Milk Man is a natural progression on that previous effort. `Milk Man' is more focused, with the loud bits in all the right places this time. In fact the album even has a theme - a mysterious hooded milkman who lures children. One has to admit that the idea of a theme has never really been part of Deerhoof's repetoire!
There are many treats hidden in this album - the bleepy `Dog on the Sidewalk'; the both creepy and beautiful `Giga Dance'; but undoubtedly the best track here is `Milking', with its big drums, cascades of guitar-shred noise and the nursery rhyming lyrics. Probably the best thing the band has done to date (yes it even surpasses `Panda Panda Panda')
So far so good - but I do have a feeling that album number six will be the one to break through and make them alternative household names. And if they don't? Who cares, you still have Milk Man!

Deerhoof is the band of the new millennium, just like Yes was the band of the last century. They are the most innovative while at the same time being most classic. I don't have time to tell you why Yes was the band of the last century, just assume that I'm right for the time being. By now you might be thinking "What the $%#$% is this guy talking about." Hear me out. While so-called punk rock circles have put the best prog into a dustbin which is typically given some stereotypical label like "bloated," "musty," or "moldy," I almost guarantee you that most of these "punks" have heard no more than "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "Roundabout." These are the same kind of punks I read in _Maximum Rock n Roll_ who called Sonic Youth the REO Speedwagon of the '80s, simply because SY's sound was catching on.

Okay, so on to Deerhoof. They're definitely way advanced from REO. First parallel to Yes, also a trillion times better than REO: the lead guitar sounds more like Steve Howe than any other influence. The first melodic guitar line on the album, in the first few bars of _Milk Man_ sounds like something Howe would have written around the time of _Drama_ or his foray into Asia. Same with the opening melodic run for "Rainbow Silhouette" (sounds like a Yes title; also, an instrumental--dead giveaway): crisp lines that take the compositions in the direction of polyphony. There's the rockin' band and the ornate lead instrument. Granted, the guitar solos are not as excessive as Howe's, but there are even a few sixty-fourth note discordant runs thrown in for good measure. The guitarist just musses 'em up some, so they're not TOO close to prog. Just kind of makes it indie prog. Listen for these ornate melodic lines all over Deerhoof's ouevre and see if the Steve Howe thing doesn't stay stuck in your head.

Second parallel: creative use of synthesizers. There are again, no two-minute long forays into Bach or anything, but the synthesizers are used for both melodic runs, discordant outbursts, ambient texturing, much like Rick Wakeman and the other keyboardists of Yes.

Okay, so I'm going to go counterargue the skeptics side. Deerhoof, you say, doesn't have twenty minutes songs. They're all really short. True. What Yes achieved in long-windedness (yes, sometimes it went on too long), Deerhoof achieves with concision. They are flip-sides of the same transcendental coin, don't you see?

Parallel three: both Yes and Deerhoof have singer's with high voices who specialize in obscure lyrics.

Parallel four: Both make concept albums. Yes's _Close to the Edge_, their best album, is grandiose and _Milk Man_ is a bunch of weird meditations on the odd dada painting on the cover. But they're still both concept albums. Play them side to side and tell me you don't find parallels. I defy you. Idiosyncratic use of dissonance counterpoised with melodic sections and an overriding message to the piece that all in all goes against any single reading. _Close to the Edge_ was the best of all the concept albums of the '70's. _Milk Man_ is right up there with Mars Volta for this millennium; way, way above _American Idiot_.

Parallel five: It's all about peace and love. Deerhoof is so ironic, you say; witness the lyrics to the Mouseketeer thrasher march "Milking": "There is a castle in the air/ And all the kids are trapped in there/ There is a king/ They don't know where/ There is a castle in the air/ Gun fire after another/ Bright fire shooting higher." Peace and love with guns? Yes. By _90125_, Jon Anderson was cynically intoning: "This world's not for living,/ It's for fighting and for war." But, you see, they all just want peace and love, whether it's through dada, negative psychology, or just rocking the #$^^#$in' #$^#$ out of you.

Parallel six: Everything is SO dependent on dynamics: crescendo, decrescendo, staccato. This stuff is eminently musical!

Radiohead, Mars Volta, and Wilco were my favorite bands of the millennium until I bought this album, now they are up there with these giants. I truly think that, yes, this is a Deerhoof millennium, one where the alterna-punk lion lies down with the prog/alt-country lamb.

I was very suprised by the outcome of my rate of liking this album. I planned a trip to the local cd store looking to get Animal Collective "Sung Tongs", Wilco "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", Yo la Tengo "I Can Hear the Heat Beating as One", and Deerhoof "MILK MAN". I told myself i was only going to buy three of them and i feared that MILK MAN...was going to be the one left in the dust. I got to the cd shop staring blankly at the stack of four cds deciding...and making a huge risk for my wallet...to get all four...
Well I may be even more broke than I was two days ago, but im comfortable saying I dont give a damn. MILK MAN has given me more pleasure than any other cd purchased in years (other than anything GbV).
The album opens up with the very poppy, up-beat title song(milk man)....runs into a very dark rock song(giga dance)...runs into a very dark electronica song(desaparecere)...runs into a very poppy, up-beat musical(rainbow silhouette of the milky rain)...runs into a very random song that cant even be described(dog on the sidewalk)...runs into a dark synthesized song(c)...runs into a poppy, rockin' song(milking)....runs into (crazily enough) a SOFT, dark song(soft sorn)...runs into a piano driven dark song(dream wanderer's tune)...runs into a another poppy yet..somehow kind of dark, instrumental(that big orange sun run over speed light)...which closes with an electronica, drugged up sounding closing song(new sneakers)...
Why did I just put a paragraph of blab about each track going into each other...? Because each song sounds different. As well as each song makes you think that the amount for the cd is worth that one song...if you get what im saying...Well...the album (if anything) is worth a couple hundred bucks...easily. Because what planet earth needs is more birlliant, original, rock music. And Deerhoof proudly serves it to you on a silver platter...Enjoy...

If this is the first deerhoof cd you hear, you will think that they are a crazy indie rock band. If youve heard of most of their stuff before like I have, this cd is probably the closest to the norm that theyve come so far (still very weird tho so dont be frightened). This is a story about a Milk Man who lures children and hides them. The girl has improved her singing immensely and she has one of the sexiest voices Ive ever heard. This cd is a big change for deerhoof as they are more song driven and less odd than their previous work. The first three tracks vary from very good to great with Gigadance being my personal fav. Then comes an instrumental which is ok but Dog On The Sidewalk is one of the worst things I have ever heard on a cd. The "song" completely kills the rhythm of the album and makes you forget about the good beggining. C and Milking bring the cd back to norm and the last very good song on the cd is the ballad Dream Wanderer's Tune. The last three songs are nothing special and couldve had more work done. Overall, the cd is very good, better than Reveille but not as good as Apple O'. If it wasnt for a couple of misteps (especially Dog On A Sidewalk) this would be a 5. I think their next cd will be their best work.

I dont know why this album is less liked than say, Apple O. To me they are a bit different in sound, but the quality of songs is comparable. I actually prefer the direction they went with this album versus Apple O (although I wouldnt say this is a better album) Superficially, their approach is similar to other bands past and present, but as a whole they're making genuinely original music.
I dont understand the reviewer who could only recommend two songs. Certainly 'milkman' and 'milking' are very good songs, but they are not the only good songs on this album. Actually I cant think of a song to remove. Perhaps I could do without the added noise in "dogs on the sidewalk," but the little 'wong wong gune ga' melody makes it worth while. "Desaparecere" is an incredible song with a catchy but interesting melody. "Milking" is just a great song. "New Sneakers" is probably the most straight forward, with very simple but pretty vocals that stand repeated listens. Much of the same is true of "Dream Wanderer's Tune." Those are the songs that stand out for me, but all of the songs have something to like.

My only complaint about the album (and Deerhoof in general) is that I (and even many of their fans) think of their music as really good in light of some greater potential. Its as if the band is still developing its sound, and you are aware of it as you are listening to each album. Certainly all bands change, develop, and progress (or regress) over time, but usually each album stands on its own (good or bad) and you arent aware of this process. It just seems like I'm waiting for Deerhoof to make that one great album that just brings it all together.

I own, but havent heard the newest album (Runners Four)-maybe that will be closer to what I'm waiting for.

Deerhoof is my favorite band. While this is not their finest record (that honor would go to their last LP, Apple O'), it's still totally jaw-dropping. The entire band sounds like it is operating with one freakish mind, like a drug-addled Cerberus of rock and roll. I would describe listening to Deerhoof as similar to waking up halfway through an acid trip, when you're so out of it that you've forgotten you took LSD that day. If that sounds interesting to you, you can replicate that feat while incurring fewer irreparable scars to the psyche by listening to this album.
Upon first listening to them, I thought, "Oh, really wierd dream-pop," then on listen two I thought, "Oh, REALLY wierd drug-damaged art-punk." Now I just think of them as Deerhoof, precious Deerhoof.
Beware: this band is bizarre enough to make other people (girlfriends, roommates, etc.) think you're insane for loving it.

Such gorgeous imagery! That's Deerhoof for you. A kick in the teeth and a slap in the face, shifts Music in many different shapes and colors. Let your mind open up a little. Sure, Deerhoof can sound like a quirky indie band, possibly a little nuts, but seriously Deerhoof is one of the most innovative and interesting bands that my ears have ever heard!
Their best works are between 2002 - 2007 (so far).
Yeah, some including other reviewers here may write them off as a weird, bizarre heavy type of schizo rock band, which in a way they are, but to me Deerhoof is much more. No band today is nearly as creative as they are. -Highly noisy yet playful.
Wonderful upbeat melodies like the title track/opener -"Milk Man"- possibly the best and standout song out of the 11 tracks here.
Short songs that are catchy and of course I love Satomi's beautiful (Japanese) voice. This is one of her best. Also check out 2002's 'Revielle'
Deerhoof creates energetic electric indie pop that to me, never gets dull or boring. They release good music that eventually pulls the listener in, blending noise and melody better then most bands today.

- If you are New to Deerhoof, you can't go wrong with "Milk Man"
It makes the perfect introduction even if it sounds a bit zany after a few listens, give it another try, for Deerhoof is my Favorite band churning out the best music this millennium.
~Four and 1/2 Stars~

...Also probobaly the best record to start off with. This is referring specifically to the import which I believe has two extra bonus tracks, according to my copy...
The bonus tracks are "C(demo)", and "Rainbow silhouette of the milky man(live)", both are essential if you're a big fan. The demo of "C" is very stripped and looser but still beautiful. And the live version of "rainbow sil..." is a good exciting listen; and right around (0'59) they go into a powerful Glenn Branca esque part, which is quite interesting.
The rest is obviously the same as regular Milkman, if this is the japanese import there's additional liner notes etc.