Personnel: Connor Kizer (vocals, brass, wind); Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez, Benny Boeldt, April Camlin, Adam Endres, Ed Schrader, Drew Swinburne, Dina Kelberman, Sam Herring, Lizz King, Dina Kelberman, Bob O'Brien, Jana Hunter, Bobby O'Brien (vocals); Matt Papich, Matthew Papich (guitar); Andy Abelow (brass, wind); Chester Gwazda (piano); Jeremy Hyman , Kevin O'Meara, Rich OMeara, Rich O'Meara (percussion).
Audio Remasterer: AJ Quashie.
Photographers: Frank Hamilton; Brett Richardson.
Dan Deacon's wild and wooly electronica album, SPIDERMAN OF THE RINGS, was one of the most intriguing releases of 2007. With its quirky humor, knowing cultural references, and spastic sonic leaps, it was also something of a defining statement of purpose. But if Deacon was staking his ground with SPIDERMAN, he has built a magnificent, multi-tiered castle on that foundation with 2009's BROMST.
More accessible than its predecessor, BROMST is still visionary, melding melody and noise with postmodern panache. Deacon raises the bar by expanding his instrumental palette: the album balances vocals and acoustic instrumentation (including marimba, piano, and live percussion) with his trademark digital hijinks. The result is a majestic listening experience that often borders on the utopian.
Professional Reviews
Spin (p.76) - "'Snookered' is the centerpiece -- kidlike keyboard plinks and the ambient hum of looped voices swell to a shaggy indie-rock lope....Even at his most contemplative and nuanced, Deacon remains a DIY trickster at heart."
Alternative Press (p.142) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Glitchy synthesizers meet meditative chants, hyperactive arpeggiators meet droning vocals, challenging song structures are filled with huge cadences and addictive melodies that warrant repeat listens."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.106) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "BROMST takes it to the next level. Dense, but not impenetrable....This time around the wackiness is reined in and limited to titles such as 'Baltihorse' and 'Surprise Stefani.' Cheeky, but delightful."
Blender (Magazine) (p.60) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The Baltimore electronic composer's beats are manic, exuberant and overstuffed with '80s synth-pop squiggles."
Clash (magazine) (p.113) - "It's the sound of absolute calculated madness from Dan's cheap Casio rhythms to the pitched-up-beyond-all-recognition vocal effects."
