After some protracted clanging around Deerhoof finally decide to kick in with a sweet slice of art-fondled indie rock, twanging and scraping at their instruments while singer Satomi Matsuzaki chirrups and twitters like a child mimicking bird calls for the school talent show. It’s reasonably throwaway but pretty damn fun nonetheless, liable to put a rosy glow on the cheeks of even the most ardent sourpuss.
Sicbay should hopefully be becoming a familiar face by now, and here they lazily reel off some tuneful rock n’ roll nestling somewhere between Dinosaur Jr. and Hot Snakes, a hazy sound that’s content to slump back with a beer while the world flaps, blusters and worries itself toward a needlessly early grave. They seem to have lost some of their rougher edges on this release, settling on a sound that’s almost too laid back, but the tune wins out and complements what is turning out to be a rather fine back catalogue.