Yes, we've already chewed on Deerhunter a lot this week. Let the chewing continue!

Pre-Show

Ryan Little: As a relative newcomer to Deerhunter's spacey tuneage, I have to say Halcyon Digest is a welcome push toward more accessible songwriting. Cryptograms lost me in the ether for a bit, and this album feels more anchored. I'm interested to see how it comes off live. Do you think it’ll be super mellowed out, or will the post-punk roots come out in full force?

Matt Siblo: Ryan, Ryan, Ryan...always late to the party. Though you might have slept on Deerhunter—who, by the way, have already gone on hiatus and come back—your assessment is on the nose. Cryptograms stands as my least favorite with Halcyon Digest on the fast track toward becoming a new favorite, though the Fluorescent Grey EP and Microcastle are both indisputable. In terms of whether Bradford Cox and Co. will bring the fire or the snooze is anyone's guess, but the last time I saw them at ATP NY, it was a finely-tuned mix of both.

I have to say, with the recent spat of sell-outs at the 9:30 Club and the overwhelmingly positive response to the new album, I'm a bit surprised that there are tickets at the door. Predictions on whether we'll be gazing at each others' shoes rather than a packed house?

RL: It's true, the band is several critically acclaimed releases deep, and as a music journalist, it is surprising that I haven't spent much time with them. I think my defense is best summed up by Ian Svenonius in the Felt Letters song "600,000 Bands," but that's beside the point. They do seem to be getting a lot of fan love and media attention, so I'd be a little shocked if the show weren't packed. My well-worn Asics aren't much to look at these days, so I hope folks turn out.

I'm guessing with all the noises going on in the record that the show will be loud. Was ATP a high-decibel affair?

MS: I'll be coming to the show straight from work and will be wearing Sperrys (and khakis!) so I am selfishly hoping for a packed house as to not be ousted as a square. Don't let me down, D.C.

Deerhunter were a real surprise for me at ATP. They were more aggressive than I had anticipated but in a way that suited the songs and not just in a 'let's place this stuff faster' sort of way. I remember them having great lights which, in my estimation, can be the difference between a good and great performance by a band where the expectation is little to no onstage movement.

What'd Matt and Ryan discover? Keep reading!

Post-Show

RL: Well, that was something. I'll admit I was pretty impressed, though there were a few less-than-exciting sections in the set. There weren't really any bad moments, but for much of the first half of their show, I felt like I was at a woozy, drugged out prom. The songs stayed slow, with a kind of minimal Motown R&B backline, and layers of reverb smeared everything together. It was nice enough, but it wasn't mind-blowing.

Everything changed for me when they played "Little Kids" off Microcastle. It was the first tune to really punctuate the steady, sleepy vibe they'd been putting out, and it was incredible. I think you're right about the lights making a big difference between good and great. The climax at the end of the song, with its countless repetitions of "to get older still," was trance-inducing enough, but the strobe-like lighting made the club feel like another planet. It was a rare and euphoric experience.

Was there a moment where the set seemed to change for you?

MS: Ryan, before we get to the meat, I'll say a few words about the openers. Unfortunately, false advertising on the 9:30 Club website led me to miss Ducktails, the one-man outfit (on record, anyway) of Real Estate’s Matthew Mondanil . I did catch most of Casino vs. Japan who, after spending an entire weekend with Matthew Barney, were a bit too formless. After retreating to the basement for most of its set, I re-emerged to your astute analysis of it being (sic) "pretty boring but pretty cool."

Deerhunter, on the other hand, was in top form. I’ll concede that the band was slow to reveal itself and, as you pointed out, "Little Kids" made everything that came before feel quaint in comparison. Luckily, for our taste, the set was Halycon Digest-heavy complimented by the strongest tracks off Microcastle. Speaking of which, the drone outro of "Nothing Ever Happened" might have been the other major highlight for me outside of the monstrous conclusion of "Fluorescent Gray" that closed out the encore. I'm not afraid to admit that at that point, the band's 90 minute set had worn us both out.

RL: It's damn hard to make a one-man electronica show interesting to watch. It can be done, certainly, but it takes something special. In any case, Casino vs Japan's music was interesting, but the show was less than enthralling.

As far as Deerhunter goes, I find myself appreciating encores less and less these days, especially when the set is solid. If a set is well-planned, an extension of it usually doesn't make it any better. Of course, I'm sure lots of folks would've been pretty disappointed had they not played a few more songs.

Speaking of extended, which song had the long, noisy guitar heroics at the end? You know, with the Krautrock groove holding it together and Bradford Cox getting all Thurston Moore on his axe? That was a major highlight for me, and I'm okay with losing some cred by admitting I didn't recognize it.

MS: Your lack of cred is safe with me. (I'm not clear whether it's OK with the Internet, but what is?) The song you're referring to is "Nothing Ever Happened" which I've already listened to it twice on NPR's stream.

A few comments before we wrap this up: Although it might have interfered with last night's all-business approach, it was a shame that singer Bradford Cox wasn't chattier throughout. The few comments he made during the encore were rather entertaining and I think his personality compliments the songs. The only disappointment of the entire evening was the band's inability to recreate the intro of "Revival." I've been listening to that song non-stop for the past few weeks and it punches me in the gut every time. Live, it fell somewhat flat. Next time gents, I expect a touring keyboardist.

RL: I must admit it's hard to go back to listening to some of these songs on record after seeing them live. The volume and the perfectly appropriate size of the venue really made the show for me. They had enough space to let their reverb expand and envelop the entire room. I've seen other bands use a lot of atmospheric effects like that, and it's easy to lose the actual music underneath, but somehow Deerhunter manages to control it so well that the atmosphere just builds on top of what they're doing, rather than muddying it up. On record, that effect isn't quite so big, but at the show it was enormous.

And, you know, I have actually listened to "Nothing Ever Happened," but it didn't jump out at me recorded the way it did at the show. I'm just a sucker for watching indulgent, weird guitar solos on top of solid grooves. It was like watching Wilco shred "Kidsmoke"–I never really want it to end. Messy and inspired guitar solos are making a comeback this decade, mark my words.

As promised, the D.C./New Jersey upstart label Underwater Peoples dropped its Winter Review compilation today, and you can download all 15 tracks at the Chocolate Bobka blog. There's lots of lovely lo-fi therein, including new songs by Real Estate, Ducktails, Julian Lynch, Pill Wonder, Air Waves, Mountain Man, and more. Full tracklist after the jump:

1. Julian Lynch – Es's
2. Pill Wonder – Restless
3. Ducktails – Apple Walk
4. Fluffy Lumbers – Adoration
5. Big Troubles – Former Selves
6. Andrew Cedermark – Ad Infinitum
7. Frat Dad – Totally Afraid
8. Dana Jewell – My T-Train Girl
9. Air Waves – Sweetness
10. Family Portrait – Killer Statements
11. Alex Bleeker – These Days
12. Mountain Man – Dog Song
13. Real Estate – Orchard
14. Rainbow Bridge – Rain Nair
15. Liam the Younger – Please See

Direct download here.

Som Records is worth the hunt for parking along 14th Street NW. Just got the store's latest e-mail of new arrivals and it's fairly packed. The store has got solid new releases from Real Estate, Broadcast, Cold Cave, Girls, Kings of Convenience, Circuit Rider (reissue),  Jay Farrar, Odissee, Chain and the Gang, The Clientele, Felix, among others.

The store is also having a sale this Thursday. It's 10 percent off all used vinyl!

Used vinyl list after the jump. We recommend picking up the Pretty Things' SF Sorrow.

The Pretty Things – SF Sorrow
Them – Again
Robbie Basho – The Falconer's Arm
John Martyn – The Tumbler (UK press)
John and Yoko – Two Vigins
Soul Searchers – Salt of the Earth
Etoile de Dakar – S/T
V/A – Sub Pop Rock City (German press)
Azambuja & CIA – S/T
Phantom Limb – Dance of the Guilty
Prince – Black Album (German press)
Time Machine – Live a the Back Alley
John Coltrane – My Favorite Things
Richard Thompson – Guitar, Vocal

The store now sells turntables as well. So there's no excuse.

Red Onion Records and Books has scores of new records that are worth checking out.  Among the best of the bunch: Real Estate's debut LP, the Fred McDowell reissue on Mississippi, and some new Slumberland releases. Don't forget to check out the new Best Coast single, Fuck Buttons latest LP, and the amazing Forge Your Own Chains psych compilation.

Used vinyl after the jump.

rock:
UPP: self-titled (jeff beck's backing band)
indoor life: self-titled
einsturzende neubauten: yu-gung 12"
madhouse: self-titled (fountain of youth records)
plan 9: frustration
the cure: kiss me, kiss me, kiss me
brian eno: ambient 1
brian eno: ambient 4
brian eno/moebius/roedelius: begegnungen II
the smiths: what difference does it make 12" (UK pressing)
james white and the blacks: off-white
yellow magic orchestra: self-titled
punch: self-titled (sunshine pop)
david byrne: catherine wheel
tom tom club: self-titled
vinegar joe: self-titled
jimi hendrix: cry of love
country joe & the fish: electric music for the mind and body (amazing album)
sister kate: self-titled (james taylor's sister, with linda ronstadt, john hartford, memphis horns...)
various artists: super rock (columbia 2LP sampler)
surf punks: my beach
DAF: voulez vous coucher... 12"
DAF: 1st step to heaven
kingbees: self-titled
tom rush: merrimack county
fabulous poodles: think pink
sue saad & the next: self-titled
yello: solid pleasure
tommy boyce & bobby hart: it's all happening on the inside (WLP)
lyres: someone who'll treat you right now 12"
psychedelic furs: self-titled
gary numan: pleasure principle (UK pressing)
anthony more: world service (henry cow, slappy happy member)
rorshach: remain sedate (original on gern blandsten, with inner sleeve)
the turtles: happy together (white whale pressing, vg)
ludovico's technique: self-titled
way of the west: feel the steel 12"
odgen edsl wahalia blues ensemble mondo bizarro band: self-titled
fresh today: self-titled (one sealed copy, one open)
jefferson airplane: crown of creation (orange label)
rubicon: america dreams
jimmy stevens: paid my dues
genya ravan: urban desire
various artists: punk and disorderly: further charges (vg)
chuck berry: golden decade volume 3
young rascals: collections
bruce springsteen: e ticket (german bootleg from 1975)
randy sparks: hazy sunshine
yazoo: the other side of love 12"
focus: 3 (dutch pressing)
focus: ship of memories
jan akkerman & thijs van leer: focus (1985)
rare earth: get ready
fleetwood mac: rumours (sealed)
country joe mcdonald: thinking of woody guthrie
country joe mcdonald: incredible! live!
various artists: 1969 warner/reprise songbook
invaders: test card (UK pressing)
artful dodger: rave on
rip rig & panic: beat the beast
nitty gritty dirt band: ricochet
eddie cochran: memorial album (french pressing)
sylvain sylvain
gary shearston: dingo
lizzy mercier descloux: press color (ZE records)
808 state: utd. state 90
the neighboorhood: debut
the fall: wonderful and frightening world...
the damned: eloise 12"
various artists: young, popular and sexy (factory records comp. with happy mondays, durutti column, a certain ratio...)
section 25: bad news week 12" (factory records)
shark vegas: you hurt me 12" (factory records)
wire: pink flag (US pressing)
grateful dead: anthem of the sun (later pressing)
kinks: lola vs powerman and the moneygoround (really nice copy)
neil young: harvest (original with inner sleeve)
byrds: younger than yesterday (360 stereo, vg)

jazz:
clark terry: tread ye lightly
ahmad jamal: portfolio of... (numbered 2LP collection on argo)
stanley turrentine: have you ever seen the rain
stanley turrentine: self-titled (blue note re-issue series)
herbie hancock: traces
don sebesky: the rape of el morro
john handy: live at monterey jazz festival
billie holiday: greatest hits vol. 1 (dutch pressing)
billie holiday: original recordings
billie holiday: lady sings the blues (japanese pressing, no obi)
antonio carlos jobim: tide
lonnie liston smith & cosmic echoes: visions of a new day
egberto gismondi: danca das cabecas
joe beck: self-titled (kudu)
keith jarrett: luminessence
mongo santamaria: at montreux
wayne shorter: phantom navigator
andre previn: the early years
gene krupa & his orchestra: that drummer's band
woody herman big band: hey! heard the herd?
lennie tristano/buddy defranco: crosscurrents
al cohn & zoot sims: either way (zim records)
ray bryant trio: potpourri
stan getz/sonny stitt: echoes of an era
paul horn quintet: here's that rainy day
ahmad jamal: piano scene of...
martha davis & spouse: a tribute to fats waller
billy taylor trio: the more i see you (UK pressing)
various artists: changing face of harlem
duke ellington: '66 (3 color steamboat label)
walfredo de los reyes & louis bellson: ritmos cubanos
ian carr's nucleus: in flagranti delicato
dollar brand duo: good news from africa
morrissey mullen: badness
ornette coleman: shape of jazz to come (original pressing, vg+)
johnny griffin: big soul
mccoy tyner: 13th house
lincoln mayorga & distinguished colleagues: missing linc (sheffield audiophile pressing)
milt jackson with the ray brown big band: memphis jackson (impulse)
brother jack mcduff: down home style (blue note)

funk/soul/disco/rap:
motown instrumentals
motown chartbusters volume 5
bill withers: live at carnegie hall
george clinton: r&b skeletons in the closet
west street mob: self-titled
mtume: in search of the rainbow seekers
labelle: phoenix
hugh masekela: grazing in the grass
emotions: sunshine
percy mayfield: sings percy mayfield
earth wind & fire: that's the way of the world (quad pressing)
molecular beats squadron: coming by storm 12"
dionne warwick: here i am
dinah, joe & sarah: we three
cameo: we all know who we are
kool & the gang: spirit of the boogie
gene chandler: your love looks good on me
aaron neville: like it'tis
james brown: showtime
mary wells: two sides (mono, beautiful copy)
otis redding: live in europe
captain sky: pop goes...
lime II
brother to brother: let your mind be free

folk/country/blues/gospel:
bonnie dobson: at folk city (rare album on prestige, deep groove, excellent shape)
alf edwards: the art of the concertina (rare album on prestige)
joan baez: blessed are... (quad pressing)
fred neil: other side of this life (green label, with gram parsons on one track)
barry mcguire & the doctor: self-titled
tom paxton: morning again (gold label, vg)
charlie king w. paul despinosa: old dreams and new nightmares
newport folk festival 1963, evening concerts vol. 1 (with dylan, jack elliott, miss. john hurt, joan baez...)
malvina reynolds: self-titled (vg, hard to find album with members of the birds, dillards, sunshine company...)
vern gosdin: never my love
clarence "gatemouth" brown: blackjack
clarence "gatemouth" brown: the blues ain't nothing (french pressing)
doc watson: southbound (sealed)
jim kweskin & the jug band: jug band music
gram parsons: self-titled (shilo records)
oscar brand: laughing america (sealed)
angelic gospel singers: i'm bound for mt. zion
johnny cash: songs of our soil (360 stereo)
dave van ronk: no dirty names

world music:
hari prasad chaurasia: flute recital (sealed, indian odeon pressing)
bhavalu/impressions: south indian instrumental music (sealed, nonesuch explorer)
exotissimo vol. 1: jaipur, inde (french pressing)
maloko: soul on fire
incantation: canarios/atahuallpa
music of hungary (capitol, sealed)
sergio mendes: the great arrival
francoise hardy: star

miscellaneous:
bessie jones: step it down: games for children
a french monkey story
kronos quartet: white man sleeps
stories of guy de maupassant
ralph shapey: praise (CRI)
the hush of midnight
famous ghost stories with scary sounds
virgo rising: the once and future woman
poems and songs of middle earth
copernicus: deeper
les baxter: the primitive and the passionate (stereo)
ping pong percussion
howard stern: 50 ways to rank your mother
yevtushenko: readings from his new york and san francisco poetry concerts
the poetry of pat parker & judy grahn
john cage/christian wolff: cartridge music/duo for violinist and pianist

For Real Estate's Martin Courtney, returning to his native New Jersey  last summer after graduating from college may have been a regressive move, but it also turned out to be a productive one.

"I almost exclusively hang out with people from high school these days," the singer and guitarist says, echoing that common post-collegiate experience of hometown dive bars and procrastinated job searches.

But Courtney also spent last summer writing songs and jamming in his parents' basement with guitarist Matt Mondanile, bassist Alex Bleeker, and drummer Etienne Duguay, laying the groundwork for what is, little more than a year later, one of 2009's most promising new indie-pop acts in a year replete with lo-fi fast-burners. Six months after its first gig, Real Estate—which plays at the Rock & Roll Hotel tonight with Japandroids and Neon Indian—was generating buzz at the South by Southwest festival in Austin and tickling the blogosphere with woozy, summery singles. Now, the band is about to release its self-titled debut on Woodsist Records.

The pitfalls of blog-fueled, late-oughts meritocracy aren't lost Courtney, who says he doesn't expect Real Estate to break down, Wavves-style, anytime soon. "A couple months ago, that really worried me and freaked me out," Courtney says. "But due to circumstances beyond our control"—intermittent access to a recording space and, later, a problem with the finished album's test plate—"our record got pushed back. Now there’s been time for shit to cool off. I hope that now it’s less of a buzz thing and more that we’re just a band that exists."

That music critics and bloggers have covered Real Estate almost as long as it has existed has been "a little nerve-wracking," Courtney says. "It’s kind of annoying when people ask us if we spend a lot of time on the beach."

He says songs like "Beach Comber" and "Atlantic City"—as well as the band's tropical, laid-back vibe—can't be chalked up to a strategy or ethos. They're simply the result of a summer spent writing music by the ocean. Seeing his band boiled down to one-sentence narratives and minute-old labels "can be frustrating," Courtney says. "You cringe a little bit. But I’m starting to realize that some people that write about music just need something to clutch on to as a reference and to make it clearer."

Courtney says he's somewhat vexed by Real Estate's reputation as a lo-fi act—a distinction undoubtedly reinforced by the fact that several more of his high-school classmates, Julian Lynch and the guys behind the Underwater Peoples label, have also released nostalgic-sounding records that are heavy on tape hiss. "If we could record in the studio, I would do it in a second," Courtney says. The Real Estate album, out on Nov. 17, "has definitely got a demo vibe. I think it sounds good for sure, but it’s not a choice we made to sound that way. It’s just the way it is."

Real Estate performs tonight with Japandroids and Neon Indian at the Rock & Roll Hotel at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 at the door. Photo courtesy of Real Estate's MySpace page.

Polvo: "Beggars Bowl"
In 1997 Polvo were slackers. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina band's records were charmingly sloppy and haphazard. But "Beggars Bowl, the groups first new material since reuniting last year, suggest that Polvo has gotten a little more professional in its approach to music making. There are thundering power chords, technical grooves, and if you were to only listen to the song's first 30 second, you might swear you were listening to metal-FM. That said, Polvo doesn't sound too bad shredding in earnest.

B.o.B: "My Sweet Baby"
B.o.B swipes some samples from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack–from "Love is Strange," to be specific–but don't be fooled, this is not a sensual romp with Patrick Swayze. Rather, it's more like being belted with a radio station call sign for three minutes.

Real Estate: "Green River"
As far as music goes, New Jersey's central export is blue-collar mythology. Which might put Real Estate, who hail from the Garden State, in some danger. From the sound of "Green River," with it's gentle melodies and sweetly chiming guitars, the band might not even be able to take The Four Seasons in a fight. Maybe Real Estate needs to relocate to a state that won't squash its sweet but naive vibes.

(Via Gorilla vs. Bear)