3.04.2008

Top Albums of 2007: #05. Dan Deacon - Spider-Man of the Rings



#05. Dan Deacon - Spider-Man of the Rings

Alright, I'm gonna start this with my second stupid, somewhat awkward Joanna Newsom comparison of the countdown:

Mr. Dan Deacon is something like the Joanna Newsom of American nerdy white kid electronica. Like Newsom's love-'em or hate-'em pipes, Deacon's polarizing "voice" veers from juvenile to mature, from whimsical to dark, from danceable to puzzling all within the length of one song.

Deacon's umpteenth album, Spider-Man of the Rings is insane, but this is pretty much in line with Deacon himself. If his music sounds like it should be the soundtrack to some bizarre experimental film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, that's because sometimes, it is. Deacon isn't just a DJ, he's something of a performance artist, using his shows to get his audience to hug each other and participate in organized dance numbers.

Deacon is making his music for the kids, no question; t
he crowds at Deacon's shows are age-specific, with most attendees between their freshman year high school and last years of college. On Spider-Man of the Rings, Deacon's work is childlike, delving into the same simple musical joy that Animal Collective infuses their music with. In some ways, Deacon seems to be aiming to get his crowds to dance as a simple, geeky catharsis. Deacon genuinely seems to cre for the insecure, uptight, intellectual collegiate and post-collegiate kids that pepper his audience.

Deacon's not the first nerdy white dj to tell the indoor kids that dancin' is okay, but he's exactly the bespectacled, balding, overweight messenger this generation needs.

PS: "Deacon" is the beginning of every paragraph because Dan Deacon is blessed with literally the best name in show business. Congrats and razzmatazz to you, Master Deacon.

(download it here)

Nathaniel Tyson

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