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[Uber Ritter]

So yeah, Deerhoof's officially been one of those bands that I've wanted to get into more for 3 years or so now, ever since I saw them in concert in '05 and really liked their set, though I was rather sleepy at the time and saving my energy for the last couple acts.  I saw all but the last 3 youtube clips on their website and I liked what I heard in general.  So, any advice on what album I should start with?  Avoid?

[12-tone]

I'm not like way into them or anything, but I find Friend Opportunity the easiest to just sit down and listen to.
The Man, The King, The Girl is good for Sonic Youth style noise freakouts though.
Reveille is probably my favorite overall, but it's a little weird.

[Ishotdanieljohnston]

So I guess you kind of like them, huh Tommy?

I've only ever gotten into Freind Opportunity and think it's a wonderful record. I'm still kicking myself for missing them when they were here months ago. Oh well.

[jeph]

Runners Four is by far my favorite Deerhoof record, but all of their stuff I've heard is enjoyable.

[mfpole]

Yeah, what he said.

[Valrus]

[The Runners Four] also contains six of the best songs ever written, conceived and performed anywhere by anyone.

Tommy, I would be interested to hear what these six are. Your post kicked ass, by the way.

Deerhoof is probably the most charming band I have ever seen in concert. I basically had an enormous grin plastered across my face for the entirety of their (fairly short) show.

OP, if I were to give you a nutshell-style piece of advice, it would be that Deerhoof seems to have gotten somewhat more accessible and marginally less eccentric (or perhaps just eccentric in a different way) as time has gone on. Consider your own personal tastes and choose accordingly.

[Uber Ritter]

Thanks for the input, folks.

[Johnny C]

I love the bridge in "Scream Team."

The lights go out and everybody screamed -

"Team!"

[jeph]

I think Tommy should write an in-depth analysis of Runners Four for the music blog.

[imagist42]

I agree, especially since it's the only Deerhoof album I can really get into. I was scared and scarred by the craziness of their earlier records when I was younger, and after that (even though I didn't come to like those earlier records) I found everything else they did too boring to adore. Runners Four is the only exception.

[squawk]

Deerhoof is amazing. When The Runners Four came out I was thirteen; I listened to it and was utterly confused until I heard "O'Malley, Former Underdog." Then I understood.
Really though, they are probably the band that opened my ears to funny atonal sounds and I love them to death.

And yeah Tommy, "Twin Killers" is like the fucking rockingest song ever or something

[Valrus]

I gotta say I'm pretty curious what exactly could be called "boring" about Friend Opportunity. In fact I'm'a throw it on right now.

Tommy, I've seen a few references to Runners Four being tripartite. Do you agree with this assessment and, if so, could you explain it to me?

Also "Spirit Ditties of No Tone" is just the most incredible freaking song.

[imagist42]

In all fairness, I haven't yet had the chance to listen to all of Friend Opportunity. Just a couple songs here and there in the background when I'm over at someone else's place or something, not really paying attention.

If someone were to remedy that, of course, my opinion might change...

[IronOxide]

Tommy, when you said six and I read your post, I was worried that you weren't going to include "Scream Team", which may be my favorite Deerhoof song.

I'm glad that you came to your senses.

Also, a little thing on Deerhoof. In all of music, you will never meet a group of fans that are so unabashedly into the music than those who follow Deerhoof, and you will never see a band having more fun. What they lack in depth (which they sometimes do), the make up for in the fact that they love what they are doing, and people can feel that. Sometimes people make fun of the way Deerhoof sound, or call them pretentious, but the fact of the matter is they are about as far away from pretentious as you can get. From John Dieterich's infectious guitar to Greg Saunier's often frantic drumming to Satomi Matsuzaki's singsong vocals, they are a band that exemplify what the modern rock scene was, until them, missing.

[*Sights*]

I had never listened carefully to the six songs in your list.

Thanks, tommy.

Thanks.

[october1983]

I'm not sure I can add much more to this, seeing as Tommy has already said everything that needs to be covered. However, I feel the need to say that I saw Deerhoof on my birthday last year and it was fantastic.

[Uber Ritter]

Alright, thanks for the advice.  Right now I'm listening to The Runners Four, and keeping a particular ear out for the seven songs Tommy mentioned.  It's really good.  I want to make some connection to previous artists; perhaps it's like what Captain Beefheart would be like if he were completely dedicated to making catchy ditties that were still musically out there, or what Television would be like if it went a bit further into left field and had a Japanese chick on vocals.  But not, that's not right.  I'll just let Deerhoof be themselves.  Definately a high point in the indie-rock project of making dissonant avantegardness as poppy as possible, or perhaps making pop tunes as dissonant and avante-garde as possible.

Also, the song Siriustar seriously rocks out.  But then again I'm the sort of guy who's favorite part of many alt/indie rock albums are the guitar solos (ie OK Computer).

[rawrXskittles]

ASKGHAFGSAWALAGH GET EVERY SONG EVER HLAUGHALAGHAUBAGLAUGAHLUAGH

I went to see them last year when they last played in Seattle, in this tiny, cramped, smelly little venue called NeuMo's. The stage was tiny, the speakers weren't loud enough, and the two opening acts were really subpar, but if I had to, I would walk across hot coals to go see them again. They were the first live band I ever went to go see, and I think that they will always be the best. They played almost all of my favorite songs, with the exception of the one that I really wanted to hear (Giga Dance; I yelled for it with some other people, but they didn't play it). The drummer(Greg)'s hi-hat was a third of the way completely smashed away and the singer/bassist (Satomi~) was so cute... and my mom even got her autograph for me. It was so exciting...

I think "Apple O'" is my favorite album from them, I think, but I've downloaded everything I have from them so there might be another one that's better. But my very favorite song from them is number one off there, "Dummy Discards a Heart", which is such a good, energetic song that starts out with a full screech to wake you up and get you ready for some noise~! "Sealed With A Kiss", number three, is a good song, too; it makes me happy because it reminds me of Seasame Street for some bizzarre reason. "My Diamond Star Car" (five) is one of their best, too, because it's such a good song to make you want to get up and jump around too.

"Milk Man" is a close second in my favorites because of "Milking", "Milk Man" and "Giga Dance"; "Milk Man" because it's so nice and relaxing, "Giga Dance" because it makes me want to get up and dance like a hippie, maybe stomp in some mud too, and "Milking" because it makes me want to bop around and grin like an idiot at everybody around me.

The random songs I have off of the internet are all pretty good, too, especially "Holy Night Fever" off of "Reveille"; it's a good, "jump around and look silly" sort of song for listening to, and "Sunny Side" and "The Eyebright Burgler" are both really good "dance around while standing still" songs.

It's entirely impossible to be upset while you're listening to Deerhoof, because it's just so upbeat and happy and just plain amazing. I completely recommend seeing them and listening to them all the time. I promise they'll be a great show, and if they aren't, you didn't pay enough attention and should be punched in the head. Or maybe you just don't like them, in which case you should be severely reprimanded and punched in the head.

[FireAarro]

Deerhoof are one of my favourite bands. Easiest to get into records, Runners Four and Friend Opportunity. Reveille and Apple O' are fantastic as well. I love them all equally, in different ways. You will want to get everything they've released since Reveille if you do end up liking them. That is:
Reveille, Apple O', Milk Man, Green Cosmos, The Runners Four, Friend Opportunity.
You'll download their mp3 EP of covers and live stuff too.
(You can skip Koalamagic and the latest batch of downloaded goodies if you want.)

A lot of their earlier stuff is great too, though not as accessible perhaps. I haven't looked deeply into it yet, I've only got Halfbird, which is a great album too, with interesting textures and musical concepts, more of a punk rock vibe than the later stuff has.

I've seen them both times they've played in Melbourne, and talked to them. Really great people; Greg let me in the back door of the Corner Hotel because I'm underaged. Best gig ever.