Artists in this Article
"Don't stop me now, I'm on a roll," Dan Bejar sings early on in "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker," the eight-minute centerpiece of Destroyer's newest album, "Kaputt." The oddball singer/songwriter is absolutely correct in his proclamation: After contributing a few gems to the New Pornographers' 2010 album "Together," Bejar kicks off 2011 with a relatively low-key but nonetheless gorgeous set under his Destroyer moniker. "Kaputt" finds Bejar's songwriting stripped of pretense due to a lingering sense of defeat, with mumbled lyrics-like "They had it in for me" and "The government's swallowed up in this war"-paired with emotional saxophone solos and arrangements that at times recall lounge music and disco. The set's nine songs are all breathtaking, but the deceptively dance-ready title track and aforementioned "Kara Walker" are two of the best tracks in Destroyer's 15-year history. "Kaputt" continues Bejar's winning streak and is an early contender for indie-rock album of the year.
Up for Discussion