Deerhoof

Breakup Song (Polyvinyl Records)

With music as strange as Deerhoof’s – cut-up freak pop made of skittering electronics, over-excited guitars, and unconventional singing – inanity threatens, but on its 11th studio disc, San Francisco’s noisy electro crew finds a sweet spot both weird and inspiring. Sucker punch tempo changes and disorienting stereo panning skew the distinction between a party record and art LP, so when they chop a tango into sunshine pop on “The Trouble with Candyhands” and ride a fuzzed-out beat on “We Do Parties,” it’s hard detecting where instruments end and computers begin. Standout “Flower” lulls with repetitive, minor tones before pulling the rug out from under you with a bright, catchy refrain of “Let it go, leave it all behind.” Breakup Song brims variety, not just song to song, but moment to moment. (Sun., Orange stage, 5:15pm)

***.5

This article appears in November 2 • 2012.

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