Halcyon Digest
Encyclopedia
Halcyon Digest is the fourth studio album by American indie rock
band Deerhunter
. It was released September 28, 2010 to very enthusiastic reviews. It was the band's first album distributed exclusively by 4AD
worldwide (previously 4AD only handled overseas distribution while Kranky Records
handled it within the U.S) The album was self-produced with assistance from Ben Allen and was recorded at Chase Park Transduction studios in Athens, Georgia. The final track, "He Would Have Laughed" was recorded separately by Bradford Cox at Notown Sound in Marietta, GA and is a tribute to the late Jay Reatard
.
profile page, Cox stated "The album's title is a reference to a collection of fond memories and even invented ones, like my friendship with Ricky Wilson
or the fact that I live in an abandoned victorian autoharp
factory. The way that we write and rewrite and edit our memories to be a digest version of what we want to remember, and how that's kind of sad."
Answering the Q magazine question as to whether the album was "...supposed to sound like a newsletter or bulletin board from somewhere mysterious", Bradford Cox said: "It's supposed to be like a collection of short dispatches". He called the use of the word 'Halcyon' misleading, adding: "It has a lot to do with the way people romanticise the past, even if it was horrific."
About the flyer concept, Cox stated he was inspired by the record promotion he witnessed in the 80s. He recalls:
's Pop & Rock Albums of the Year where Cam Lindsay credits Deerhunter with continuing their "impressive streak as one of the more consistent sonic explorer's [sic] within the indie rock canon." The album also appeared at #3 on Pitchfork Media
's 50 Greatest Albums of 2010, where Rob Mitchum writes that the work's rough-yet-shimmery production and existential theme "demonstrates that the ache of mortality can be even more wounding in the bright glare of daytime than late at night."
Additional musicians
Technical Staff
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Deerhunter
Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American four-piece indie rock group originating from Atlanta, Georgia. The band, consisting of Bradford Cox, Moses Archuleta, Josh Fauver, and Lockett Pundt, have described themselves as "ambient punk," though they incorporate a wide range of genres, including noise rock, art...
. It was released September 28, 2010 to very enthusiastic reviews. It was the band's first album distributed exclusively by 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
worldwide (previously 4AD only handled overseas distribution while Kranky Records
Kranky Records
Kranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
handled it within the U.S) The album was self-produced with assistance from Ben Allen and was recorded at Chase Park Transduction studios in Athens, Georgia. The final track, "He Would Have Laughed" was recorded separately by Bradford Cox at Notown Sound in Marietta, GA and is a tribute to the late Jay Reatard
Jay Reatard
Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr. , better known by the stage name Jay Reatard, was an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. Lindsey was signed to Matador Records...
.
Concept
Writing on his FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
profile page, Cox stated "The album's title is a reference to a collection of fond memories and even invented ones, like my friendship with Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson (American musician)
Ricky Helton Wilson was an American instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and musician. He was best known as the original guitarist and founding member of New Wave rock band the B-52s...
or the fact that I live in an abandoned victorian autoharp
Autoharp
The autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
factory. The way that we write and rewrite and edit our memories to be a digest version of what we want to remember, and how that's kind of sad."
Answering the Q magazine question as to whether the album was "...supposed to sound like a newsletter or bulletin board from somewhere mysterious", Bradford Cox said: "It's supposed to be like a collection of short dispatches". He called the use of the word 'Halcyon' misleading, adding: "It has a lot to do with the way people romanticise the past, even if it was horrific."
Promotion
To help promote the release of the LP, the group launched a new website where they urged fans to download a promotional flyer (created by Cox by photocopying images together) and email pictures of it "hanging in your town, neighborhood, bedrooms, etc." To reward those who had emailed photos, the band revealed the tracklisting and album artwork via email. The first single, "Revival," along with some unused demos and b-side "Primitive 3D" were also made available to fans who had posted flyers. "Helicopter" was later released as a single with a video available on September 8.
About the flyer concept, Cox stated he was inspired by the record promotion he witnessed in the 80s. He recalls:
Reception
Halcyon Digest received high critical acclaim, ranking second in Exclaim!Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
's Pop & Rock Albums of the Year where Cam Lindsay credits Deerhunter with continuing their "impressive streak as one of the more consistent sonic explorer's [sic] within the indie rock canon." The album also appeared at #3 on Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's 50 Greatest Albums of 2010, where Rob Mitchum writes that the work's rough-yet-shimmery production and existential theme "demonstrates that the ache of mortality can be even more wounding in the bright glare of daytime than late at night."
Tracklisting
All tracks written by Bradford Cox, except where noted.- "Earthquake" – 5:00
- "Don't Cry" – 2:49
- "Revival" – 2:13
- "Sailing" – 5:00
- "Memory BoyMemory Boy"Memory Boy" is the second Deerhunter single, taken from Halcyon Digest. It was released on April 11, 2011 in the UK and in the US on April 16 to coincide with Record Store Day...
" – 2:09 - "Desire Lines" (Cox/Pundt) – 6:44
- "Basement Scene" – 3:41
- "Helicopter" – 4:58
- "Fountain Stairs" (Pundt) – 2:38
- "Coronado" – 3:19
- "He Would Have Laughed" – 7:29
Personnel
Deerhunter- Moses Archuleta – drums
- Bradford J. Cox – guitar, vocals
- Joshua Fauver – bass
- Lockett Pundt – guitar, vocals ("Fountain Stairs" & "Desire Lines")
Additional musicians
- Bill Oglesby – saxophone on "Fountain Stairs" and "Coronado"
- Paul McPherson – 12 string guitar on "Coronado"
Technical Staff
- Ben H. Allen – mixing engineer, producer,
- David BarbeDavid BarbeDavid Barbe is an American musician and producer/engineer from Athens, Georgia and director of the Music Business Certificate Program at the University of Georgia. He is chief of Chase Park Transduction studio in Athens...
– engineer - Henry Barbe – producer, engineer on "Basement Scene"
- Winston Barbe – assistant engineer on "Basement Scene"
- Rocbert Gardner – mixing assistant
- Joe Lambert – mastering
- Drew Vandenberg – assistant engineer