Bradford Cox & co made the first misstep of a heretofore stellar career with 2013's Monomania, a claustrophobic garage rock romp that rather missed the point of Deerhunter: with this band the dreamier, the better.
They rediscover their mojo on Fading Frontier with a short set of crystalline guitar-pop songs couched in a gorgeous, hazy miasma of guitars and synths.
Cox sounds more at ease with himself than ever before (perhaps due to the “turning point” that was a serious car accident last year), while sensitive production and contributions from members of Stereolab and Broadcast help these songs to shine.
Opener All the Same, the lithe Snakeskin and the Byrdsian jangle of Breaker rank among Deerhunter's best pop tunes, while Living My Life – a manifesto for slowing down – and Ad Astra sway and sigh with uncommon grace.
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