Much like the UK, Canada punches way above its weight in the production of pop and rock musicians. One reason is obvious—Anglo-American language and business networks facilitate global reach.
But the other is less so: a deep and rich musical heritage accompanying a slightly congested internal market. This produces outward-facing, musically literate composers and performers, often with an enlightened and broad worldview.
Dan Bejar—chief creative force behind Destroyer—is one such musician. His 12th studio album, ‘Have We Met’, is a spacey tapestry of often low-slung melodies held together by lyrics that are dark, immersive and satirical.
Much like a less mawkish and libidinous Nick Cave, Bejar’s vocals spill across the record. He ethereally haunts musical arrangements that can occasionally be very innovative.
Cue Synthesizer is one of the strongest offerings, landing somewhere on the Bryan Ferry cruise-ship-lounge-lizard scale. It's a slow jam that stretches out confidently. Kinda Dark is good in the same way, opening with toy keyboard drums before disappearing into gloomy reverie.
The lyrics to this song are indirect but highly evocative: “Then The Blind Bitch vs. The Clucking Hen / In a ring, around the razor's edge.” Once again, like Nick Cave, this is music that creates a sense and a feeling, rather than signposting its messaging and directing the listener too strongly.
Not all tracks are direct hits, though. The Television Music Supervisor, though thematically interesting, is not much fun to listen to, and while the album has a high degree of cogency, the flipside is that tracks sometimes come and go without making an impression. But one supposes that—like Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’—’Have We Met’ is an album that will age very well despite its seeming introversion. It’s only January but expect to see this on year-end lists come Christmas.
Destroyer Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue May 05 2020 - LONDON Village Underground
Wed May 06 2020 - GLASGOW Drygate
Thu May 07 2020 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
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