Atlas Sound: Logos

My experience with Deerhunter and its lead singer Bradford Cox has been tangential and solitary. I missed their Charlottesville show at the now-defunct Satellite Ballroom while they were touring for Cryptograms. I enjoyed 2008's masterful Microcastle and Weird Era Contd. entirely alone. I bought the CD from Amazon, digested it, and guarded it jealously. Now comes another release from Cox's solo project Atlas Sound. Admittedly I have kept blinders on when it comes to the Cox show, which is increasingly hard to do, and I enjoy Logos just as I have enjoyed about everything he has done.

At the risk of being arcane, I think the album's name has some interesting ambiguities that shed light on the entire Cox situation. "Logos" can mean a couple of things. One is the plural of "logo." This interpretation would sit well with those who think Cox cannibalizes every "in" music genre (shoegaze, post-punk, etc.) in an attempt to build some sort of "cool" identity. I get the sense that this is a sneaking suspicion shared by many reviewers. In more academic circles "logos" has a different meaning. It is the ancient Greek word for "the Word," which has been interpreted all over the place from the word of good, to the fundamental order of the universe. This interpretation would indicate that Cox is on to something deeper. Ok, sorry for the deconstruction. Enjoy the album; it's quite nice.

mp3 Atlas Sound Walkabout