The group began with the ambition of fusing the lulling hypnotic states induced by ambient and minimalist music with the klang and propulsion of garage rock. The band has weathered chaotic line-up changes and the death of a member.
Cryptograms was the second full-length offering from Deerhunter, and their first for Kranky. The album took almost two years to finish and was the product of emotional, physical, and financial strain on the group. The result is an album that finds the band shifting from discordant catharsis, and forming a sonic identity that completely expresses the place from which they have arrived. The first half of the album was recorded first unsuccessfully in 2005. These recordings were a blur at best, wordless and bordering on psychological atrophy. The sessions failed to provide anything tangible, and were racked with technical and personal problems, including out-of-tune pianos, panic attacks, and a tape machine that seemed to fail to capture the full spectrum of ambience the band was exploring.
The band returned home, having failed, and considered giving up. The idea arose to give it one last shot and exactly one year from the date of the recording of their first self-titled LP at a small studio in rural Georgia, they returned to that same studio and plugged in. The session resulted in the first half of the record which was recorded in one day and completely filled the reel of tape they brought with them. Cryptograms’ first side begins with an introduction leading to the title track, and ends with the tape literally spinning off the end of the reel in the middle of a drone layered with bells and accordion (Red Ink). The second half of the record, also recorded in one day, in November of 2005, represents the band in an entirely different state. Spring Hall Convert opens with the line, “…so I woke up…” and introduces a set of focused psych-pop songs fixating on adolescence, illness, and failing connections.
On May 8, 2007, the group released the Fluorescent Grey EP, which was recorded in July 2006. This EP also garnered the title of "Best New Music" from Pitchfork Media. In the same month, the band released the Whirlyball 7" single, which was available at only one store in Atlanta, Georgia: Criminal Records. The single also acted as a ticket to a show, which featured the band along with The Carbonas, Selmanaires and The Coathangers. The single was available online for a limited time after the show due to popular demand, but only 200 copies were pressed, with 100 on black vinyl and 100 on clear vinyl.
The quartet's third album, Microcastle, came out in October of 2008 after being leaked accidentally in May. The physical release was accompanied by an album entitled Weird Era Cont.. They were both well-received, scoring a 9.2 and "best new music" on Pitchfork and taking the #1 slot for Tiny Mix Tapes' annual favorite albums list for 2008.
The band added guitarist Whitney Petty, a former sailor and high school friend of Cox's, to replace the departing Colin Mee in May 2008. She in turn left the band in February 2009.
The band followed up the critically acclaimed Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. set in May 2009 with an EP - Rainwater Cassette Exchange.
In September 2010, Deerhunter released Halcyon Digest on the label 4AD. The album received broad critical acclaim, including being rated #20 on the NME "50 Best Albums of 2010." Deerhunter made their US broadcast television debut on Conan, December 2, 2010, where they performed Helicopter.
Deerhunter released their sixth album, Monomania, in May 2013. It was their first album without bassist Josh Fauver, with Frankie Broyles and Josh McKay being added to the group. The Black Lips described the album as the "most punk album of the last 30 years."
On December 4, 2014, frontman Bradford Cox was seriously injured and hospitalized after being hit by a car in Atlanta. He has since described the incident as a “perspective-giving jolt” and cites the accident as a turning point for him in life. Deerhunter's seventh album, Fading Frontier, was released in October 2015. This was Cox's first musical output since the accident. The album also saw the departure of guitarist Frankie Broyles, who left the band to focus on his solo career.
In 2018, multi-instrumentalist Javier Morales was added as a permanent member, and the band embarked on a series of tour dates in the USA and Europe. Sold on this tour was a limited cassette-only release, Double Dream of Spring, comprised mainly of instrumental and experimental pieces. The band's eighth studio album, Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?, followed in January 2019. Later in the year, a "12-minute opus" titled Timebends was released to streaming services as a one-off single. Partially improvised and laden with Cox's signature stream-of-consciousness lyricism, the track was "recorded live direct to tape and in one take with minimal overdubs and mastered using a completely analogue signal chain."
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Sailing
Deerhunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No water, no food. It was good.
I didn't mind, no. Nowhere to be.
Nothing to see, except me.
Only fear
Can make you feel lonely out here.
You learn to accept
When there is no law
You've done nothing wrong.
You can't take too long
Making up songs.
Only fear
Can make you feel lonely out here.
You learn to accept
Whatever you can get.
Whatever you can get.
Only fear
Can make you feel lonely out here.
You learn to accept
Whatever you can get.
Whatever you can get.
The opening line of Deerhunter's "Sailing" speaks of the wind in the sails and living for days. The singer suggests that there is no water or food, but it doesn't bother them. The freedom of being in the middle of the ocean with no particular destination or expectation makes it satisfying. There is nothing to see except for oneself, and no one to judge or hold accountable. The second verse suggests that fear is the one feeling that can make you feel lonely out there in the endless expanse of the ocean. However, it is also an opportunity to learn and accept whatever one can get. The final line is repeated thrice and emphasizes the power of fear being the only source of loneliness.
The song seems to be a reflection on a journey of isolation and survival. It can be interpreted as a metaphor for personal growth and the resilience of the human spirit. The first verse suggests the notion of falling into a state of being comfortable with isolation and finding peace in it. In the second verse, fear is acknowledged as an inevitable part of life, but also a chance to develop resilience and acceptance. The repetition of the last line emphasizes the learning that comes with acceptance and preparation in the face of fear.
Line by Line Meaning
Wind in my sails, I lived for days.
I was adrift at sea without any necessities, but the wind was favorable and kept me alive for many days.
No water, no food. It was good.
Despite not having any food or water, I found contentment in my solitude and freedom to sail unencumbered.
I didn't mind, no. Nowhere to be.
I had no expectations or obligations, and as a result, didn't feel restless or anxious.
Nothing to see, except me.
My lack of visual stimulation forced me to contemplate and face myself, prompting self-discovery and introspection.
Only fear
Can make you feel lonely out here.
Despite being alone, it was only the fear of not surviving that made me feel truly isolated.
You learn to accept
Whatever you can get.
In such dire circumstances, I had to learn to embrace and be grateful for whatever came my way, no matter how small or insignificant.
When there is no law
You've done nothing wrong.
Without societal norms or expectations, there is no 'right' or 'wrong,' only survival and self-preservation.
You can't take too long
Making up songs.
In dire situations, it's important to focus on practical actions rather than distracting oneself with trivial pleasures like making up songs.
Whatever you can get.
Reiterated as a reminder to embrace and be grateful for anything that comes my way, no matter how small or insignificant.
Whatever you can get.
Reiterated as a reminder to embrace and be grateful for anything that comes my way, no matter how small or insignificant.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: BRADFORD COX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind