Poetry

by Dehd

Overview

Chicago trio Dehd quickly zeroed in on a unique brand of minimalistic pop, one that provided ultimate energy and performance impact with intentionally limited means. The band's two-drums-no-cymbals rhythms, spare basslines, and jittery, winding guitar lines became a perfect backdrop for the big personalities conveyed by both Emily Kempf's uncontainable yowl and Jason Balla's slack muttering. Fifth album Poetry continues Dehd's incremental evolution in sound, one where they grow sharper, stronger, and more interesting without adding more ingredients to the mix or drastically changing their original formula. A standout song like "Mood Ring" has some of the established signature characteristics of a great Dehd song: interplay between Kempf's vocal swagger and Balla's supportive interjections, tangled melodies, and just a touch of yearning in how the band ties the song together. In addition, however, there's an enhanced clarity to the song's production, new layers of guitar hooks, unexpected vocal parts, and even a fuzz-bass intro that's entirely new to the Dehd sound. The band seems to be experimenting more than on previous albums, with moments like the radio grunge approach of "Necklace," the sun-dazzled acoustic guitars of "Pure Gold," and the classic rock-anthem energy of "Dog Days" all pushing the group's usual sound in new directions. Something like "Light On" sounds more like what the band was doing on 2020's Flower of Devotion or 2022's Blue Skies at first, with straightforward drum machine beats and wide-open guitar lines serving as a foundation for a simple but compelling tune. When the chorus comes in, however, the arrangement and songwriting both break out into larger proportions, with waves of harmony vocals and acoustic guitars doubling the song's velocity. The songwriting, vision, and overall sonic presence of the band deepen throughout Poetry, with songs like the especially dynamic "Knife" maintaining Dehd's uniquely intoxicating melodic powers while coming through with more definition and self-assuredness than ever before. Each of Dehd's albums has been smarter, stranger, and more deceptively complex than the last, and the delightful and adventurous Poetry continues this upward trend. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2024
Label:	Fat Possum Records
UPC:	0767981183312
Rank:	1736

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dehd   Primary Artist