Deerhoof celebrated their 20th anniversary with the release of
La Isla Bonita, another fine example of how the band changes course on almost every album. Like
Deerhoof vs. Evil and
Breakup Song before it,
Bonita is another concentrated burst of whimsy. It's a format that suits
Deerhoof, as well as this album's inspiration,
the Ramones. The cover of "Pinhead" they played during rehearsals shaped the album's approach, and in many ways, this is
Deerhoof's version of garage rock (or technically, basement rock -- the band bashed out
La Isla Bonita in
Ed Rodriguez's basement in a week). The
Ramones influence is clearest on "Exit Only"'s blitzkrieg riffs and bratty beats, though lyrics like "welcome to speech of freedom" are
Deerhoof through and through. Elsewhere, they reconfigure punk's guitar-bass-drums approach into fascinating interplay.
Rodriguez and
John Dieterich's guitars are more active than they've been in some time: "Tiny Bubbles" alone ranges from surf-lounge to intricate, knotty passages and tight, disco-inspired rhythms, while the pair's work on "Big House Waltz" is dense and spacious at the same time. It's a big shift from
Breakup Song's fractured electropop -- indeed, there's a surprisingly funky groove behind the winning "Paradise Girls," an homage to "smart girls" who "play bass guitar" with a riff reminiscent of
the Ohio Players' "Love Rollercoaster," and "Oh Bummer," which boasts a taut rhythm section that evokes
Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Elsewhere,
Deerhoof play off their own history as much as any of their other influences: "Doom," a fuzzy rocker that's more charming than storming, could've appeared on one of their early-2000s albums along with the appealingly herky-jerky "Last Fad," while "Mirror Monster" puts their often-neglected serene side in the spotlight. Even on these songs, it feels more like
Deerhoof are coming full circle than looking back; that they've been able to put different but cohesive spins on their sound so well, and for so long, is truly remarkable. ~ Heather Phares
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