Deerhoof Friend Opportunity by: Tim Clare Thu:25-Jan-07 Label: Kill Rock Stars Year: 2007 WB rating 62 out of 100

Friend Opportunity proves that spending big bucks on glossier production values doesn’t necessarily make for a stronger artistic statement. Openers ‘The Perfect Me’, ‘+81’ and ‘Believe E.S.P’ blend into each other as Satomi Matsuzaki’s shrill, almost-programmed vocal combats the frantic drumming from Greg Saunier and John Dietrich’s steroid-fuelled FM-radio riffing. A war is waging, and Satomi, a veteran warrior, faces the threat of exile. Occupying this territory for nigh on 15 years she has fended off would-be rivals:  Rob Fisk, Kelley Goode and Chris Cohen. Now Satomi has attracted the hunter’s attention.

Satomi is surrounded. Saunier’s drumming encircles her from all sides, pulsing and repetitive. Dietrich is found hanging out with the Chester boys and their naughty ways have turned him into a dirty fighter: kicking and pinching. These noises, once the glue that held the army together, now spread rumours of treason and dissent. Satomi casts her mind back to the not-too-distant memory of happy road trips. The 2007 collective sound now rolls over her – refusing to brake. Tired and defenceless, Satomi slumps to the ground; defeated.

Her dream-life is vivid…

Exposed for indulging in illegitimacy, Fantine is plunged into a poverty rich with disease, prostitution and disdain for human life. Fortunately, she is able to shield her little ray of bastardry away from this world of squalor and misery, by slaving the child in an abject, licentiousness saloon. ‘Castle On A Cloud’ is Fantine’s child Cosette pining for a better day, for deliverance from the torment not far from that experienced by her dying mother. This song highlights the turning point in the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables and signifies to the child Cosette not to be so easily defeated; her longing for change will be fulfilled.

Satomi awakes. Now amongst the unrest of the Battle of Waterloo; the oppression that once choked her has been replaced with resolve. In this trading of places Cosette’s plaintive ‘Castle On A Cloud’ now becomes Satomi’s soul-searching ‘Whither The Invisible Birds’.

“How can I find you/Not again/Not again.” The desperation and despair found in ‘Whither’ serve as the adrenaline shot to the junkie’s heart for Saunier and Dietrich. They respond to this plea. Satomi’s forlorn cries bring the duo out of the Nippon design magazines, away from the boogie oogie and back from the planet hopping of the first half of Friend Opportunity and deep into a state of unwanted unrest, fuelled by panic. So begins ‘Cast Off Crown’.

Saunier steps in. The dust settles momentarily and as the mayday message emitting wreckages are cleaned up, ‘Cast Off Crown’ moves to find the two original Deerhoof members in confrontation. Saunier doesn’t allow Satomi a word: “Hey mister, hey mister /Out of this picture/I’m only her sister … Queen of the cast offs/Thrice I will refuse.” Saunier’s sweet croon, mixed with minimalist background glitches, is a realisation that he has forgotten to take one of the most pivotal elements to Deerhoof’s existence along on the next ride.     

Satomi has heard what she wants to hear: she is valued by her band mates. She is important. But a simple apology won’t do.

The panic continues to rise and fall throughout ‘Cast Off Crown’ as Satomi juggles with her place in the trio, turning to friend and comedian David Shrigley, who eventuates as the glue holding Friend Opportunity together. Still not ready to put pen to paper, Satomi scribbles a Shrigley verse from his 2006 book Worried Noodles on ‘Kidz Are So Small’. The verse is apt. Exploring her feelings toward the male species, Satomi emerges from the foetal position of ‘Whither’ and takes her first shaky steps.

And it’s on ‘Matchbook Seeks Maniac’ where Satomi breaks into a fully-fledged gallop. This irresistibly straightforward pop song is a fitting end to the journey of this record. Satomi is back, singing about power and her aspirations to greatness, supported by her band in a way that urges the listener to throw their arms in the air Chariots of Fire style.  

Album closer ‘Look Away’ hurts on the back of ‘Matchbook’s’ sweet sonority. The largely instrumental 11 minutes and 45 seconds suggests that things are still far from healthy in the Deerhoof camp (especially given that the entire album is only 36 minutes and 41 seconds). ‘Look Away’ is manic and deranged. It’s a massive come-down from the jubilant Satomi of the previous song. As the last image we see of her, she is in a straight jacket singing: “me me me me me”. The power discovered in ‘Matchbook’ has taken Satomi from a euphoric chanteuse to a gibbering mess.

Friend Opportunity will be spruiked as Deerhoof’s best effort to date. A record company failing to push a release in this way would be the same as trying to find a decent release in Sanity with its Al Green best-ofs, copious copies of Grace and sales assistants who haven’t heard of Spunk (if you’re reading this Amelia, they have released Sufjan Stevens, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Joanna Newsom – small stuff really). And, given all of the production assistance that the label has thrown at Deerhoof, they’re well within their right to expect it to be. This may well have been the case if the gems on Friend Opportunity (and they are in there) had been condensed to an EP, but alas we’ve got to go on wondering what if …