ATLAS SOUND > Let the Blind Lead Those Who See But Cannot Feel

This solo debut from Bradford Cox, frontman of Atlanta avant punks, Deerhunter, is striking from the start. When’s the last time an album’s opening track consisted of a young boy improvising a ghost story? The spirit’s supernatural presence looms throughout Let the Blind…, an album constructed upon unsettling sonic elements ranging from crawling mbira loops to ghastly vocals to ominous treated guitar. 

Label: Kranky
[Rating: 3.5 STARS]

This solo debut from Bradford Cox, frontman of Atlanta avant punks, Deerhunter, is striking from the start. When’s the last time an album’s opening track consisted of a young boy improvising a ghost story? The spirit’s supernatural presence looms throughout Let the Blind…, an album constructed upon unsettling sonic elements ranging from crawling mbira loops to ghastly vocals to ominous treated guitar. Cox has always appeared to be a troubled individual, a perception that certainly could account for the haunted atmosphere that permeates this disc. On “On Guard,” he sings, “I’m trying to make friends but I’m always on guard.” Coupled with the track’s music, which almost feels like a paranoid walk through an overcast cityscape, the line furthers this idea. Yet as disturbing as Let the Blind… can be, such as on the appropriately titled “Small Horror,” songs like the ethereal “River Card” are just as beautiful. This may not be a record for everyone, but it will certainly raise a few neck hairs-something that can’t always be said.