Destroyer

Destroyer, by nature, is a band that conducts hyperbole. Its music is vast. Its scope is epic. Even its name is foreboding, in that late-'90s ironic kinda way. Funny thing is, Destroyer does destroy. It destroys indie-rock wussitude by channeling it into the sonic equivalent of a passive-aggressive apocalypse. Destroyer's...

By Jason Heller

February 23, 2006

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Destroyer, by nature, is a band that conducts hyperbole. Its music is vast. Its scope is epic. Even its name is foreboding, in that late-'90s ironic kinda way. Funny thing is, Destroyer does destroy. It destroys indie-rock wussitude by channeling it into the sonic equivalent of a passive-aggressive apocalypse. Destroyer's Rubies, the new full-length from Dan Bejar's mercurial Canuck collective, reduces to rubble the crystalline digitization of 2004's Your Blues and then roots around in the ruins, banging on rebar and catching tetanus. Unlike Bejar's sleeker stuff in the New Pornographers, these ten chunks of neo-glam classicism revel in surefooted awkwardness and a certain shrewd hatred of songs qua songs. Like a lump of coal that can't decide if the earth's pressure will crush it or turn its guts into glitter, Rubies is Bejar's fragile, elastic masterpiece. And that's exactly what this record is -- the latest spark of Destroyer genius, one that's as sure to be overlooked as its six predecessors. Which, pardon the hyperbole, is about the biggest fucking miscarriage of justice in the entire history of mankind.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.