Critic's Choice

The members of Deerhoof, who drop by Monkey Mania (2126 Arapahoe Street) on Wednesday, April 30, understand the difference between "childlike" and "childish." Apple O', the San Francisco-based combo's latest disc on the Kill Rock Stars imprint, is an undiluted blast of sheer exuberance, and thanks to the guitar jousting...

By Michael Roberts

April 24, 2003

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The members of Deerhoof, who drop by Monkey Mania (2126 Arapahoe Street) on Wednesday, April 30, understand the difference between "childlike" and "childish." Apple O', the San Francisco-based combo's latest disc on the Kill Rock Stars imprint, is an undiluted blast of sheer exuberance, and thanks to the guitar jousting of Chris Cohen and John Dietrich, the idiosyncratic rhythms tossed out by drummer Greg Saunier, and Satomi Matsuzaki's guileless vocals, the music's as smart as it is witty. On tracks such as "Panda Panda Panda," on which most of the lyrics are incorporated within its title, and "Heart Failure," in which she sings about "teen pop" shooting "straight to the top," Matsuzaki sounds happier than a dental hygienist accidentally locked in a room filled with nitrous oxide. Yet during the quieter sections of "Apple Bomb," she allows a hint of melancholy to creep into her girly tone, which only makes the moments when she has to squeal to be heard over the slamming riffs that much more thrilling. As Apple O' proves, Deerhoof makes kids' stuff in the best sense of the term.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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