Dark, brooding and tormented - Deerhoof are literally none of these things. A band almost impossible to define, Deerhoof are the dictionary definition of eclectic. Part experimental, a dash of pop here, a smidgen of indie rock there, the San Francisco outfit like to keep their fans guessing.
But after speaking to co-founder, drummer and all-round nice guy Greg Saunier on the phone from New York, the real revelation is that the band - the other members are John Dieterich, Ed Rodriguez, and Satomi Matsuzaki - are just as in the dark about the direction of their music as their audience.
The endlessly enthusiastic Saunier shares a childhood anecdote that perhaps explains the outfit's eclecticism. 'As a kid I would make cassette tapes so I could hear songs out of the order they were on the record. Then I would get used to the order on the cassette tape and I would know what was coming and then change things again. I spend so much time shuffling music, shuffling is incredibly fun.'
For Saunier, the words 'fun' and 'exciting' come up a lot when he's discussing Deerhoof. He even answers with cheery enthusiasm the annoying, obvious questions, such as how Deerhoof's sound would be pigeonholed. 'It's not that Deerhoof can't be pigeonholed, it's that most music can't be pigeonholed.'
It's a fairly diplomatic answer, but it is clear Saunier has thought long and hard about this. When pressed, he says Deerhoof are essentially a pop band. 'Pop music, the music that we play, is not a musical style. Pop music can be anything as long as it's popular. The actual style, mood, the tempo can be almost anything, that's kind of the beauty of it. If people want to describe us as pop music, I wouldn't be offended - I would be excited.'
Deerhoof have been on the road to promote their latest album, Deerhoof vs Evil, and the show drops in on Hong Kong early next month. The album has been met with acclaim from fans and critics alike, although Saunier concedes that the positive reception has been varied in its reasoning. 'The people who listen to our music have a big role in the interpretation of the music. The response to Deerhoof vs Evil has been as usual, maybe more than usual, incredibly varied,' he says.
'Some say it was the rawest and most live-sounding record. Some say it's the most carefully produced and nuanced record. Some people are focused on the acoustic guitars, some focused on how every song is different from the next. Some find it harsh. Some find it cute. It's always like this with us, but it is getting more so over the years.'
