Deerhoof

Deerhoof has built a reputation for themselves as being one of the most indecipherable bands in indie rock music. It seems nearly impossible to track where their sound is headed, and in large part this stems from the claim that neither do they. Not only are their transitions from album to album unpredictable, but the structure of their songs is also wildly erratic. "Panda Panda Panda" a song from their masterful "Apple O'" album starts out fully charged, but then unexpectedly jerks and lags about, creating great tension in the dynamical structure, then out of nowhere explodes with extreme magnitude. As indicated on such tracks like "Panda Panda Panda" their melodies are incredibly jarring and discordant, but have a tendency to get stuck into your head for days.
There sound is also so fascinating because they love playing around with polar opposite musical elements, testing how they clash and complement each other. Singer Satomi Matsuzaki's voice has a characteristic sweet and child like innocence to it; however it is often bizarrely paired with abrasive (sometimes borderline frighting) musical accompaniments. Deerhoof is also a band that has a rich understanding of pop music; however they will take it into their own territory: perverting it, capitalizing on its charm, and most importantly using it as a way to mess with the listeners anticipations.
Deerhoof is one of the most unique bands around and it is a wonderful experience to see them perform live. Their music is simply incomparable. In a way it is a mystery how they get such interesting sounds when using very conventional instrumentation. When I saw them live for their "Breakup Song" tour they performed their entire set using only a guitar, bass, drum set and microphone. I was mesmerized throughout the performance. It was one of the few shows I have attended in which I was absolutely absorbed in the music. They switched from songs like "Apple Bomb" which was a more contemplative track featuring fantastically odd chord changes to newer songs like "There's That Grin". "There's that Grin" has to be the catchiest Deerhoof track written. I couldn't believe how perfect they performed it live either. This is a song that features extensive use of synthesizers and yet it sounded just as good performed on the guitar and bass. Their drummer Greg Saunier also has one of the greatest improvisational styles I have seen in a long time.
Deerhoof is a band that's talent and versatility can't be denied. They have contributed to the ultra-macabre recordings of Xiu Xiu and have remixed hits by Maroon 5. Hearing them perform live it is no wonder why they are herald by so many artists and are invited on stage by the likes of David Bowie and Wilco.