This Night

by Destroyer

Overview

This Night is a sometimes-fragile, sometimes-bombastic folk-rock record that plays like early-'70s Bowie jamming with Bright Eyes. Daniel Bejar's bittersweet songwriting and the sparkling production match his Dylan wordplay, earthy strumming, and crunchy, skyward electric guitar riffs to establish This Night solidly as Destroyer's Hunky Dory. From "Holly Going Lightly" -- an indie rock tune of operatic proportions and utter levity -- to the dark, "The Bewlay Brothers"-meets-Calexico "The Chosen Few," it's clear that this comparison would sit perfectly well with Bejar. And so what if he takes his influences so seriously? Bowie fans have been waiting for another Hunky Dory since 1972. Destroyer's This Night follows through on that wish without ever being a simple sound-alike and, in the process, adds a welcome dose of Grandaddy, the criminally underrated Television Personalites, and even some good old Lou Reed rock. "Snow White" is the most cryptic and downright moving hat-tip to "Sweet Jane" and Reed's favorite state of being ("Hey, Snow White/It's gonna be alright") and one of the most zoned-out, uncomplicated, and gratifying rock tunes of the year. ~ Charles Spano

Product Details

Release Date:	10/08/2002
Label:	Merge / Talitres
UPC:	0036172951826
Rank:	118329

Tracks

1. This Night
2. Holly Going Lightly
3. Here Comes the Night
4. The Chosen Few
5. Makin' Angels
6. Hey, Snow White
7. Modern Painters
8. Crystal Country
9. Trembling Peacock
10. I Have Seen a Light
11. Students Carve Hearts out of Coal
12. Goddess of Drought
13. Self Portrait With Thing (Tonight Is Not Your Night)
14. The Relevant Ballads
15. The Night Moves

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Destroyer   Primary Artist
Steve Wood   Clapping,E-Bow
Daniel Bejar   Vocals,Clapping,Melodica,Percussion,Synthesizer,Slide Whistle,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Acoustic),Organ,Piano,Snaps
Fisher Rose   Drums,Piano,Snaps,Violin,Vocals,Baritone,Clapping,Percussion,Vibraphone,Synthesizer,Bowed Cymbals
Chris Frey   Bass,E-Bow,Vocals,Melodica

Technical Credits

Robin Mitchell   Design
Sydney Vermont   Photography
JC/DC   Mixing,Additional Production
Steve Wood   Engineer,Mixing
Destroyer   Additional Production,Mixing,Composer,Producer
Colin Stewart   Mixing