With its clanging percussion, steady unveiling of hazy distorted guitars, and ominous choir-like vocal accompaniment, the beginnings of “Death Song” certainly do enough to capture one’s attention. Doo Crowder, the “leader of Denver avant-folk orchestra pee-pee”, puts this track out ahead of his solo debut, One For the Losers (& Other Pilgrims). “Death Song” is the first of several singles to be released from the album, which “came about after a crisis of meaning during which he quit music in favor of devoting his life to serving others.” The album’s 16 tracks, if any indication by “Death Song”, seems poised to leave a striking imprint.
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The track’s first minute sounds like a fractured garage-rock construction, somewhere between Beck and Deerhunter, before launching into an irresistibly infectious hook at 01:17, when snappy percussion and playful guitars conjure an ode of sorts to suave classic-rock. The track’s alternating between more cavernous verses and a danceable, perky chorus works very well, enhanced even more by great backing vocal production that only uses a touch of auto-tune, which resembles a ghostly choir. The final minute, a calming more folk-led creaker, is a phenomenal way to cap this off, and perhaps a peek at the eclectic attempts throughout the upcoming album.
