Hallock Hill

Dirty Projectors, “Two Doves,” Bitte Orca (Domino 2009)

Dirty Projectors are a divisive bunch. Founder and song-writer David Longstreth seems to divide listeners into factions. This hits other original artists, from Captain Beefheart to Joanna Newsom. At the end of the day, listen to his music and you’ll see that he is an intelligent guy, that he cares to make something well, and that he is trying to express a vision. I’ll leave the varying breakdown blow-by-blows to Pitchfork and Dusted, but here I will just say that there are moments of sheer beauty, such as this song. Don’t get bogged down in musicological stamp collecting, don’t try to find references to other songs and other poems and other whatever. Just lose yourself in the quirkly, rhythmically dynamic guitar and the lush, completely enrapturing voice of Angel Deradoorian. Other songs display the musical chops at this band’s command, but this song takes it all down to the elements: and the string arrangement works through it like a Greek chorus, commenting on Deradoorian’s glorious melody. Hers is one of the best voices in modern rock, and just let it be and take you to a different place.

Domino Records

Dirty Projectors on MySpace