A lot of people don’t like the word ‘awesome;’ I’m one of them. My eleventh grade English teacher said that due to overuse, that word has lost all meaning — it conjures no images. I agree that it’s been overused, but note that it’s overused in a particular way. What’s awesome? Dinosaurs are awesome. Leather jackets with fringe aren’t ‘bitchin’ or ‘totally radical,’ they’re ‘awesome.’ ‘Awesome’ is actually a precise and technical term that adequately describes all sorts of things. Ninjas, samurai swords, and giant cats that fly and grant wishes are all awesome. Breakups (all kinds), cognac, and Vin Diesel are great examples of anti-awesome, which exists in equilibrium with awesome.

So, it’s with this background that I tell you Dan Deacon is awesome. I’m using this term technically. ‘Wham City‘ is about a castle on an ice mountain where giant bears play beautiful music with

“goats and cats and pigs and bats with brooms and bats and wigs and rats and play big dogs like queens and kings and everyone plays drums and sings”…!?

That’s awesome. His music is awesome too. I don’t know what to call it without using invented alchemical music terms like “ambient hardcore” and “velveteen technopunk.” This guy’s no bullshit, he’s conservatory trained. Bodymore Murderland has a great fucking music scene, and he’s just the best thing to come out of there since The Wire. Or maybe John Waters. I had some bangin’ crab cakes there once, too. Dan Deacon is better than a crab sandwich.

You’ll find some of his tunes below. They’re a little long,* so if you want to see everything he’s about in four wonderfully epileptic minutes, here’s your YouTube. But frankly, you’re better off trying it on YOOOUUUTUUUBE.

Dan Deacon – “Wham City”
Dan Deacon – “Paddling Ghost”

* They tend to be. I cut it down a little. If you wanna hear it so much, just buy the damn thing already.

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