Over the past nearly 3 decades that Deerhoof has been around, their sound has continued to not only evolve, but shift and mutate into simultaneously new yet familiar territories. Ranging from noise rock to art rock to pop and even occasionally classical, they’ve managed to make themselves undefinable as a band. Their second album, “The Man, The King, The Girl,” officially acknowledged as their true debut, is evidence that even in the 90s they wielded an uncompromising sound.

“Gore In Rut” kicks off the album as the most abrasive song ever made about trying to catch a bunny. This serves as a weirdly perfect introduction to Deerhoof as a whole – abrasive, catchy, unpredictable and bizarrely fun. It also serves as a perfect intro to the album, as the entire project has a very lo-fi and boxy sound.

The album also has more intense moments that challenge the listener, such as the intro to “Tiger Chain” almost sounding like the ambiance from a horror movie, or the seemingly improvisational “Sophie,” being comprised of erratic screaming vocals, frantic guitars and interspersed blown-out drum playing.

However, they make sure to show their softer side as well, with “Polly Bee” being a fun, catchy rock song, or cuts such as “Queen Of The Mole People” and “Bendinin” containing soft and quiet instrumentals with peaceful vocals.

This project is intense, challenging, harsh and bizarre, to say the least. Despite this, the result is a sound full of character and passion. It was created from tons of practice tapes recorded by the band which were whittled down to, as drummer Greg Saunier put it, “magical moments … that couldn’t ever be repeated.” Though its appeal may be limited, it’s an experience that is hard to re-create.

Rating: 7/10