By Cam LindsayOn the surface, Deerhunter have always appeared to be Bradford Cox's band. But Cox has demonstrated that there are four people in Deerhunter, whether through the singular music he makes as Atlas Sound or in interviews. Lockett Pundt may not generate the same kind of attention as his best friend, but his influence in that act (see "Desire Lines") can definitely be heard in his solo-project, Lotus Plaza. A reverb-soaked debut album, The Floodlight Collective was released in 2009 and sadly overlooked by many. For his second album, Spooky Action At A Distance, Pundt left his bedroom and joined a producer in the studio to help push himself out of his comfort zone. The first thing to go was the gauzy reverb, which heavily weighed down most of The Floodlight Collective. With this new lucidity, Pundt has taken charge, reaching further with his most direct vocals yet on "Monoliths," confessing, "Somewhere outside/I wish I could be there most of the time." He answers the question of who brings the melodies to Deerhunter with the guitar-driven "Strangers" and the digital delay-infused loops of "Eveningness." Pundt may prefer to stay out of the limelight, but Spooky Action At A Distance is a sprawling pop album beaming with the kind of confidence none of us, likely even Pundt, expected. Some surprises are worth waiting six years for.
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