REVIEW: Deftones, Around the Fur (Maverick)
- Sean Eric McGill
In the minds of many, the Deftones have always seemed to exist in the shadow of Korn. And while there are a few similarities between the two bands, with the release of Around the Fur , the Deftones have now set themselves apart from not only Korn, but the rest of the harder-rock pack as well. And in the process, they have created the best harder rock album of the year.
Vocalist Chino Moreno exhibits a vocal range on Around the Fur that makes many of his contemporaries pale by comparison. He can still scream with the best of them, but there's a reason the Deftones were able to pull off a dead-on version of Duran Duran's "The Chauffeur". His voice can go from gentle to frightening in a second, and the band's music does the same thing.
Songs like the album opener "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Rickets" show the harder edge of the band, while the title track and "MX" are the flip side of that coin. But the surprise of the album is without a doubt "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)". In one song, Deftones get to run through the range of their songwriting and performance abilities, and even get to sound a little like the Smashing Pumpkins in the process.
Lyrically, Around the Fur seems to be more preoccupied with interpersonal relationships and their problems than a simple dislike of the world. This is a welcome change in itself from a lot of their contemporaries, as well. While child abuse is truly a horrible thing, I just don't think I want to hear too many more songs about it, and the same goes for songs about how much the man is holding someone down.
Overall, the Deftones, while already having a big following among rock fans, have released an album that should greatly increase that following. Around the Fur has more depth and feeling than their earlier releases, and showcases more of the band's ability to craft quality songs. When suggesting albums to people, I always try to get an idea for what they're into beforehand. Not every Marilyn Manson fan will like the Rollins Band album, but I can't see where anyone with even the slightest interest in harder rock wouldn't love Around the Fur.
