Destroyer – Streethawk: A Seduction (2001)
The lo-fi modesty of Streethawk – the real standout of Destroyer’s early catalogue – masks pitch-perfect songwriting, and, of course, Dan Bejar’s trademark lyrical complexity.
Destroyer – Trouble in Dreams (2004)
An almost exaggerated culmination of Destroyer’s pre-Kaputt work, Trouble in Dreams is a melodramatic MIDI-infused masterpiece, like the score to a one-man futuristic-chivalric musical.
The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema (2005)
The discography of Destroyer betrays a certain pop sensibility at times, and Bejar finds his true outlet in Canadian indie supergroup The New Pornographers, of which he is a part. Incontestably their best, Twin Cinema is a power pop triumph.
Swan Lake – Enemy Mine (2009)
Enemy Mine is the product of a three-way collaboration between Bejar and fellow Canadian songwriters Carey Mercer (of Frog Eyes) and Spencer Krug (of Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown), who release under the moniker of Swan Lake. Bejar’s contributions include the wonderfully downtrodden lamentations of ‘Heartswarm’.
Destroyer – Kaputt (2011)
Surely one of the best releases this year, Kaputt is a triumph of Bejar’s honed musicianship. Atypical in its relative lyrical and structural straightforwardness, its distinct melodies and hazy soundscapes invite repeated listening.
