On Destroyer’s latest album, “Trouble in Dreams,” singer/songwriter Dan Bejar continues to show off his eccentricities that have gained admiration from his fans. The strange yelpy voice, self references, names of women, allusions to other bands, dramatic delivery etc. all find themselves on this album. He takes and entire line from a Swan Lake (a Dan Bejar side project) in the sixth track, “Shooting Rockets,” “A chorus is a thing that bears repeating/ And the problem, as I see it, is girls stay away from that shit." Like any Destroyer album, this one is loaded with names of woman, either real or imaginary. On this album there are references to women named Susan and Jenny. Bejar also looks for new sounds and arrangements to continue his ever-changing sound. “My Favorite Year,” which seems to be an ode to the year 1993, is Bejar’s if not first, then best bass driven song. The album also features whistling on “Foam Hands” and a fun pop driven melody on “Dark Leaves from a Thread.” Most of the album’s lyrics focus on alcohol, woman and drugs, giving the listener a hazy and dramatic look at life as told by Bejar. Although the album is an excellent collection of some of Bejar’s best work, the album tries to be too much like Bejar’s previous and arguably best album, “Destroyer’s Rubies.” Although the new album has a similar sound (the same band from “Destroyer’s Rubies” was used on the new album), it falls short of the great album. Ultimately, although the album has the arrangements and songs to be a great Destroyer Album, it lacks the cohesion of the best Destroyer Albums. Perhaps if Bejar decided to take a different route sonically, such as the excessive MIDI on “Your Blues,” the album could have much better. However, the album still provides listeners and Destroyer fans with a superb collection of over the top and eccentric pop tunes.

Grade: B 

Reviewed by Benzi Rodman