Birdseed Shirt, the debut LP from Deleted Scenes, is a creative and emotional album of soaring, hook-laden highs and more tempered lows, with each mood skillfully executed and full of rich imagery and metaphors. Taking the odd title from a Jonathan Safran Foer novel, the duo from Brooklyn and Washington, DC make playfully unpredictable songs that veer in unexpected directions while remaining completely infectious.
One theme that consistently pops up on Birdseed Shirt is religion. But instead of heavy handed references to God or unveiled praises, the lyrics are peppered with more of a Kierkegaardian-kind of religious struggle, which makes sense considering Dan Scheuerman cites the nineteenth century Danish philosopher and theologian as an inspiration for the band's music. To sum up the religious influences on the album, Scheuerman says that, if anything, there is "just a sort of looming moral unease in the tradition of maybe a Flannery O'Connor story" in the songs.
But Deleted Scenes aren't necessarily a Christian band. Catchy melodies, upbeat interludes, and richly textured vocals abound; and amidst all the serious struggles is at least a sense of resignation, if not hope.
Download this song in the Second Stage podcast.
Yesterday's Second Stage artist.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.