A lot of digital ink’s been spilled with the words “wacky,” “absurdist” and “child-like” shackled to the dumpster-diving electronic provocateur behind one of 2007’s most joyful albums (only now getting an "official" release in the UK - Ed). Though Dan Deacon’s Spiderman of the Rings and his sticky neon green concerts certainly strobe-lighted their way into many hearts Deacon is no idiot-whiz kid behind that big mess of multicolored cords and one silly i-Pod shuffle banana. His joyful whimsy only comes from a lot of painstaking care.The influence of hyper-serious minimal electronic artists like Terry Riley (Deacon idolizes A Rainbow in Curved Air) and Steve Reich are certainly in the DNA of the kaleidoscopic brilliance of Rings. More pop-oriented acts like Devo also come to mind in the middle of the synth breakdowns and pitch-shifted gibbering on album single, “The Crystal Cat.”Head-scratching indifference (what’s the big deal?) was another part of the equation for Rings. When presented with a potentially grating song entitled, “Woody Woodpecker” what do you do? Some choose to dance like they have no idea anyone is watching. The madcap screwball opener samples the relentless laugh of the anthropomorphic bird over plunking percussion. That base is then whipped and distorted into a multilayered froth. The drumming reaches such a manic rate that you can picture Deacon’s electronics smoking in cartoon fashion.The magnum opus of the album comes right after with “Wham City,” a gloriously rich paean to Deacon’s ragtag musical family in his hometown of Baltimore. The D.I.Y. choristers certainly feel ready to slide down the musical rainbow with Deacon and they do with so much vigor as soon as the second chant brings the 12-minute epic to a triumphant close. Pushing push up through static clouds of trance they sing of a stream of consciousness world full "of ghosts and cats and pigs and bats with brooms and bats and wigs and rats and play big dogs like queens and kings and everyone plays drums and sings."Many songs on the album’s second half equally lends itself towards Deacon’s pop sweet tooth and experimenting spirit. “Big Milk” is a tiny kid’s mobile of fun spraying out shards of electronic glee. “Okie Dokie” rolls along a road picking up static in its wake. Arcing jolts of noise shoot up and Deacon’s driving percussion keeps all the belching bleeps in line. Don’t bother with finding intellectual significance when the musician is talking about "rattlesnake guns". “Pink Batman” and “Jimmy Roche” are surprisingly subtle mode-shifting pieces that are best enjoyed with your headphones firmly attached to your dome. “Roche” especially gives a wonderful multiple channel workout for your stereo system. It’s an insular ending to an album that points towards more communal electronic pieces.When I talked with Deacon back in September of last year he was eager to demonstrate his true potential for complex orchestration that epic songs like “Wham City” portend. Here’s hoping the electronic king of Baltimore continues to chip away at hipsterdom ”“ whether in the middle of the dance floor or from his bedroom. I applaud Deacon’s choice to strictly perform there. His every-man music can only be truly enjoyed there. 89%mp3:> Dan Deacon: "The Crystal Cat"Links Dan Deacon [official site] [myspace] [buy it] [20 questions]