Dehd ‘Poetry’ Album Review

By Rob Hinkal

Dehd’s latest full-length release, Poetry, sees the Chicago-based three-piece operating, at times, at the peak of their powers. Producing a collection of songs featuring some of their catchiest and most anthemic compositions ever. Somehow, the band is able to make heartbreak sound so damn good.

Preceded by a variety of singles including the undeniable bops Mood Ring and Alien, Poetry sees Dehd remaining true to their indie rock spirit while embracing a more commercial and polished sound. This is by no means a bad thing, as Poetry is, without a doubt, their most accessible album yet, sure to catch the ear and imagination of new listeners while retaining their loyal fanbase as they move forward in new directions.

While Poetry does contain some of their strongest songs yet, it isn’t without a few, for lack of a better term, “pedestrian” compositions. The second half of the album feels as though it loses some of the steam of the first, and this isn’t to say that the songs are bad by any stretch of the imagination. They are solidly crafted, well-produced tunes, but they just can’t seem to match the same level of energy as is created in the album’s first half. That is until the closing track, Forget. A dreamy, lush finale that sees the band pushing into new sonic realms and reaching new heights in terms of the scope of their sound and songwriting. 

In the end, Poetry is a good album with some great songs and is well worth the time of any Dehd-head or music-lover looking for a chill and totally unique new release to vibe to.