Favorite Deftones Album
5
By The Slow Lean
I found Deftones pretty early on when the 7 Words video was airing on late-night music channels on cable B. Anyone remember A/B cable TV? There was some channel on a cable B channel that played music videos at night and this was on there. I was hooked and immediately bought Adrenaline.
I love Adrenaline, but when Around the Fur came out, I was in love. From the first riff of “My Own Summer” I was hooked. This was one of the few albums I’d listen to start to finish. I loved every song. “Lhabia” is the perfect follow up song.
I was a little young to quite understand “Mascara” so I didn’t love that song as much, but still enjoyed it. As I’ve aged I get it and really like it. Especially since I learned Chino’s wife didn’t listen to his music so he made that song about her. I remember thinking, that marriage won’t last.
I could go song by song but I love every song on this album. I will make a few other mentions.
“Dai the Flu” just resonated with me as a teenager. It reflected my teenage angst with failed relationships. I know that’s not exactly what this is about, but that’s how I heard it. Mainly the chorus.
When this came out I was into Sepultura’s Roots, so I loved the Max Cavalera collaboration in “Headup” they cancelled a show in my city because he left the band, but I was just happy to hear him. It was like “Engine No. 9” part 2, so Engine No. 10?
When I eventually discovered “Damone”, it wasn’t immediate. I’d left the CD playing and I heard someone hitting a bong and came back in the room and realized there must be a hidden song so I kept listening. When “Damone” came on I was in love. The guitar riff and Chino’s vocal melody are just beautiful.
If I had a gun to my head and had to pick my top 5 songs on this album they’d be “My Own Summer”, “Be Quiet and Drive”, “Dai the Flu”, “Headup”, and “Damone”. Truly ever song is good. This ranks up there with albums from that era like The Downward Spiral and Korn’s first album, where you can easily listen to every song, you almost have to.
I feel like Around the Fur has aged very well and I was in the minority when White Pony came out. I hated “Change in the House of Flies” because it felt like one of my favorite bands had died. I appreciate White Pony now, but the true Deftones magic for me is Adrenaline and Around the Fur. Everyone loved White Pony and I just wanted my old Deftones back.
As an adult, I know that’s common, people and bands evolve, but as a 17–18 year old when White Pony came out, I was hoping they’d continue the momentum they had from Adrenaline to Around the Fur. I think White Pony was a rejection of Nu-Metal and being compared to Korn. The only comparison was they both did something innovative around the same time in a similar genre.
When you want to get someone into a band you always have that album you recommend. For Deftones, I tell people this one.
