Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Rating
RIYL
Panda BearMGMT
Anathallo
Release Date
01/20/2009
Label
DominoTracklist
1. In The Flowers2. My Girls
3. Also Frightened
4. Summertime Clothes
5. Daily Routine
6. Bluish
7. Guys Eyes
8. Taste
9. Lion In A Coma
10. No More Runnin
11. Brother Sport
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Indie kids everywhere are a little upset that one of their star children is breaking through the mold. “Their band” has a new flock of listeners. Animal Collective’s latest release Merriweather Post Pavillion has created such an enormous buzz that even Pitchfork.com made mention of the band during Charles Gibson’s nightly newscast on ABC. Still, it can be difficult to hear top people in the industry say things that many indie fans have been saying for years, that Animal Collective is a force to be reckoned with. Still, it is a bit too early to go on and say this will be the best album of the year, but it is, however, a fantastic album in its own right. It's safe to say Animal Collective has created an epic release to start off 2009, and it certainly deserves the attention it has garnered.
Animal Collective has a very strange but distinct sound. For anyone who has heard the band before, this statement won’t come as a surprise. Merriweather Post Pavillion is very derivative of their previous album, but it is much more focused than Strawberry Jam. They return with their electronic based music, creating layers of sounds that rush into your ears like swelling waterfalls of the rainforest. Even with a very sporadic composition, their songs are beautiful and harmonic. With this latest set of songs they have traveled a much catchier route, showing their ability to create psychedelic themes and pop music fused together. It is an album where they were able to really stress their strengths, making frivolous and energetic music.
The album starts off with “In the Flowers”, producing sounds that bring to mind what it would feel like to be abducted by aliens. The quivering tremble gives way to angelic finger picking and soon a tribal drum invasion that will form a pleasurable assault on the ears. Avey Tare and Panda Bear mesh beautifully together on this album. They pull off some of the more stunning harmonies created by Animal Collective. Tare leaves out the many panic screeches that can be found on their earlier work, which leads to the band sounding much more pleasing this time around.
“My Girls” may be the catchiest tune this band has ever composed. The song contains beats that even Timbaland would be envious of. It is a song that could be on a club DJ’s playlist when they want to get the floor shaking. Sure, most of the people inside of that club would have no idea who the artist was, but it has the power to get any dance party going. With a chorus that can be stuck in your head for days, it is obvious why Animal Collective would pick this song as their first single.
Merriweather Post Pavillion is a welcomed weird, like your aunt’s stubble where her moustache should be when she goes to kiss you. Sure, there are a few momentary lapses, such as “Taste” and “Lion in a Coma” that go on such an odd tangent that it is hard to bring them back from the brink. Still, it is an album that flows so well together that many people who have never heard of the band Animal Collective will take notice.
--Andrew Beam
Comments
Spokane, Washington
this album is like "person pitch, part II," which i'm fine with! very good album.
Current Listenings:
7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes of Absolution"
Horse Feathers - "Cynic's New Year"
Andrew Bird - "Break It Yourself"
Sigur Ros - "Valtari"
Rocky Votolato - "Television of Saints"
Janus - "Nox Aeris"
Blues Traveler - "25"
"Merriweather Post Pavillion is a welcomed weird, like your aunt’s stubble where her moustache should be when she goes to kiss you."
How is this welcomed?
Good album, though.
Infinitely Inwards
Animal Collective, one of the most interestingly abstract bands out there. I didn't ever get into strawberry jam, but this one is good. I don't think that i am ready to except this type of music as one of my main interests but this is really cool to listen to every now and then. 7.5/10 for me.
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
The Mars Volta - Noqtourniqet
Aborted - Global Flatline
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Leeds, England
Fuck this crap.
Toronto
no u.
this album is awesome.
Minnesota
Ditto.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
New Jersey
^
when i see it in your eyes
i just want to go blind
Minnesota
Although the album cover does make me feel like I'm totally tripping, so I'll give them bonus points for that. Still, this bitch only gets a 2.5/5 from me.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Boston, MA
This album is absolutely addicting. Will undoubtedly be in my top 5 if not #1. Can't wait to see the live again in a few weeks.
Stereo Typing
Tweet at me, bro
Baton Rouge
I have given this four months and it hasn't grown on me. If I wanted stinky hippies to bark at me non-stop, I would go to the hipster bar downtown. This emperor is naked. The same bass note and bland repetitive beat plus uninspired heavy-effect random sounds, plus constant, non-stop unintelligible singing does not equal a pleasant listening experience for me.It equals an artistic interpretation of hell.
Boobs
http://thenicsperiment.blogspot.com/