I’ve had Animal Collective‘s ninth album Merriweather Post Pavilion in my possession for the last 48 hours for reviewing purposes. It’s easy to see why videos like this appear. AC are one of the most original, singular band entities around, a musical law onto themselves and with MPP they’ve broadened their musical palette considerably.
Anyone who has witnessed their live shows over the past eighteen months won’t be surprised as they have played much of this material before. What is truly spectacular is how far this band has come. Their fanbase is rabidly in love with their material but ask them what their favourite album is and you’ll nearly always get a different answer. Some prepare the early freak-folk of Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, some prefer the psychedelic Feels or the bizarre but beautiful Sung Tongs. With each album, the band have transformed their sound (with the exception of Strawberry Jam, which didn’t feel as much as a chapter as their last few releases). With MPP though, there’s a sense that this is the album to break them beyond their already captive community.
The album is full of joy and melody. Like spilling over the top with the stuff. The opening track ‘In The Flowers’ starts with a dark growling noise and suddenly lifts into a chasm of lifting and falling chords (slightly reminiscent of Plaid’s ‘Eyen’ ) before taking off in a carousel of noise. It don’t wish to be hyperbolic, but it sounds like its coming from a magical place.
The album is a closer relative to Panda Bear’s Person Pitch than any other AC album and his harmonious influence is all over it. ‘My Girls’ is an obvious Panda Bear-lead highlight, an invested paean to his daughter and his wife. It’s a lovely sustained celebration.There is such a tight focus on the songwriting and sounds here than before like on the bass-frequency glide of ‘Also Frightened’ and the elegant ‘Summertime Clothes’ which is both distinctly Animal Collective in tone yet also a owes a lot to the winsome harmonies of the Beach Boys (a comparison you’ll be hearing a lot more of in the coming months). ‘Daily Routine’ has been a live favourite for a while and its distinctive synth backdrop is a highlight as is the tropical playfulness of ‘Taste’.
The last two tracks are particularly strong: the penultimate ‘No More Running’ is a twinkling downtempo daydream before a denouement is reached in the epic harmonious / techno-infused brilliance of ‘Brother Sport’ with six minutes of immediate celebratory advice to Noah’s brother.
Merriweather Post Pavilion is the latest exciting plateau that Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist (Deakin is absent) have reached and is justification of the fawning this band have been receiving for years. A wholly adventurous statement for early 2009. I think you’ll love it.
(And no, I’m not leaking it you fools)
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
Can’t come soon enough, frankly!
fuck santa. january is where it’s at this year.
I sort of wish I hadn’t read all these gushing previews of this.. no way it can live up to the expectations, right?…
Gah. The more reviews I read the more desperate I get to hear this. Back to listening to bootlegs I suppose. 🙁
hey so
do you want to leak it?
i think it’s leaked now.
Don’t think so Adam, but I’ve got some good AC related news. Panda Bear played a solo show in Miami last night and played five completely new songs. Apparently it was recorded too.
This might have to be the year when I actually listen to Animal Collective. I’ve never given them a chance for more than a couple of songs (which always sounded like generic “indie music I don’t like” to my ears). Then again I said the same about that Panda Bear album when I heard it, so I probably won’t be for turning.
(And no, I’m not leaking it you fools)
You read my mind. Can’t blame you though.
Aahh, Panda playing a solo show? I didn’t hear anything about that. But I do know he is working on a follow up to Person Pitch. So if that is in fact true, I could believe he plaied five new songs. I just don’t think that he’d randomly play a show when he’s been touring so much with Animal Collective. I’ll look around though. (and by the way, if this is a joke, good on ya for fucking with the fanboys and girls. I’m a pretty big AC fan myself, but some of this shit is getting wierd. You ever been to collected Animals?
Yeah, that show was part of a Nike gig (no idea why. Pics at http://www.supertouchart.com/2008/12/08/miaminike-sportswear-does-some-art-damage-at-basel/ ) The apparent tapers didn’t come good though, and no recording emerged, unfortunately. That show and a recent gig in Lisbon were his last two shows before hitting the road with AC as far as I know.
And no I’m not on Collected Animals.
One brilliant album, and my personal AC favorite already!
Brother Sport is without doubt one of the best songs ever crafted by these gifted young men!
Respect to the crazy birds, now I’m off, dancing to Brother Sport!