Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Posted: January 16th, 2009 | Author: Brady | Filed under: Album Reviews | Tags: animal collective | 4 Comments »
Last night I watched Charles Gibson, esteemed ABC World News anchor, plug the new Animal Collective album in a webcast anticipating the “Hot Indie Albums” of the New Year. It’s astounding that a group as amorphous and peculiar as AC (all band members use cryptic pseudonyms and were performing behind masks only a few years ago) would reach the consciousness of mainstream media in any capacity.
So, amidst snaking power cables and the warm glow of their samplers, Animal Collective has created their most accessible and complete work to date, an alien record strangely enmeshed in daily life. Lyrically, Merriweather Post Pavilion finds the psychedelic warriors putting aside the mystery and angst of 2007′s uneven Strawberry Jam for the sake of simple relational pleasures. There is a warm transparency in the understated chorus of “Summertime Clothes,” in which Dave Portner (aka Avey Tare) joyously bleats, “I want to walk around with you.” The Afro-beat rapture of closer “Brother Sport” finds Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) consoling his sibling after their father’s death. There is no irony or pretense, only clarity.
Musically, MPP expands upon the Collective’s signature textural palette while borrowing a melodic bend from Panda Bear’s critically acclaimed solo release, Person Pitch. The group’s relentless, ever-innovative output continues to amass, and it’s remarkable how they’ve perfected their art. The twinkling arpeggios of “My Girls,” the euphoric, thumping climax of “In the Flowers,” and the obscure jaw harp sample in “Lion in a Coma” illustrate (again) the band’s talent at sifting pop through their innate weirdness. Merriweather Post Pavilion is an absolute sonic labyrinth, a layered haze of found sounds and dense harmonization to be explored and memorized. Even Charles Gibson digs it.
Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
The first thing I noticed about this weeks remix, is that it has the sweetest album art ever for a single. I’m a huge fan of The Bravery, especially their last album The Sun and the Moon, which was also released as a two disc edition in which the album was divided into two parts The Sun, the original album, and The Moon, which was a comprehensive remix of the entire album. The whole thing was beautifully done, and it would be a great thing for me to write about some week for the Remix Wednesday (hint hint).
While I think that this band is one of the more overrated bands out there, I couldn’t help but include it in this list. I probably listened to this album more than any other this past year. It is incredibly fun and very different than anything else that’s being played these days. Not to mention their song writing is very clever. There are many standout tracks on this album, and if somehow you made it through 2008 without hearing these guys you have to give this album a listen. I absolutely love the way the strings open this stellar track. It takes me back a couple centuries to a time when you still had to squeeze oranges to get fresh orange juice, yet you were still somehow more sophisticated than today.
This album started with just two freshmen art students playing pretend that they were indie pop stars. They started off just playing around with some synthesizers and pre-recorded vocals playing shows and just having some fun. Before they new it they had a long-term deal with Columbia Records and were the opening act for Of Montreal. Still not able to believe their good fortune, when asked who they’d like to have produce their record, they responded with Prince, Nigel Godrich, Barack Obama, and “not Sheryl Crow.” Fortunately for us, they were hooked up with Flaming Lips collaborator, Dave Fridmann, who helped them create one of the best psychadelic indie-pop albums around.
So if you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of catchy sing-a-long pop. That is so long as it doesn’t completely suck. Like this fantastically addictive, emotionally charged, hook-laden pop masterpiece. While they have injected a little more piano than in the past, they haven’t strayed too far from their roots. Hammel’s slick and drumbeats still drive the entire album, and Gardner’s vocals are better than ever. It’s soft and loud, sweet and sour, cheerful and melancholy. It’s a fully realized album that will appeal to indie snobs and ignorant radio listeners alike. So whichever you are, go out and buy this album today.
Here is the fifth debut album to grace my top ten list (it’s not the last). Yes I am a sucker for folk-rock bands that use lots of strings and horns throughout their songs. But it is Charlie Fink’s songwriting that boosted this mediocre debut into the top of my list. It’s hopeful songs like “Give a Little Love” and its more melancholy successor “Second Lover” that make this album so great. And who isn’t put in a better mood when they hear “5 Years Time” pouring through the tv set?
This is one of the last album’s I expected to make my list this year. But I have not been able to stop listening ever since I saw him live back in September. Just think of a happy and country version of Bright Eyes. I am blown away at how well Conor is able to do southern rock. Make no mistake though, this is not a solo album in the least. This record would be nothing without the Mystic Valley Band. Let’s hope that he doesn’t just kick them to the curb and that these guys have only just begun their musical journey together.
While this list was difficult for me make, choosing who belonged on top was not. Justin Vernon isolated himself in a remote cabin in Wisconsin just looking to get away and take a break. And he walked out with the best album of the year. There was a tiny bit added upon his return in the studio (horns, backing vocals, drums), but the majority of the album is just Vernon and his hauntingly enchanting voice.
