After a long break, I am returning to writing again. I saw an article on Spin’s website about Animal Collective’s first actual show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, so I decided now was as good a time as any to write about their best record to date, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Animal Collective originally hails from the Baltimore-Metro area (though many live in New York City or other parts of the world), so they were well aware of the venue. The band members include David Portner (aka Avey Tare), Noah Lennox (Panda Bear, the very one I wrote in my review on Person Pitch), Brian Weitz (Geologist), and Josh Dibb (Deakin).
The band’s sound is characterized as being very experimental, almost psychedelic in leaning. The band started pursuing this route in music after experimenting themselves with psychedelic drugs as teenagers and then improvising during rehearsals and performances. Each member was and always has been prolific in creating new sounds and songs, expanding the ranges of the instruments they use (each member plays multiple instruments). Their history as a group (working collectively or in duos) is fascinating to learn.
The band’s maturation process through being apart in college early on to the first collaborative performances as one group to a nearly disastrous tour through the Deep South led the band to greater and greater heights in their music. The pinnacle of this maturation has been Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was released in 2009 and garnered a terrific Metascore.
# 37 – Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Metascore = 89)
The first time I remember hearing this I wasn’t sure that I liked it. I wasn’t even sure why I had picked up the album other than the title. The music was unusual to me for some reason (this coming from a guy who loves Sonic Youth and was getting into some of Captain Beefheart’s music). Two tracks roped me into this album—“My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes” (coincidentally or not, these were the first two singles from the album).
“My Girls” is one of my favorite songs of all time. Yes, I said “all time”. Panda Bear sings this fantastic song about wanting to provide the best things he could for his wife and daughter, including a nice house. He also sings about not caring about “material things” or “social status”. The samples and beats from that song just blew my mind! I also really liked how the band (minus Deakin, who at this point was on hiatus from the group for personal reasons) stringed vocal harmonies in coordination with the beat. I just love this song!
“Summertime Clothes”, the other song, was the other drawing track, this time more for its Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds ambiance than anything else. From reading a little about their formation and history, Avey Tare seems to be singing about living in New York City and nights spent looking for things to do. The development of the song around the lyrics feels like they ripped the organs and electro-theremins straight from the musicians on “Good Vibrations” (yes, I know this was not on Pet Sounds, but it comes from that same period).
The other songs on this album help to make this record a very accessible listen. No song really pushes you off; a few at times may seem too experimental (“Daily Routine”), but then something about the song intrigues you as a listener. This really is a friendly, accessible record. Even though the record embodies every experimental element they have employed through the years, the band is able to craft these tunes that can reach just about anyone. Lyrically these are themes that anyone can feel (domesticity, love, inspiration), and I think all of these elements helped garner the record the critical acclaim it has received.
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