Full Review: Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion" ***

[Tim-Æ]

Within the first 3 minutes of Merriweather Post Pavilion, you'll realize that you're listening to something that is not quite pop, not quite rock, not quite what you're used to. Now I am the king of underground music on these boards, I try to keep you all up to date on the newest and best music around. Most of you don't care, but if I can persuade you to buy one album this month, or at least listen to it, Merriweather Post Pavilion is for sure it. You can bypass the previous installments in their discography. "Strawberry Jam" is probably the next most accessible album from Animal Collective, and it's friggin spectacular record, but as far as what the masses can get into, this is definitely the album to pick up if you're interested.

The first track "Into the Flowers" is an extended intro really, that prepares you for the album you're about to digest. It doesn't take much, a few minutes tops, and then you're brought into a world where every sound you hear is important. Three gentleman with vast musical knowledge collaborate to bring individually recognizable songs, but this indie pop/baroque pop album is going to be popular for three songs probably. "My Girls" is the first biggin on the album, and at just a bit over 5 minutes, it'll be one of the most popular songs by the band for a long time I'm sure. Simple lyrics but the music surrounding it is driving, rhythmic even, and its not hard or blistering, it's pop rock really, but it doesn't focus on stupid shit like you hear on the radio. This is observational more than anything, a bit subjective, and very surreal at the same time. It's like a trip, maybe on shrooms, maybe through the  60s, but this luscious sound is only captured by a few miraculous bands out there and the Animal Collective manage to do it.

"Also Frightened" follows and it continues this trip down the river basically, incorporating more sounds that you can't quite pinpoint but yet you love them. It's all very relaxing and yet spontaneous and chaotic. The fact that 3 sometimes 4 people in this band produce this much sound is incredible. "Summertime Clothes" is my favorite track on the album, because it has the first full structure of a regular song. It's a song basically about a hot summer night, and how you feel during that time. It's not sex or drugs, or even politics, its just about the summer and what you do in the sweltering heat. What I love about Animal Collective is that they paint the picture for you in this song "My bed is a pool and the walls are on fire/Soak my head in the sink for a while" you can see this man doing this and he continues even further through the song and it paints the picture perfectly while keeping you included. It's like reading a novel in first person, it feels like you're right there and you can feel the water on your face. As I said, this is my favorite song of theirs and its because it sucks you in, and its catchy lyrics are spit at you in a perfect, recognizable speak so that you can follow along, b/c that's the point. They want you to come along for the ride. And its worth it.

We roll into "Daily Routine" with its organ in the beginning but then its like Trent Reznor busted in during recording the song and started adding some thumps and distortion. The lyrics are driving towards you, just start stop start stop, so beat oriented that you realize there isn't just one distinct sound on this record, its a lot of small sounds but they are so rapid that it all meshes so beautifully together. The second half of the song sounds nothing like the first half, the beats disappear and you're left with this hymnal with stargazing sounds in the background. It's truly a life changing experience if you let it. It doesn't stop there. You drift off and then are brought back by another personal highlight of the album "Bluish." Baroque pop is often considered "chamber rock" b/c of the echoing you hear in the lyrics, and that's never more present than on "Bluish." I love this song b/c of the build up and the crescendo almost before more of those quirky sounds start bursting through. One of the best lyrics on the album is present here "I'm getting lost in your curls/I'm getting rushed back on a whim." It's a love song, and not the typical love song b/c the sounds you are hearing are...well...romantic. If you bought this CD today and played it for your woman, or your man, by the time this song is done, you should be in bed.

Another highlight for me is "Guys Eyes" b/c of the instrumentation and layers of the song. You hear shakers and rattling, and with decipherable lyrics its very catchy and sticks to you. As we approach the latter part of the album "Taste" seems to be the only track on the album really lagging for me.  Its a rather short track and it doesn't hurt the album, its just that of all of the songs on the record, this one seems to be the only one not on part with the rest. It has a good catchy lyric though "Am I really all the things that are outside of me" which is repeated throughout the 4 minutes here until it just stops and breaks off. The only track cowritten by another artist is "Lion in a Coma"  and its a stand out primarily b/c of the lyrics and the delivery of lyrics on this. It's somewhat decipherable until you get to the chorus and it becomes clearer for a moment. A lot of synthesizing it sounds, a little bit of voice altering added for effect which is cool, but not something I typically look for. Some great lyrics though "This wilderness needs to get right out of my clothes and get into my bedroom." There's the sound of a didgeridoo can be heard throughout the track which adds a bit of spice, from down under I suppose, that just throws you off b/c you recognize it but you can't quite remember where you've heard it from. How many bands these days use a didgeridoo? I'm sure that down where the dingos roam there's plenty of didgeridoo players, but in the US and UK there's not much.

We're winding down by this time, and its time for the dreamy "No Runnin." If you haven't become fully relaxed yet during this album, or gotten laid, this should be your next chance. Very dream sequence oriented, feel like you're lazy-ing it up in a hammock connected to two clouds while you sleep under the stars. Thats the picture I get and it's certainly prepares you for the end of the album. It should end right there...right? Nope.

"Brother Sport" was the first leaked track by the  band, and it definitely has the most impact on the album. If you dig Vampire Weekend, and even Arcade Fire, this is song is right up your alley. The break in the middle is just some wicked playing that makes you think its a different song and then it brings back for another afro-pop influenced chorus, with beating lyric delivery that makes you feel like you're on a safari through Africa, or hell even Jamaica or the Amazon. As the albums closer it picks you up after "No Runin" and the rest you took and just drives home the beat until after 55 minutes of crazy happenings and amazing lyrics with some dreamy pop waterfalls, you get a drip and drop and Merriweather Post Pavilion is over.

What a shame. 2009 starts out great, and the recommended listen for this month is already getting mass critical acclaim all across the board. This is going to be a huge album folks, b/c it brings one of the best kept secrets of indie rock and brings them right into the spot light. When music stores have release parties for an album this highly anticipated, you know its something special.

Some of the reviews for it pouring in already have been glowing: Entertainment Weekly (-A), Rolling Stone (3.5 stars), Pitchfork (9.6/10), Spin (4/5), The Sun (5/5), Drowned In Sound (9/10), The Times (5/5), Tiny Mix Tapes (4.5/5), SputnickMusic (5/5), and it goes on. You'd be doing yourself a huge favor by picking up this record before it explodes, b/c its going to and people are going to be talking about it for awhile. Don't be too surprised if it shows up a lot of year end lists, possibly even at the top of it. You may not hear it on the radio (though this does have some very radio friendly songs) but it'll be a big hit for 2009.

My Grade: A+

Recommended Downloads: "My Girls," "Summertime Clothes," "Brother Sport," and "Bluish."

Go get this album. NOW.

[Kendell Smith]

Really glad to see this review. Bought the album yesterday and have yet to listen to it. Looking forward to hearing it now when I get in from work.

[Tim-Æ]

Please add to this discussion again once you've listened to it and digested it. I'm eager to hear what you thought about it. Telling ya folks, this albums gonna be huge this year.

[Tim-Æ]

This currently holds a 91 out of 100 on Metacritic folks. That makes it the best reviewed record of the year so far. The band announced their World Tour today: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/148574-animal-collective-schedule-world-tour

If you have the chance, check them out.

[Duckman]

I bought this album on the strength of your review Tim.  Will be listening to it while doing my efedding work this week and then I'll post a review!

Peace

Duckman

[Kendell Smith]

So i finally got a chance to actually sit down and listen to this album, properly listen to it, not just on in the background while I do something else.

It has to be the freshest album I have heard for a long time and I haven't been this interested in a band since I first heard 'Funeral' by Arcade Fire. It's an album that at first I wasn't sure what to make of more due to the fear of the unknown. Nowadays so many bands are carbon copies of other bands that when a band like Animal Collective come out with such a unique album at first you're taken back by it. I'm not sure which genre it even fits in to. I know a lot of people are comparing it with Oracular Spectacular by MGMT and I can see SOME similarities but don't be fooled, this album is like nothing you've heard before. It's happy, it's exciting and I found myself involuntarily tapping my foot along or swaying from side to side.

I think your song choices from the album are spot on Tim, I have a soft spot myself for 'Summertime Clothes' I imagine this song is going to be played to death by both myself and my mates (once they've been converted by myself). Great album and a perfect review from Tim. A must have for music fans with an open mind who appreciate something brilliant that doesn't sound like everything else.

[Tim-Æ]

Very glad to hear that Kendall. If you're feeling adventurous check out their other albums. I still have yet to venture through all of them, but "Strawberry Jam" (2007) and "Feels" (2005) were their last ones and I've got them playing too. Really good stuff, but MPP is by far their best.

can't wait to hear what Sam thinks of it.