Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
Written on February 17, 2009
Animal Collective has been getting slightly more consistent with each release, from Sung Tongs through Strawberry Jam. Even Panda Bear’s solo joint Person Pitch was pretty listenable given AnCo’s droning love-it-or-hate-it sound. So Merriweather Post Pavilion will no doubt continue their upward trend in popularity with the indie set. Combining a Beach Boys sensibility for harmony with Flaming Lips psychedelia, Animal Collective layers sampled sound, instruments, vocals, and texture into looping electronic patterns. The end result, thanks to an ear for optimistic pop, is usually enjoyable headphone music that becomes narcotic with repeated listens. Some clunky moments slow momentum, especially on the chorus of “Also Frightened” and the meandering middle songs. But the negatives are outweighed by their experimental pop and two strong singles (“My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes”).
Filed in: Alternative,Electronic,Music.
