I’m going to quote a DJ from the XMU station on XM radio. Before playing a new Animal Collective [Myspace] song from this terrific new disc, he said “by 2015, the only band talked about on blogs will be Animal Collective. They will be the only band played on the radio. At my funeral, Animal Collective will play me into the ground. And he will play you into the ground, too.” It’s one of the few times where brash hyperbole is welcome. While Animal Collective’s difficult-at-times melodies and lyrics inhibit them from complete world domination, very few things are going to stop this band from becoming the be all and end all for indie music fans worldwide. Merriweather Post Pavilion, the first great album of 2009, is only going to further the cause.
Far and away, this is Animal Collective’s most accessible record, with their songs beginning to songs created by human beings using instruments already invented (some used by other bands). The amount of recognition is important, as Animal Collective can only exist as a “reward” band for hardcore indie kids for so long. This is the album to introduce the band with, because people who aren’t familiar might actually listen to it instead of trying to kill it.
Even with the extra “pop” going on, it’s still very much an Animal Collective album. Lyrics are still difficult to figure out, musical influences come from the left-field bleachers, and it’s still somewhat difficult to pinpoint what makes the entire thing enjoyable. But much in the same way Bjork’s Volta record felt like a treat after dealing with Medulla, Merriweather Post Pavilion feels and sounds like candy. Tough, oddly shaped candy, but sweet nonetheless. There are no weak points to this album. It is the future of pop music. Get used to it.
“My Girls” [mp3]
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And now for the dissenting opinion:
I love Animal Collective. From the first time I saw them live to the first time I heard Strawberry Jam, they’ve blown my mind and blown me away more times than I can count. I loved Sung Tongs, loved Feels, loved Strawberry Jam. Hell, I even loved the 12 minute long one chord Visiting Friends.
I do not love MPP. I don’t even think I like it. There are a couple somewhat interesting points but this album does NOTHING for me and I cannot believe how much positive press it is getting. Charlie FREAKING Gibson is hawking the album. If that’s not a sign that Animal Collective has jumped the shark then I don’t know what else is.
The problem with this album is that is sounds like Animal Collective made the album that everybody else thought they should make. But in doing so, it comes off very bland and uninspired. Animal Collective has always been three steps ahead of the game and that’s why they were great. On MPP is sounds like they’re in lock step with what people expect from them. I don’t like it. This album just doesn’t have the orgasmic highs of past albums. My Girls is decent but there is no moment like that incredible chord change in Banshee Beat, the piano part on Fireworks, or the decent into madness on Reverend Green.
I don’t understand the 9.6. I don’t understand this album. Maybe it’s amazing. All my friends tell me it is. The tv tells me it is. Charlie Gibson tells me it is. But it’s boring and uninspired. To me, at least.
My review of this album would have been much, much shorter. Ready for it?
“Merriweather Post Pavilion is the appropriate soundtrack for staring at its own Album Cover.”
That’s all I think of it. It’s “meh”.
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