Gatefold packaging
Includes free digital download
Audio Quality: 4.5/5
Song Quality: 4.25/5
Packaging: 4.5/5
This, Animal Collective's 8th studio album, was one of the most anticipated releases of the year for the rabid indie music community. The band have developed a serious reputation of tireless innovation, crafting wildly unique pop songs out of electro-noise arrangements and unconventional rhythmic structures.
This record is, without question, their greatest success, with the orginial vinyl pressing selling out almost immediately. This record was also originally released on vinyl only, because that was the way the band wanted the album to be heard. Instant bonus points!I've had my moments with Animal Collective. Their previous albums have all been hit-and-miss for me, but when they're on, they are so on ("Peacebone," "Who Could Win A Rabbit, etc."). This record, on the other hand, is the most consistent of any of their output. There are a couple moments when it falls a bit short, but otherwise it's a very consistently creative and enjoyable effort.
Despite being a pretty consistently enjoyable album, there are two songs that stand out above the rest. If you've read any other review, or heard the album yourself, you already know what I'm gonna say. "My Girls" is a wonderfully catchy tune with sweeping synth lines and great vocal melodies, and "Brother Sport" is just an outstanding tribal anthem that ends the record on such a joyful up-note. The epic chant of "MATT!" that appears throughout "Brother Sport" is one of the best sounding things I've heard in recent memory, and not just because of their affinity for shouting my name.
Those two tracks are definitely the most exceptional, though there other nice moments here, especially in "Summertime Clothes," "Daily Routine," "Guys Eyes," and "Lion In A Coma." There are also a couple tracks I'm not wild about, but for the most part this is a full album listening experience (presumably why they did the original release on vinyl only).
Even the weaker songs are still made so interesting by their production style choices that this remains a compelling listen until the final "MATT!"Considering that it was going to be a vinyl-only release, I was optimistic that this would be a great sounding record. I was right! Sweet! I don't have information on how this record was recorded, but it was clearly mixed and mastered to vinyl with great care and attention. Songs sound tremendous, with their synth beeps and boops effortlessly dancing throughout the stereo image. A robust low end makes kick drum bursts sound all the more articulate,
and every track is just oozing with enough warmth and depth to pull you deep within the music. When this record was first released, I wasn't able to get a copy of the original vinyl pressing. My friend burned me a copy of the tracks on CD, and I listened to it in my car for some time. Once I finally got my hands on a copy of the record, it opened up the tracks and showed me things I hadn't noticed in at least a dozen plays through the CD. The band was right, the album is meant to be heard this way.It's also a nice package. The green and purple print covers the front and back of this gatefold package. Opening it up reveals a new set of artwork, with swirling colors and imagery that compliment the contents of the record very well. The two 180-gram LPs
are contained in custom black sleeves with some minimal artwork, the song titles scrawled onto them in almost indecipherable writing. It also comes with a free digital download, which should come with EVERY new LP, in my opinion. Either way, a nice package for the somewhat high cost.Kudos to Animal Collective for not only making an excellent sounding LP, but for releasing it in a way that encouraged their fans to treat themselves to a great listening experience. The only way for the tides to turn in sound (and music) quality in this industry is for consumers to hear just how good a record can actually sound. Encouraging their fans to make this discovery shows a great deal of integrity and responsibility from Animal Collective. Well done.
Buy the LP at Amazon.com
Buy the LP at InSound.com
Tomorrow: The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
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