Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)

[The Boston Crab]

Hehe...thanks for the concern. I'm not saying that this album has made me reconsider what music is, I'm saying that the experience of craving music so much has led me to consider 'music' from a different perspective. It's quite strange to feel a 'need' to have some specific sounds (because that's what they actually are) playing as I live my life.

Also, from everything I've heard about this, there's no fucking way I'll be disappointed. They're supposed to be pretty much straight up like the boots but with extra production goodness, beats and bass.

I know I've gone nutter on this one but fuck it, I'm just being honest.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

In the interests of keeping Crab occupied before enthusiasm causes spontanious combustion, what are your favourite tracks from their previous albums?

[CaledonianGonzo]

Have you heard El Guincho's Alegranza! album, Crabster?  It sounds like Panda Bear gone to the carnival, a bit more space-age tropicalia/steel-drum exotica than the Animal Collective, but it might work as a stop-gap for you until MPP leaks:



http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/48842-alegranza

[The Boston Crab]

Thanks, gang. I was starting to go a little bit loopy. I'm going to let things take their course now and stop F5-ing Collected Animals. I've been working too many hours recently ;)

I just read the Pitchfork review and that sounds great. Thanks, Gonzo. I'll pick it up now and chat later. Sounds like an awful lot of fun.

And thanks for the temporary distraction, Sexton. I'd be hard-pressed to name my favourite tracks because there are still a few songs, even off Feels and Strawberry Jam that I find I'm getting more into the more I hear them. Stuff like 'Turn Into Something' or 'Winter Wonderland' sound better to my ears now than when I first got them. I've also been digging 'STG, STV' quite a lot recently and songs like 'La Rapet' and 'April and the Phantom' are well up there with their best pop moments.

I'll give you a short list and a few that I don't really like, in case anyone wants to discuss.

The ones I most frequently crave when I'm out and about or busy:

La Rapet
April and the Phantom
Leaf House
Who Could Win A Rabbit
Kids on Holiday
Did You See The Words
The Purple Bottle
Banshee Beat
#1

Skippable:

Fireworks - just doesn't do an awful lot for me, never did, too repetitive, don't like the drums.
HCTI - there are parts which I think are fantastic but there are long sections which don't do anything for me.
Hollinndagain - everything after the first two tracks, which are both corkers
Visiting Friends (Cack Hen explodes) - it sounds great but it's just too long for me if I'm not in the mood. I tend to skip it because I'd never get through the record otherwise, it loses momentum.

Edit: that El Guincho record is sounding brilliant! Just heard the opening couple of songs so far but they're immediately up my street. Thanks again, this is gonna help stave off the pangs.

[Vitalstatistix]

Yeah Alegranza is excellent stuff. I went through a stage where I listened to that non-stop for ages, but I haven't gone back to it in a while. Maybe it doesn't have the same staying power as Panda / AC stuff at its best.. Still very good fun though. Best at high volumes and with a few cocktails (cheap vodka and smartprice cola).

Crab - surprised you don't dig Fireworks. For me that one-two with For Reverend Green as the centrepiece to Strawberry Jam is just stunning. Epic and driving and emotional. The repetitiveness never really bothered me, as it feels like its going places if you know what I mean.

Who Could Win a Rabbit is the most lovable song ever made.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

For Reverend Green into Fireworks is probably my favorite part of Strawberry Jam.

There's so much going on in their albums that I've usually found myself appreciating the first half, then discovering the second half later on down the line.

To my shame, I've yet to acquire Hollinndagain, but this thread has inspired me.

Is there any news about the reissue of Campfire Songs?

[Cack Hen]

Fireworks?! really?!

when they do it live it lasts like 14 minutes and it's a god damn spiritual experience

[fremsley]

Hollinndagain - everything after the first two tracks, which are both

Ooof - Forest Gospel? It's mad.

I've really only just discovered Alvin Row off of the Spirit album - has to be one their finest tunes, surely?

[The Boston Crab]

I think I generally prefer their poppier side so 'April and the Phantom' and 'La Rapet' are the ones for me. Hmm, I said that about three posts up.

As for Fireworks, the live versions bore me even more although I get the impression that the Essplode medley is some people's favourite bits of AC. Maybe I haven't listened to it enough but it's always the one track I skip on the boots. Maybe it just doesn't fit in with their current live sound. Talking of which, their reworking of Leaf House to extend the outro is absolutely awesome, I wish it was like that on record, to be honest.

I've chilled out about the leak, too. I think I was starting to go a bit mad there but feeling better now! Plenty of people on CA have suggested that it probably won't get leaked until December since the promos which were sent out for the listening parties had to be returned. As nobody leaked them, it probably won't happen until the main wave of promos hit the mags/stores, which will probably not be for another month at least.

That El Guincho album is absolutely brilliant fun, Gonzo. Really loving it, even my girl has got into it a bit which makes a good change. She thinks most of what I listen to is just noise, e.g. rock is "countryside music, people jumping up and down." I quite like the description, despite how she intended it. The first album 'Folias' is obviously in a similar vein (if you've not got round to it) but a bit more subdued/ambient, v. nice though. Also worth a go is the same fella's other band, Coconot (sic), which sounds quite like El Guincho minus the sampled beats. It's keeping me away from the bootlegs which is a good thing. I'm giving those songs a chance to leave my brain for a bit.

[Cack Hen]

Talking of which, their reworking of Leaf House to extend the outro is absolutely awesome, I wish it was like that on record, to be honest.

a lot of people say that. but i think it just makes it all the better when they do it live.

[The Boston Crab]

Sure, it was an awesome surprise first time I heard it. Sadly, and let's not dwell on this since I've only just got past not seeing Daft Punk's Alive tour (thank JESUS that I saw them on decks and DATs in 98, at their height, when they were secret special guests at Bugged Out) but I will probably never see Animal Collective live, at least not for about two years.

[Cack Hen]

not that i mean to raise your blood pressure again, but i've heard it through the grapevine that this is actually quite close to leaking. it could still be bullshit, but it seems like a reasonable possibility that it could be here tomorrow or by the end of the week.

[The Boston Crab]

I'm F5-ing CA every minute watching this shit slowly unfold. Thanks for the word though, dude :)

The basic premise seems to be that some random chap has a copy and has confirmed by telephone, to a regular poster who went to the listening party, that his version is authentic. He's concerned about the audio watermark so needs to find someone else with a copy so he can run the waveforms through whatever software and strip out the watermark frequencies.

Some people have even promised to make a pact to keep it to themselves if he just leaked it to the forum. The mind boggles.

[Cack Hen]

yeah that's it. it could just be elaborate bullshit, instead of the inane bullshit like 'i have the promo but i dunno how to burn CDs lol' so i'm not pinning too much hope to it

then again, i thought the promos were all recalled, so if they're still out there...i see no reason why a leak isn't probable at any moment. the watermark stuff can be removed if you know what you're doing, and undoubtedly some people do.

[The Boston Crab]

I was pretty excited when I woke up to the revelation that they're still out there but fifteen pages of refreshing later and shit's no closer to leaking. I'd agree with you that a leak is probable/possible if promos are still out there. What dampened my fires is that 8 hours later, nobody on CA, atease or lastfm has come forward to say they have a copy and these are the most fervent motherfuckers around.

[Vitalstatistix]

The levels of AC obsession on those sites is scary!

[The Boston Crab]

Well, I just PM'd the guy to basically say 'I know this sounds mad but if you just give this to me, I won't share it with anyone. You've no reason to trust me at all but I just won't LOL.'

I can't criticise the loons to be honest.

[Cack Hen]

atease has always been quite AC obsessed, but they've gone out of fucking control. reading the thread is unbearable, it's like people who haven't had a hot meal for a week in a burger king.

[The Boston Crab]

I'm gonna go sign up to burn some time and soak up the madness.

Edit: 170 PAGES!!!! Motherfucking Christchild.

[The Boston Crab]

pinkertonman12 is a fucking obtuse cunt.

I never thought I'd say that.

[Cack Hen]

ohmygodmyOHMYGODOEKFYGEYR32GH84IWDKPp]]ew


01-12 London, England - Koko
01-13 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow School of Arts
01-14 Manchester, England - Club Academy
01-15 Brighton, England - Concorde 2
01-16 Paris, France - Bataclan
01-17 Leuven, Belgium - Stuk
01-18 Berlin, Germany - Postbanhof
01-20 New York, NY - Grand Ballroom
01-22 Chicago, IL - Metro
01-24 Los Angeles, CA - Fonda


i'll probably go to brighton too, fuck the cost.

[The Boston Crab]

No Wuhan, China. Again.

Belgium?!

[ThickAndCreamy]

ohmygodmyOHMYGODOEKFYGEYR32GH84IWDKPp]]ew


01-12 London, England - Koko
01-13 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow School of Arts
01-14 Manchester, England - Club Academy
01-15 Brighton, England - Concorde 2
01-16 Paris, France - Bataclan
01-17 Leuven, Belgium - Stuk
01-18 Berlin, Germany - Postbanhof
01-20 New York, NY - Grand Ballroom
01-22 Chicago, IL - Metro
01-24 Los Angeles, CA - Fonda


i'll probably go to brighton too, fuck the cost.

Where do you buy tickets!

[poloniusmonk]

Tickets are available for London from www.wegottickets.com. Just picked up a couple. Excellent.

[Maximash]

Tickets are available for London from www.wegottickets.com. Just picked up a couple. Excellent.

And for those further norf...

http://www.clashmusic.com/live-music/tickets/search/animal%20collective|nocity|novenue|6-11-2008|6-11-2009

Well, Manchester is much nearer for me anyway.

[actwithoutwords]

Got mine for Koko. Excellento. An excellent post-Christmas pick me up.

[Cack Hen]

yeah i got my koko and brighton tickets! used the ever-reliable ticketweb, i only use wegottickets when it's the only option, just because doormen don't like the print-out tickets for some reason. well, some don't.

[actwithoutwords]

To whom it may concern, some clips of Bluish and Frightened have surfaced. Plus the full Brother Sport is here: http://www.lesinrocks.com/index.php?id=79

Agonising over whether to listen to the latter. Absolutely dying to hear it. But a partial leak is crappy.

[Vitalstatistix]

Sheeit that's tempting, ya bastard!

[The Boston Crab]

I just came to spread the word. It's fucking unreal.

I knew that Brother Sport would be ludicrously good but I'm so happy to hear how Also Frightened has turned out, the production on this album seems to be everything I hoped for. Heavy electronic bottom end and meshed harmonies just swimming around up there. The chorus on Bluish sounds absolutely gorgeous!

Surely a full leak is very close now.