Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Cool
It's interesting. Great melodic themes and well developed arrangements. But it left me feeling incredibly anxious; like a robot army, with drone cover, was about to burst through my front door.
3.5
Not really my thing.
So fun
Interesting instrumentals
Enjoyed this quite a bit really fun time
The cover is trippy, the music inside matches
liked the second half more but it’s still a kind of indie music I‘m not a big fan of
Pros: Complex & intrinsically thought out in terms of structure, lots of layers, would be sick to see live on shrooms with a big sound system. Cons: Overly complex(?), little to no pocket (frustrating for a drummer's ears), not super danceable (arguably) Right off the bat, I should acknowledge that despite being a young, impressionable high schooler when this album dropped, I have no nostalgic feelings for A.C. or many of the other experimental indie/pop projects making waves during the same time period (Dirty Projectors 'Bitte Orca' comes to mind). I was too busy headbanging to UK post-punk (Enter Shikari, anyone?) and industrial metal (Rammstein \m/ ) at the time, and this flavor of indie pop was far too mainstream for my clearly superior tastes to even acknowledge. Now older and (hopefully) wiser, I'll applaud A.C. for this undeniably well thought-out and crafted package of truly experimental electro/pop. The production work is stellar, given the sheer amount of vocal and instrumental layering going on throughout. While bold and innovative in many respects, however, there were no moments that truly latched onto me and made me go "holy shit, now THIS is the future of pop music" -- which I can't help but feel like is what the guys were going for with such an experimental offering. Maybe a bit too repetitive at times for me. But still a worthy addition to this list.
Felt like absolute torture at times
pretty cool
I’m not sure what to say about this. I want to listen to more… experimental and fun, would love a bit more edginess. Has a Beach Boys feel in the vocals, and I once again crave more bass. Inventive, but leaves me wanting more. I’m missing something so I really need another listen. Cool though.
Every time I listen to Animal Collective I lose track of the fact that it's Animal Collective and I think that I'm listening to Something New by the Beach Boys. I do not say this as an insult but as a compliment.
Too beep boopy.
My Girls is CSNY's Our House for Millennials, with everything negative association. we were seeing people make a living off apps and blogs, gentrifying neighbourhoods, thinking 'this isn't great but surely we'll make it better before it gets too much worse'. we were listening to indietronica before a night out thinking our experiences were meaningful. we were a bunch of idiots and must live with this forever. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
I have more time for Animal Collective than I do for most of their peers. I think the first couple records are fun and psychotic in a good way, plus when I saw them perform it was memorable because it was way too hot out and they were way too loud and people kept fainting and getting pulled from the crowd. So I have some good will towards them. This album feels like an aggressively uncommercial band trying to be a bit commercial because there’s money in millennial indie rock at the moment. Lots of good bands from 2005 have this album in 2009. I still like it alright but it’s kind of a bummer too.
Too noisy for me
funky fresh
This is an album that on paper I should really like and have tried to like before. But I just really can't get on board with their sound at all. I just don't want to listen to it.
Already one of my favourite albums! My girls is my favourite track, also up there with one of the best album artworks of all time
Utterly disengaging tripe…did not need to hear this mess of confused and unharmonious sounds.
I haven’t listened to this properly for a long time and it was great to revisit. Fun psych pop that was as good to sit and listen to as boogy in the kitchen or put on when driving. It’s a bit overstuffed at times, and the style has been refined since, but I loved it.
Interesting
6.8
There were times when I didn't know what was going on and it felt like nothing went together, but the more I listened the better it got. I think this is an album that will grow on me, it already has. 4 stars
Just not really sure what occasion or audience this is for. Had much fun staring at the cover and making my eyes go funny though!!
Fine. Nothing stands out, but also nothing offensive
I've seen this album cover before. Idk why I thought it was from the 60s? I don't believe i've ever heard anything by these guys before, but it's probably pretty likely I've heard *something* in a commercial or movie if they're as popular as they seem to be. so let's go... 1. In The Flowers - This ones cool. I like the sound and vibes, kinda spacey, i wasn't blown away by it at first. The wall of sound after "leave my body for the night" is nice as fuck tho. 2. My Girls - This one's really cool, I like! very sweet 3. Also Frightened - This is so cute wtf??? 4. Summertime Clothes - This one is fun and cute! 5. Daily Routine - Oooh, I love the sound of this one! It's really cool 6. Bluish - this was cute also 7. Guys Eyes - eh for this one. Production is cool tho 8. Taste - I really like this one! it's cool! 9. Lion in a Coma - idk about the start of this one, bestie. Lyrically, I get it. Okay cool. Production wise it's not vibing with me at the moment. 10. No More Runnin - Ooooh, I love the hazy feel to this. 11. Brother Sports - not vibing with this one at all lol. I think on relisten this is the only one I will 100% skip. So, this is a 4.5. I think I'm just gonna bump it up to a 5 cause honestly I really did like it overall. It kinda reminds me of Magdalena Bay a little big (but I like MagBay's music more lol). The mix of psychedelic lyrics and production meets electronica is just so fun and interesting to me. Like a meet of two of my favorite things in music, it's wonderful P.S. I hate the album cover, it makes me dizzy Interestingly, I really don't believe I've ever actually heard any of these songs ever before.
Didn’t get it in 2009. Same now. On some level i appreciate it, but mostly it flies past me.
This album kept putting me to sleep. Then an unusual chord would pop up and I would wake up, then I would fall back to sleep, then another strange chord would pop up, and I would wake up again until the last song. The strangeness of the video kept me awake through the whole song, so I decided to listen to the album again. I struggled with wanting to fall back to sleep. Most of the music seemed to stay on the same chord, and then change keys, and remain on that chord so the repeating changes, but extended sessions of that chord just made me want to fall asleep. There weren't enough changes in the music to keep my attention. If I had to pick the best song, my pick would be, "Bluish"
Based on its ingredients, I should have liked this, but I didn't... I thought for sure the synth-heavy albums on this list would be 5s, but damn, Robert sure did a great job of finding some astonishingly shitty synth-heavy albums, eh? I guess I expect catchy hooks, moody atmospheres, and/or mathematically mapped melodies with this type of music. This album, however, somehow manages to be spontaneously chaotic and repetitively boring at the same time. Kinda like its cover... it's moving, but it's not... it's flat and shallow with only the illusion of depth... Hard fail for being irritating... and hard jail time for flagrant misuse and wanton abuse of the synthesizer...
This had all the makings to be a good album, but it just fell flat on every level. Disappointing.
Fun and engaging
7/10 Favorites: My Girls Guys Eyes
#67/1001 🇺🇸🐼 Nah this is not for me. There is a bit too much going on here for my liking. I don't entirely dislike Psychedelic music but i do often find it quite irritating. The thing that bugged me the most here was all the speeding up and slowing down mid song. The last track in particular was awful. Best track: My Girls.
Não consegui criar uma conexão ou gostar do álbum. E ainda achei algo meio genérico. Chato falar isso. Celest Phoenixcall.
Just felt very… noisy. Just not for me
My wife walked out to My Girls at our wedding. Top 5 album on this list for me, every note is perfect.
I just can't...
This was ok, but I am not big fan of all the synthesizers and mixes with little to no actual instrument play it seemed.
It blended together
Meh. It was interesting at least. Funky and all over the place. Found most of it kinda annoying at parts. Tbh if I had heard this summer before my senior year of high school I might've liked it more. The optical illusion on the cover art is cool.
if you enjoy discordant sounds, repetitive sampling, irritating vocals, and lots of non-traditional instruments-then this album might appeal to you. if not, then you'll be wondering why this in on the list
This is very pleasing to the ears. It has so much tension almost makes me feel anxious which I like in music. Love the Beach Boy style harmonies with the acid electronica pop. I have heard a few songs but this is the first time I listened to the whole album. Glad it came up today, this will be getting added to my collection
Some of the worst mixing on an album I've ever heard. Everything sounds like a jumbled mess of sounds, with individual parts or voices impossible to pick out. Forgettable if not for how bad it is
This was an Ok listen. Pretty chill bordering on a little bit uninteresting.
When the Beach boys and Polyphonic Spree ran into each other at an amazing speed.
Started strong, dragged and then the last song was just shit. Mixed bag I guess
For a long time I’ve wanted to like MPP more than I do, it has a lot going for it. For one, My Girls is a killer song. Bluish is strong too. AC’s sound is unique and sometimes entrancing. The album cover is trippy and cool. As a whole though, it doesn’t come together for me. 3 stars.
wild. out there. vibes.
I liked this more than I should have
Not my kind of listen
I have an history with this album. At first I hated it with a passion and when I saw them live at Dour it confirmed what I thought : pretentious and getting on my nerves with this psyche rock and those synth waves. Then some years later a guy told me that this album needs time to get appreciated and indeed it clicked. The choral singing got me and the repetitive synth lines became hypnotic rather than boring. I was hooked and it became an heavy rotation for some times at home. Favorite songs: My Girls ; Also Frightened ; Summertime Clothes ; Bluish ; Taste ; Lion in a Coma ; Brother Sport
Kind of washed over me, but good to work to
Interesting sound.
Hey look, a (relatively) contemporary album that we actually own and listen to from time to time! Named after a venue that I've been to a number of times! I even had lunch with a friend up near Merriweather Post Pavilion recently! Anyway, I think this is an interesting record, thick with electronics and harmonies. But I don't listen to it very often because it sounds a little too, I don't know, wholesome? There's a near-Beach Boys level of cheerfulness in many of the vocals, and it lacks the kind of dissonance that makes me really love an album. But I appreciate how imaginative it is. 4
Good album. They reminded me of Neon Trees and M83.
Æ leste mæ opp til at det har vært epokedefineranes, og det tror æ på, for det høres ut som alt mulig anna æ hørte i cirka den tidsperioden, uten at æ dermed synes det va spesielt interessant.
I think this one probably needs a few listens to appreciate, I didn't mind it, not overly bothered by it either
Pretty solid, unexpected. 4/5
Good album. If I’d heard this in early 2010’s I would have been a big fan
Their voices are irritating, and I couldn't get past that to enjoy the album.
I think i liked it, but i would have enjoyed it more if i was high
I found the album cover more entertaining. Wibbly wobbles.
Beatless, pretentious trance music with discount beach boys over the top of it. To those wondering how they made these sounds: 1 take an effect pedal (vibrato, phaser) 2 dial all the knobs to 10 3 ??? 4 annoying sound that should have been cut upon discovery by the production. 5 what producer or editing? The runtime on this is too long.
too sober for that stuff
lol
Interesting sound.
Top 5 albums of all time
cool
3/10
Wow! This is something different. A US band being totally original. Great stuff.
ugh, God, no
I appreciate weird sounds done well, but they never went anywhere with it. I normally give albums like this a middling rating, but after seeing the release year, I just can't let it slide
Not a fan of experimental/conceptual albums like this.
Not my vibe
Masterpiece. Sounds like nothing else.
Neo-psychedelia. I love "My Girls" and "Summertime Clothes."
Not heard anything from these guys before, and based on this, I’m not sure I’ll be coming back any time soon. Just too much stuff trying to be packed in here, with the result being a fairly incoherent, jumbled, cacophonous mess. It’s like some kids got let loose in a studio and decided they have to use every effect at least once, and fuck do they love reverb. Soooo muuuuuch fuuuckingggg reverbbbbbbbbbb. Anyway, can’t decide between 1 and 2 stars, but I’ll err on the side of being generous
ive said something in this project before to the effect of If Ordinary People's Palates For Timbre And Structure Were Just A Bit Wider, Lightning Bolt Would Be The Biggest Rock Band In The World and i think thats also p true of anco being the theoretical biggest pop band in the world. i always kinda find myself thinking about Conventionality when i think ab anco because what they offer is consistently What Just About Anyone Wants From Music...intensely memorable and exciting, fills ur ears and scratches ur brain, equally rewarding to both surface level novelty and long term investment. and like the best pop music it takes ordinary feelings and experiences and blows them up to a size that makes u feel justified in reacting to them as strongly as u do...the aging, shimmering anxieties all over this record in particular make me think ab how much anco from the v beginning is about the Passage Of Time, and how the Surrendering experience they evoke leaves u so vulnerable to it. perhaps that sense of surrender is another hurdle? idk man. anyway, this is a near-perfect album, tho it has never been one of my very favorite ancos,,, im by far the most into the early stuff and even from this period i find the records on either side of this one a bit more adventurous and song-for-song memorable. but esp considering it not as the out-of-context indie darling i first heard it as, but as a natural result of where it is in their career trajectory, i like it more and more each time i return. i rly just oughta do a big anco re-dive...they are the biggest pop band in the world after all!!!
I think I may have been too sober during my listen to fully appreciate the creativity and artistry that went into making this album. "No More Runnin" was great, though!
Interesting
I got about halfway through before the repetitiveness got to me. I didn't hate it though.
So many reviews are so riled up over this album for no good reason. I really enjoyed this album! I didn't find this challenging (thanks Throbbing Gristle, nobody is more challenging than you), nor did I find it boring. I think some of you guys just like being angry.
5/10
I never listened to this band because the people that listenrd to it where such assholes. Listening to it now it's tamer then I thought. Wall of sound not noise. It's ok. To long though
This is garbage. I already don’t enjoy shoegaze, but Merriweather Post Pavilion is pretentious and uninteresting. There’s just nothing in the music. The instrumentation and vocals are muted and it is so utterly boring. The lyrics didn’t save it, and neither did the psychedelic angle. Byeeeeee
A very psychedelic, avant pop album. This type of music is not usually my thing, and this album was not really an exception. Animal Collective managed to achieve a very strong "seamless" flow between all songs on the album, which I always find interesting, but ultimately I just couldn't wait for this to be over.
Is this good?
Cool listen. I liked it more than I thought I would, but it's definitely an album I need to be in the mood for. Got cooler as it went. "Lion in a Coma" and "Brother Sport" were the favorites.
The pretentious, Pitchfork reading millennial musos got this one right at least. This is awesome. A disorientating, yet playful experience designed for a trip on acid or shrooms, yet still fun and intriguing to delve into in a sober state. You've got all sorts of layers of swirling, warpy electronics and echoing vocals duking it out with one another because why not, but the songs remain anchored to catchy pop sensibilities, follow logical structures and exude a very human warmth, ensuring it isn't just an alien lab experiment gone wrong. The production on this one is immense as well, providing the ideal, vivid platform for these songs to wrap themselves snugly around the surface of your eardrums. It reminds me in many ways of Yo La Tengo's more experimental tendencies, LCD Soundsystem, The Flaming Lips and Brian Wilson crossed with IDM/space ambient. No surprise that Sonic Boom would later take an interest in these guys, sounding out Panda Bear for a collaboration. It's gone onto the purchase list. Sorry, not sorry.
A really bland album where nothing really stands out. It's just a bunch of random ideas that rarely combine into a coherent vision. The experimentation never really pays off. It was shallow and worst of all, it was a chore to get through. At times it feels like the creators were convinced they had stumbled onto something genius that only made sense to them when high. The worst part is that it's a bad album not because the music is terrible but because it's so uninteresting to endure. I will not be revisiting any of the songs but "Guys Eyes" is the one that I actively didn't mind for the most part.
An album that needs a few rotations to really appreciate but so so good when you get there. The way these songs build and loop is just magical.
Dreamy, fuzzy, noisy. Was this recorded under water?
Not good, not terrible
Outstanding
Favorite track(s): In the Flowers, My Girls, Summertime Clothes, Daily Routine, Bluish, Taste, Brother Sport Even if the album wasn't amazing, I'd still rate it 5 stars for the criminal underrepresentation of AnCo on this list. Heard before Previous rating: 8/10
I feel like the songs get a little better as you hang in there with them, but definitely this is music made for shrooming. The lyrics are largely pretty dumb though. I don’t know, I’m glad there are people that really get into this, but for me it falls pretty flat overall. 5.5/10
Had heard the band name but didn’t know the music. Listenable bass heavy psychedelia.
Partly psychadelic 60's style (OK but nothing special) and partly headache inducing noise (not OK and I was glad when the album finished. Not one to add to my future wishlist.
This is Pet Sounds for Hipsters. I somehow get the felling this band is better experienced live than through a pair of headphones. I didn't altogether love this, but it was front to back fascinating.
The instrumentals were fine, but nothing really stood out, and the vocals were mediocre at best.
Dope
Solid pop album
Vocals Instrumentals
These sounds shouldn't work together, and yet they do. It’s a kaleidoscope of styles creating a beautiful album.
This is what I like from electronic music: dense and well produced, beautiful soundscapes. It loses some of its complexity in the second half, but all the songs are still fun. Just a really pleasant ethereal sound and satisfying vocals. Some songs drag on a bit too long, but I still loved this album.
the album cover is so damn trippy
More like a 3.5. Interesting and mostly pleasant, but not memorable or emotionally impactful.
the creativity + lyricism is there, but i feel this would work slightly better as indie folk compared to experimental indie / dream pop.
A lot of the songs felt too samey and while I appreciate the inclusion of a more recent alternative, electronic-pop type band, this album fell a bit flat for me.
Just sounded kinda crowded even with pretty good headphones. I remember when this was all the rage, I couldn't get into it, and it's aggresively mediocre now.
I couldn't finish this. It's my second time trying. I may try a third time, but I am clearly not the person for this album.
3.3 stars rounded down
i've never heard of this band or album but for some reason it feels very nostalgic and reminds me of music i've listened to before. very vampire weekend-esque vibey and fun to have in the background of the day.
2* - I have an affinity to mid 00's indie electronica, and I think had I listened to this more as a teen I'd probably end up giving this 4 or 5 stars out of nostalgic love for it, but I didn't, therefore I shan't. Clear inspirations (Beach Boys) and time period similarities (Vampire Weekend; MGMT) but falls short for me
This was pretty fun. It's the band's eighth album, and their technical expertise is on the highest level. The countless layers of instruments and electronic effects fit together perfectly, and the sound is new and different on each track. To me, the album is just that -- a very impressive exercise in making stuff in this style (whatever it's called; it's like a mixture of electronica, shoegaze, and 2000s indie). Maybe pretty sounds that you can zone out to is exactly what was in demand around 2008. Most of the lyrics are slightly pretentious reflections on everyday life occurrences. To be fair, the lyrics aren't meant to be properly heard anyway. The vocal is basically used as another instrument, with repeated phrases working like a key melody or beat and the verses adding variation. Either way, it feels like the true audience are music production nerds like the artists themselves. As a casual listener, I am somewhat entertained, but don't really connect with most of the album. Favorite tracks: "In the Flowers" and "Lion in a Coma".
Oh wow, I'd forgotten all about Animal Collective. I heard their first few albums back when they first came out, when Animal Collective was just Avey Tare and Panda Bear, and I remember being a big fan. They were just the right sort of experimental avant garde for me back then. Yet somehow, in the twenty years since Sung Tongs, I've managed to more-or-less completely forget they existed. This album brought it all back and reminded me why I liked them so much. Layers upon layers upon layers of totally discordant energy that all comes together to make a glorious cacophony of sound, but which still somehow manages to be catchy and exciting. This isn't an album I'd put on in the background while trying to work. No, this is more an album I'd listen to just for the pleasure of listening to it. Definitely worth a solid four stars.
listened to again great album
If Spaceman 3 and Pet Shop Boys did a thing together, it would sound like this.
Interesting experimental pop/rock, another band I've never heard of until today but it's worth a listen. Echoes of Krautrock and 60s psychedelia.
I think this is the kind of album that needs to marinate over a couple listens
1.5 , really interesting but just won’t listen to it again
Definitely different. And I like it.
This is my first time listening to Animal Collective. These songs all sort of blurred together, and I didn't really enjoy it.
Why do people making experimental music never experiment with making good songs? I don’t know the exact number of times I can listen to someone sing the words “adobe slabs” in an indie pop song and not want to punch them in the face, but I know it’s less than the number of times that phrase is repeated in “My Girls.” Way less.
"what if we combined whiny indie folk and electronica?" Is the question that noone was asking. But Animal Collective answered it. I didn't mind this.
It was just cool, relaxed hip hop. Would enjoy more if I had a few more listens of it. Particularly enjoyed when the riff to Raunchy was played somewhere in the mix. 4 stars.
This is like waking up after having a huge night on some pretty exotic synthetic drugs, and realising you have to go to a family bbq. You’re not sure if you’re still hallucinating or if you are just suffering a crushing hangover. One thing is for sure though, you shouldn’t have driven here. This might be the longest family gathering you’ve been to. It seems like it will never end.
Was an odd album. Not really sure what to make of it. Didnt love it, didnt hate it.
Good, but kinda Pet Sounds for the 2000s
Oh lord. This hype around this album was INESCAPABLE among the indie heads when it came out, and it baffled me. Seventeen years later, little has changed. While I thought the ostensible hit, "My Girls," was okay at the time, now I think "Summertime Clothes" is the standout. I actually like that song, but this album remains lost on me. As does Animal Collective in general. But hey, the optical illusion on the cover is fun for a couple seconds.
When I got divorce/separated in 2008/2009, for a while there I felt like it was important for me to become aware of the music that the cool kids were listening to, which I did via emusic.com a place where you could buy slightly under the radar indie digital albums for $2.50. This was one of those albums. I tried to convince myself I liked it then, but it didn't work. And it sounds even more dull now.
Electro noodle cookie trash.
I forgot about this album less than halfway through it.
this is so peak
Intresting vibe for an album, felt like a mix of a sheerup music i would hear in a fifa game mixed with some complex sounscapes and rythms. Definatly unique. At the end i could almost here some beatle like influence. Hard to rate for me, think a very strong 3 or weak 4. Wouldnt put it up again but its definatly not horrible.
The album cover is trippy, which should prepare you for the contents of this record. The music itself is alright. Nothing really grabbed me.
A fun and strange album, though it did get repetitive after a while. I wouldn't be able to tell you the songs apart, but it was enjoyable. Would recommend if you got headphones and want something weird, maybe for that one time on your record player if you're alone. 7.5/10
I remember buying this and playing it non stop because it was so raved about and I just couldn't get it. After this latest listen I still don't. There is so much going on, it tries so hard to be the beach boys and flaming lips oh and mercury rev but it just doesn't connect with me
Have heard of Animal Collective but this was my first time listening to. Had heard good things so was looking forward to it. The album started well and got my immediate attention as it really did sound different. However by track three I began to feel irritated by the overall sound. In particular the low bass sounds produced by the overuse of synths or electronic drums. This assault of the ears was not pleasant and I soon realised that the good start I’d heard earlier could have been achieved by randomly selecting any track to start. It would have degenerated the same way. Still they are a band obviously trying to get away from the mainstream and trying to furrow their own sound. For this they should be applauded and maybe I do need to investigate them further to find an album not so jarring. 2/5 20/1/26
Very boring and sort of...messy. I'm not sure how else to describe it
No. Jarring
Synth/Experimental Pop. Some songs I did not mind. Others I found annoying.
I liked pieces of this, but wasn't really in love with any of it. Might give it another chance some other time. 3.25/5
Already know this one, and I remember being not too taken on it on first listen in 2009. I gave it a few more listens because my then-girlfriend now-wife really loved it and it clicked at some point. It's a great album, and something I could listen to often. 4.5/5
𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 feels like a glimpse of what pop music could sound like in an alternate universe — one where the Beatles kept recording into the 2000s and 2010s and fully embraced psychedelic electronics. The album is overflowing with color and movement: layered harmonies, looping patterns, warm synth swells, and rhythms that seem to stretch and fold around themselves. It’s experimental, but never alienating; joyful, but never shallow. The songs shimmer with this sense of ecstatic possibility, as if the whole record is in constant bloom. For me, it’s one of the rare albums where ambition and accessibility meet perfectly.
Unbelievably annoying and pretentious.
Fine enough, but more effective as background music than something to actually listen to. It seems like a wild substance to it.
I’ve forgotten what a joyous, yet slightly melancholy, vibe this album was
Man this really took me back - I loved this album when it came out, and it still really holds up. A great collection of songs that still feel influential on the indie scene today.
This is a little dull and I'm not a fan of the production, but points for OK melodies and trying something different. Also, nice album cover. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
i didnt love this but it wasnt bad. the album cover was trippy, i stared too long and ended up getting dizzy
A little overhyped but still good, strawberry jam and here comes the indian are better
Strange. But I can't say I disliked it.
Ambitious. Pretentious. Kinda boring. Kinda pretty. Too long. 2.5
A perfect encapsulation of it's era. Blending trippy electronics, beautiful and haunting harmonies to create a modern psychedelic classic. Full disclosure: first album I remember listening to while high and it felt both like an eternity and not long enough. A truly entracing experience listen with great speakers or headphones.
Some good immersive sounds but the whole album is held together by reverb. Gets tiresome after half an hour and unfortunately I'm only half way through. Individually some of the tracks weren't actually that bad. But as a collection when I'm praying for it to be over then it can only be a 1 star. I know why the Lion is in a coma.
i dont fully remember but i liked it im pretty sure...?
It is as if the Beach Boys were interested in textures instead of songs.
It grew tedious at points, but at its best, the experimental energy was bracing and interesting.
In all the noise and repetition, Animal Collective made a very memorable and consistent album.
3/6
Not one for me. Fine, yet a (much) worse version of better bands.
Sometimes i get the urge for some twee shit but I'm watching HBOs girls right now so i've had enough probably until 2027
3,5
Very repetitive
01) In the Flowers - 7,0 02) My Girls - 7,0 03) Also Frightened - 6,5 04) Summertime Clothes - 7,5 05) Daily Routine - 5,5 06) Bluish - 6,0 07) Guys Eyes - 6,0 08) Taste - 6,0 09) Lion in a Coma - 6,5 10) No More Runnin' - 6,5 11) Brother Sport - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,45 (65/100) Current ranking: 553/786
Pretty experimental, not easy listening, couple standout tracks.
Det vilde er at jeg hørte et halvt album aktivt, men havde glemt det fuldstændigt da jeg genoptog det.
Det er beyond belief at noget der er så eksperimenterende og mærkeligt kan være ekstremt kedeligt
not for me
This was pretty cool. Album cover is trippy.
I don’t really get what all the fuss is about with this sort of band. There’s some nice stuff on here and it was a ok Sunday listen, but it’s a bit boring and the experimental aspect isn’t intriguing enough. Couple of good individual songs.
Ethereal, angelic vocal harmonies that sometimes sound Beach Boy-esque. Listening to this album is like lying in a field of flowers on a breezy summer day. Favorite track: My Girls
Bit of a slog to get through. It's just not what it wants to be.
I hope they had fun making this.
There’s a fullness of sound and a satisfying rhythm that make the silliness (lyrics and additional noises) enjoyable, rather than annoying. This is a fine line that many other bands have tripped over.
Kind of a weird hybrid of Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys? Or something? It's OK, but it went on far too long.
This is peak Animal Collective and solid from start to finish! Not my introduction to the band but definitely the most "accessible" of their "pop" albums, shit it's not close to pop but that's the best word I can think of, and honestly it's probably the closest they'll ever come to crossing over into the mainstream and they really never sniffed anything close to that!
3.5
I dunno. Just not for me, I guess.
Gotta be one of the most recognizable acid pop albums out there, and it's for a good reason. Makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
Difficult to describe, but would compare the experience to trying virtual reality after only ever consuming media on a CRT. Impressively expansive and novel sound throughout this album. I do think it gets a bit lost in the technicality such that I couldn't sing you a single melody from the song, but it's a wholeheartedly unique album and listening experience. Psychedelic, synthy, worldly.
A ver, suenan a indie pop electrónico. Pero me suena al típico grupo que los snobs de moda crean como grupo de culto… que al final se convierte en posavasos
Virkelig godt!! Skal lyttes mere til
Very good!! Men niveauet udover my girls daler liiidt
This was fine. Very much of its era.
Favourite Songs: Bluish
I didn't listen to Animal Collective much when they were in their heyday but this album makes me nostalgic either way. I love rediscovering artists that I didn't pay as much attention to at the time.
I don't get the meaning of this kind od music
Reminds me of Hookworm (also in this list). Gets a bit annoying as it goes on.
Oh hell yeah, 2010's era millenial dream pop. Full hope, joy, psychedelia, wanderlust and wonder. I love this time period of music although animal collective can sometimes be boring and mundane. But I think this music really opens your mind and mindseye at a late teen age while experimenting with drugs. To be fair, thats how I found this album. Taking dry weed hits out of a coke can then falling alseep in the woods. 4 stars, better albums from this era to listen to before you die. But Animal Collective is still worthy of your musical attention when considering 2010's.
Tedious
tinha uma época que eu curtia muito animal collective essa época passou?
sempre que alguém fala de pop psicodélico, eh isso aqui que eu penso! barulheira eletrônica PICA, gostei demais. tinha um tempaço que não ouvia esse e foi uma ótima surpresa. se os beach boys fossem FRITADOS em eletrônica eh isso aí que seria. mto forte bão demais
I thought this was pretty interesting
I think I’m becoming a Panda Bear fan honestly, really interesting musician and the other guy is cool too
It is all over the place. I cant remember or mumble a single part of any song in the album, its literally all junk sound. I will give it 1 point for trying something different
Outside of this challenge I got into Panda Bear this year and I've planned to check out Animal Collective for some time. Lucky for me the challenge is helping me out! This is so fun, so vibey, exactly what I anticipated.
Always a delight
I’ve never listened to Animal Collective before (but I have listened to Glass Animals, which is apparently a different band), but I remember seeing this album cover quite a bit when this came out back in 2009. I tend to really enjoy indie music from this era, especially music that’s electronic, so I’m hopeful that I’ll really enjoy this album. I can understand why some people really love this album, but MPP was just okay in my opinion. I found this album to be a pretty uneven experience, and it wasn’t something that I wanted to listen to for close to an hour. I thought the lyrics on this album were good, and there were some themes of relationships and settling into life’s transitions that really resonated with me. Musically though, I thought these songs lacked the punch and hooks that I want from an electronic album. On top of that, I didn’t really care for the production on this album, and I found the overall sound to be a bit washed-out for my tastes. I had a tough time getting into this album, because there wasn’t a consistency to the things on this album that I enjoyed. Some notes on the songs that I enjoyed: “My Girls” was easily the best song on the album, and I’m almost certain that I’ve heard it before. I really loved that looping melody at the beginning, and it complimented the vocals on this album really well. There was a good depth of sound to this song, and I liked how the music surrounded me. When the beat kicked in, this song got even better, and I loved its rhythms. Lyrically, this song really resonated with how I view my role as a father to two young girls, and if I didn’t think my kids would hate this song, I’d force them to listen to it. I give these lyrics a resounding ‘hell yeah.’ I like that bass beat on “Summertime Clothes.” I tended to enjoy this album more when the songs had a strong beat for me to latch onto. There were good lyrics on this song too, and I thought really captured that feeling of a fleeting seasonal fling. “Bluish” was good. It was a tad chaotic with every sound that was going on, but I thought that chaos worked really well, and this was a fun song to listen to. I loved that pulsing beat on “Guys Eyes.” This song really earned that Beach Boys comparison, and I really like how the vocals were arranged. “Lion in Coma” was really good, and my second favorite song on the album. It sounded to me like they were using a juice harp, which I thought was awesome, and I loved the beat and percussion, which gave this song a really fun groove. MPP wasn’t really my jam for the most part, but I like going back to the Indie Sleaze era and listening to things that I happened to miss when they came out. Animal Collective didn’t win me over today, but I can see why they’ve earned their fans.
I love an album that sounds exactly like how the cover looks
This is total bobbins - psychedelic nonsense!
Kind of psychedelic.
I don't think I want high enough to enjoy this album.
I’m partial to other works by Animal Collective (Strawberry Jam SHOULD be the album on this list) but this is an intricately crafted work that showcases a beautiful depth of lyrics from Avey Tare and Panda Bear. Still, it’s not the band at full strength and it shows in some of the doldrums of the album. It’s really really good, just not great.
Nice sounds to relax to. Innovative music based on keyboards synthesis and lush sounds
Feels like 2009 in here
Fun album, glad to see some Australian talent Fave track: My Girls
Stoked this made the list. 10/10 album cover. 4/5
Atmospheric, vibey proggy. Like Pink Floyd with a synth.. Not a fan of the consistent slow vocal delivery.. Vocals also reminiscent of pop-punk in places. Ugh, Daily Routine is such dirge... Guys Eyes is like The Beach Boys on drugs.. Best track - Summertime Clothes, Bluish, Brother Sport 2 stars
I remember not understanding the hype around this when it came out and thinking it was kind of noisy and weird. After getting into Panda Bear over the last year or so this is a lot more palatable. This has pop sensibilities with oddball instrumentation. There are tons of hooks in here. Really good, I like this a lot.
The height of their animalistic raw power.
Animal Collective! This is great, but I love, love, love their album Sung Tongs. It's more stripped back and less pop than this one.
I have apparently never heard Animal Collective, or entirely forgot their sound, because I expected to hear something like Fountains of Wayne. Merriweather does not sound like that. My ignorance may admittedly affect my grade. But while I appreciated the dreamy, synthy music, it’s really Not For Me.
It feels a bit like I am listening to the same song over and over , good vibes though. Not sure if I would listen to the whole album again . Other thank that I looove “ My Girls” .
i think its to weird music to me, it is no very bad but i did NOT like a vocal. I would give it a 3/5
I actually enjoyed this album, fav song was my girls, good while studying. Might have been a 4 for me but i need to relisten to it to be sure.
It was fine I suppose.
Great album for getting in a groove and getting to work.
2/10… psychedelic pop / freak folk
Interesting but misses the mark for me.
I liked the long builds and the first half of the album was great. There were a few tracks that were industrially scratchy/repetitive- so you have to be in the right mood for it. But a great album, very interesting
Meh
Alright background music
5.5/10
I'm supposed to like this but it left me a bit cold today. Nice lofi effort with some catchy vocals
New group to me. Slowly getting into it.
Wow, this is a discovery. So. Much. Sound. Very much a mood thing, I think on a bad day it would induce a panic attack (and nearly did in the car in heavy traffic today), on a good day would be the best thing ever. Pet Sounds on 21st Century drugs. Recommended.
Not my cup of tea. Too much going on & it feels like tuning in to 3 radio stations simultaneously
This was kinda all over the place. I wanted to like some of it, and I did, but a lot of it just was circular into oblivion.
I wanted to like this more. No really. And just when there were moments of cool and interesting sampling sounds tastefully layered, they had to go and muck it up with more homogenized hipster drivel. It’s this imbalance that keeps this in a lower rating for me. I can appreciate the ambitious production here from a band who is sticking to their guns, but if My Girls even though being a decent song was Pitchfork’s #1 song that year, that might speak more to the state of indie music in general at the time.
Pretty cool album, and I respect the creativity here. Each song is a bit of a lull on its own, could use a bit more dynamics.
This felt like it was going nowhere. And if it was trying to get somewhere, it never got there. Like running around in musical circles. Decent in parts but quickly became mundane.
This album is kind of a lot when you listen straight through. Better in chunks IMO. My Girls is a solid song. Appreciate these guys just do their thing and don’t try to be anything they’re not. Prob not something I will go back to often, but good enough for a mid range score. 3/5
Not for me
Chillig und gleichzeitig irgendwie nervig. Auf jeden Fall unique. 3.2
Das war ja nur öde.
there's so much i want to like here as an indie head, but i just can't get into the production
8/10
Listened to this 3 days ago and I'm still; angry about the time it wasted
Enjoyed a few songs on here, still isn’t my favorite sound by any stretch
didn't really get or like this album in 2009, and still holds true today. Parts of it feel like Mars Volta but it never gives you that punch they deliver
I strangely hadn’t listened to any Animal Collective before, it feels like exactly the thing I would have listened to at uni. In fact, it has such a specific 2009 vibe, I could pretty much pick the year it was made before I looked at it on Spotify. I enjoyed listening to this, mainly for the vibes nostalgia - not sure I’d listen to it a lot, but it was fun for the day.
Tossing up between 2 and 3 stars. Electropop without any catchy tunes. Meh.
Can something be both boring and offensive to your sensibilities? If you are unsure, check out this piece of shit.
yeah this did nothing for me
I need fractional numbers for ratings. I didn't like this album enough to give it a 4 but it's too entertaining to give it a 3.
I’m listening to the last song as I type this. It’s ass. Don’t bother. I wish I didn’t. I get explorative tastes but they also have to sound good, and not like a 5 year old had access to an audacity account and chopped and changed a trance classic. Hahaha just seen Pink Floyd are one of their inspo’s on Spotify not surprised in the slightest
a very specific moment in time i shall not comment on
This fucking sucks
Not great imo
Enjoyed the heavy layered sound. Kind of makes me think of the Beach Boys and Beatles got access to electronic instruments. Probably not a heavy rotation album but would be good to have some shrooms and chill.
One my all time favorites, didn't have to listen again because I know it well, but of course still did
Whatever. Late 00’s sound. Lots of whiny vocalizing and fairly generic sound
I really couldn’t get into this album. It felt like too much was going on most of the time.
3.3 2x good but nothing stood out
My favorite part was the album cover, which looks like it's moving :)
I struggled to connect with this when it was getting lots of acclaim in 2009, so I was excited to give it another try...and I struggled to connect with it again. I appreciate the density, musicianship and creativity, but it just doesn't move me.
I’ve been getting a lot of albums recently where I slightly vibe with but don’t love them. This is another example of that. Wouldn’t hate if someone put this on but probably won’t seek it out myself. 3/5
Just a worse version of MGMT. A couple things were musically interesting, but nothing I plan to listen to frequently.
There are some positive elements in this album. It does stay interesting enough I think. The singing is good and the experimental music in the background is good. It's just not my style of music. I might listen to some songs again, but not the whole album.
This is what Sgt. Peppers would sound like if it was made in the 2000s by far less talented musicians.
Całkiem fajna płyta. Takie mocne 3 do 4. Nie wiem czemu, ale się podoba.
I love the new discoveries, but sometimes it’s so nice to get something I know I love. I haven’t listened to it in a couple of years, but here it is, keeping on being great.
Masterpiece. Thankful this was included in the book, as this was some of the stuff I listened to as a young child.
Wow. Painful
I really love this thing after all these years - I think it's really lovely and warm
its kinda funny i never think about it but i guess Animal Collective is like one of my fav bands (after steely dan of course) but ... i was listening to this and I was like mentally ranking the albums and thinking this is probably their 5th best album (strawberry jam, sung tongs, feels, spirit they've come, then this one...) and i was like... crazy cuz in saying that I actually still love this one a lot... altho i think when it came out i had a really contrarian take when i was annoyed that this album which is worse than their other shit was being so lauded... anyways its still amazing and AC is really one of the most special bands of the 2000s... very like definitive band for me too ... also very interesting to me that like everything they've made since this album in 2009 hasn't really been that well received or honestly that good.. except the 2022 and 2023 studio albums which are super underated... i do like foridada thoooooooo anyways i love AC
Was good. I think I enjoyed it way more back in the day.
Whimsical. Pretty good and different, I liked it but didn't love it.
This is blowing my mind. I honestly wasn't sure that I would like it very much at first glance and from the first impressions of the first song. Maybe I just needed to have a different perspective, and the first song helped me get there for the next one. Idk. But man, I am vibing hard to this. The middle of the album has been getting progressively worse, but "My Girls" and "Also Frightened" set a high bar, honestly. The album also really picks up at the end again, starting with "Lion in a Coma". I'm honestly pretty blown away at how much I really enjoyed this. It's complex and modern, without being aggressive or what ends up sounding painful to me. The harmonies are excellent. I save 1 album every 20 or so days from here, and this is one of those. Looking forward to getting to know this album better while doing some chores. Favorite Song(s): My Girls, Also Frightened, Lion in a Coma
Not for me. This was a slog to make it through the whole album. Woof.
No me ha llamado
A few real gems interspersed throughout an overall challenging listen.
I feel this would be a good album for when you are working out. It sounds a bit like the "inspirational sequence" in an 80s movie ...
A definite staple in the "pretentious indie rock fan starter pack". Eclectic and adventurous, Merriweather Post Pavilion is a pillar in Pitchfork's hope for credibility. While I enjoy this album, it's not as important as you'd be lead to believe. I 'd give it a solid 7.2 outta 10.
Anything that is experimental or innovative is going to challenge conventional aesthetic ideas. The thing about this is that the result is neither interesting nor appealing. I’m glad I had the experience but I can’t see ever returning to this album again.
have yet to dislike something this much.
I remember when this album was inescapable but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it front to back. I probably need to listen to it again but on first listen it’s not for me. I can see why people like it but there’s not enough distinction between songs. I appreciate the more unique sound and influence though. High 3.
Yet another questionable addition to the list. Nothing inspiring or even all that interesting here. Going for an "atmospheric" vibe that just doesn't resonate with me.
Ok now I get why people compare them tot he Beach Boys. The music is a little too low fi for me overall, but there is lots of power per sounds beach boys harmonies and instrument choices here. Low 3.
This is really annoying. I've heard of them and had the impression they leaned into twee. This is far worse than twee. Skipped the first few songs after about 30-45 seconds and then bailed on the album. Make it stop.
It’s got a cool album cover. Kinda fun but meh
Very 2009 (good thing). Lacked that 09 oomf for me, though.
I actually loved this album! It totally fit the autumn vibe I was feeling! I'm not sure if it's something I'll listen to all the time, so that's why I'm deducting one star.
Animal Collective is a cool band, and this is a cool album, but I’ve never thought it deserved the reputation it got. I much prefer Feels or Sung Tongs, and I’d probably rate those must-listens. This one is just a little too chaotic, and it doesn’t have very many hooks to grab on to. I love “My Girls,” “Daily Routine,” and “No More Runnin.” Everything else, meh.
Masterpiece.
Pretty chill. Kinda weird but i liked it. 4 because i would listen to again
Very interesting, not a bad first album. To sort of map it on artists know, its Magdalena Bay-adjacent, similar sort of electro-pop type beat. Enjoyed my listen and am very willing to give it another go later down the line, 6 or 7 out of 10, if I had to put a number on it. Not at all displeased so far.
Has critical acclaim ever been so wrong as in the 2010s? These sounds like a 1980s synth experiment. No groove, no soul, no tension. No release. No point. You can’t dance to it and it’s not worth hearing. Garbage is too strong a word for such a dull album. But why it’s here? Critics supporting critics? Bye Felicia. Let’s get back to good albums, hey? 1.5
I vaguely remember My Girls, floating by in some lost forgotten dream, but the moment I stepped into a world of echoey voices with loads of reverb and a non existent rhythm section I knew we were in trouble. Music by and for talentless people, utterly and annoyingly forgettable. Wide berth deadbeats, give it a wide berth.
This was released with much hype in 2009, a time that was a bit of a low-point in 'alternative' music, IMHO. Lots of publications had this high on their albums of the year list, which surprises me. I think the fact that Pitchfork listed My Girls as their #1 song of the year tells you much about 1) the standard of music released that year, and 2) the pretensions of Pitchfork. Has this aged as a classic, where people sing along to the songs when heard? I think not. But this is more enjoyable than I had expected. It's better than most post-rock, which I generally find a bit too prog-like, clever clogs for me. Unlike much post-rock, which tends to be dour and tuneless (thanks for that, all you angst-filled middle-class white boys), this album trades in joy and Beach Boys-like tunes. Not great tunes, but pleasant enough. I like the analogue feel of the recording. By that, I mean the way that the samples (which make up most of the tracks) have been degraded into a warm, fuzzy wash of eccentric loops and weird rhythms. This is electronic-based music designed to be played at summer festival and get the audience dancing. I'm sure this album was blast live but is only OK on record. I pleasantly enjoyed listening to it 3 or 4 times through, although no songs really stuck in my mind. And you could handily trim 1-2 minutes off every track. It's OK.
this mostly sounded like noise to me.
Meh 🤷♂️
This one was a really pleasant surprise. I'd never heard of them before, but they have a fun, interesting sound that I really enjoyed.
This feels like the soundtrack to a meaningless modern art installation video I started to write, aimlessly irritated by the noise. Continuing to listen I felt myself drawn in to the undulating sound. What on earth? It does feel like the soundtrack to an indie film but not in a bad way. At the end the listen was positive. Would I buy it? no, but enjoyed the ride.
Учитывая, что это единственный альбом группы в списке, у меня просто нет выбора (но это не лучший их альбом, и это не любимый их альбом для меня лично; вместе с тем, благодаря легендам про него и p4k, я вообще узнал, что такое Animal Collective, и весь этот ваш rym, и так далее, и поэтому это абсолютно заслуженные субъективные пять, потому что ведь это не только про музыку, но и про личный опыт, ес ор ноу?). Лучшая песня - Summertime Clothes.