Reviews (page 4 of 7)
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.
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.
Kind of washed over me, but good to work to
Interesting sound.
I think this one probably needs a few listens to appreciate, I didn't mind it, not overly bothered by it either
Good album. If I’d heard this in early 2010’s I would have been a big fan
I think i liked it, but i would have enjoyed it more if i was high
too sober for that stuff
Interesting sound.
Interesting
Had heard the band name but didn’t know the music. Listenable bass heavy psychedelia.
The instrumentals were fine, but nothing really stood out, and the vocals were mediocre at best.
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.
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.
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.
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".
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
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.
Was an odd album. Not really sure what to make of it. Didnt love it, didnt hate it.
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
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
Fine enough, but more effective as background music than something to actually listen to. It seems like a wild substance to it.
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
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.
Not one for me. Fine, yet a (much) worse version of better bands.
3,5
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.
This was pretty cool. Album cover is trippy.
Kind of a weird hybrid of Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys? Or something? It's OK, but it went on far too long.
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
Very good!! Men niveauet udover my girls daler liiidt
This was fine. Very much of its era.
Tedious
tinha uma época que eu curtia muito animal collective essa época passou?
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.
Kind of psychedelic.
Nice sounds to relax to. Innovative music based on keyboards synthesis and lush sounds
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.
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
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 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
Chillig und gleichzeitig irgendwie nervig. Auf jeden Fall unique. 3.2
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
Tossing up between 2 and 3 stars. Electropop without any catchy tunes. Meh.
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.
Całkiem fajna płyta. Takie mocne 3 do 4. Nie wiem czemu, ale się podoba.
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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.
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.
This album is lots of fun. Funky and eclectic. Animal Collective style is out there and definitely ambitious.
Strange
Kind of mixed bag for me and definitely more poppy than I thought this group was, but not necessarily in a bad way. I enjoyed the vocals and the ambient indie of it all, but it did feel a bit repetitive at times. Best Track: No More Runnin
wild, wacky, wonderful
3 Stars (8/15)
Fav Song: My Girls
Wanted to like, didn’t really
Wasn't sure what to make of this. Not an easy listen.
If the beach boys had access to licking toads they likely would have put out something similar. However, the cohesion would have been stronger.
1er morceau adore ! Album entier un peu ennuyant mais jolie découverte !
Ok I guess
I liked this more than I thought it would! Sparkly and nostalgic
I didn’t dislike this turn to more pop sounds for animal collective when this album first came out but I am much more a fan of their weirder stuff on sung tongs, feels, and some of strawberry jam.
Brilliance to annoyance and lot of in between.
Dense, complex, interesting electronic pop with lots of harmonies.
It's a little to much for me to really enjoy, but it wasn't bad.
I, narcotic lightweight, ate a THC chocolate espresso bean at a party once that had me feeling like I was on an endless rollercoaster ascent and nice people were trying to talk to me about nice things but all I could think about is WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET TO THE TOP GODDAMMIT and experience a similar feeling with this record, which I suspect was influenced by slightly harder stuff. I do like staring at the cover. Sung Tongs is the AC record for this AC.
It's twee AF but still isn't boring. Docking a point for grown ass genx men with stage names Geologist and Panda Bear, since they are old enough to have known of U2 before making music and didn't heed the warning that being a 50 year old man with a name like The Edge or Bono Vox is just embarrassing.
Sounds like Kirkland MGMT
Trippy album cover, eh? Matches the music too. I don't know how I feel about this one. There just is a lot of...noise? Just a lot going on. It varies between good and bad, but I don't think I liked it totally for near an hour of runtime. I wished I was into it more because the beginning of this was pretty good. Low 3.
Shoutout MPP, great hometown venue for us! Have loved the renovations that have done with it ever since the roof randomly collapsed. There was a whole lot going on in this album noise wise. This album was good and bad at the same time. Liked a lot of the sound effects, but not so much the singing. This was a very 2000's sounding album. Starting off I thought I was really going to like it but got disappointing as it went on.
3/4
OK. Similar to MGMT. My Girls was played on the radio. 3/5
Surprised I didn't hear this in its time, sounds like a bit of me
I fear i didnt give this the attention it deserved because of life. Sounded fun, liked the singles, will come back to it
I had never heard this before. The first half is excellent. The album drags towards the end and is less interesting and makes this feel longer than it is.
A little too experimental for me. But not bad ambiance on a rainy day while getting some stuff accomplished 3/5
I was pretty ready to hate this, after reading the reviews. Gotta stop looking at the reviews before I listen. Not going into my regular rotation, I think, but likeable, like a big dog that licks your face too much.
Sometimes they choose some annoying sounds, but a lot of it is pretty good. Repetitive at times though.
Я ніколи не любив Animal Collective, але так склалося що був на їхньому концерті у 2013 му році. Здається тоді з цього альбому щось грали. І концерт мені загалом сподобався, наживо все це якось цікавіше. А студійно не дуже йде, я навіть сам не можу пояснити чому.
I can't distinguish between all these indie rock bands, but this one has a cool cover and opening song.
Meh. Lots of potential but the singer doesn’t seem to be able to get out of the rest of the bands way. Melodic, somewhat dreamy music but some of the vocals really take me out of it.
Very distinctive sound, gets repetitive though
This sounds ahead of the times today. It was a good listen.
I've owned this album for a long time but, honestly, it's never really clicked for me. Personally I give it a 3 but I suspect this is my issue. It's in the same ball park as early Mercury Rev (Boces, Yerself Is Steam), and I much prefer these. I know people love this record though so I think it's a "me problem"!!
Fun!
Okay. Indie music that feels of it's time. On the more Avant Garde end though so not many songs in a typical sense. More musical notes in a void.
Pretty chill vibe, but not a fan of the extra sounds mixed in. In general I’m not a fan of those sounds like with Fireflies by Owl Coty and Natasha Beddingfield.
Good alternative vibes, felt kind of repetitive.
Enjoyed listening to it, wouldn't mind listening to it again but probably wouldn't go out of my way to put it on. Best song: Lion In A Coma Notable(s): Brother Sport
The album cover describes the music pretty well
I was kinda down on this album but it grew on me. production quality is very high and it has some fun tunes
6/10 Highlights: In the Flowers
This is like if the Beach Boys did acid. I like it.
It’s a cool album. Some songs are great and others just fall short to my standards and expectations. But I would revisit it!
pretty soft and inoffensive rock. Something you could put on while enjoying a day at the lake, I find it runs long and borders on weird and spooky at times. Overall a decent experience.
I feel like I listened to this in the past and didn't particularly like it, but I found it reasonably engaging listening this time around. A fairly strong three, close to a four.
Some of the repetitive parts can be headache inducing.
It's cool, but it's so hard to get through. I will finish it eventually
As one half of the iconic UK experimental band, Houmous and Chutney, I really get an insight into what Animal Collective are trying to achieve. 2.7 2/11 My Girls
Hade aldrig hört talas om förut och behövde tydligen 3 genomlyssningar som bara råkade hända innan jag började uppskatta detta. Lite upp o ner men överlag rätt najs!
Jag skulle gett den fyra om det inte var för sista låten
Helt OK, men lyssnar hellre på Tough Alliance.
I bought this on CD - yes, CD kids - because a music magazine (Q if I were to guess) had wanked themselves into an absolute frenzy over it. I remember feeling slightly underwhelmed at the time, and this remains my feeling having had another chance to give it a spin. Yes, there's some clever indie Beach Boys vibes here but it ends up feeling like a technical exercise. Which, yes, OF COURSE the music press absolutely loved.
Feel like I've tried listening to this album previously and not really getting into it, but don't really remember it either. Not recognizing it this time. Either way, I'm not really getting the hype despite its status as a hipster classic. I think that's mostly the age on this album. This album could only have been made around the time it was. Does not really work for me in the year 2025. Its generally a fun, quirky, happy album, very Beatles influenced, just not doing it for me. Kinda felt the same way about the Beach House album I got early on in this project. Probably would have given it a 4 back in the day, but now, its a 3. Great album art though.
Jotain hurmaavaa on noiden suht eteeristen poptaustojen ja lähes epävireisen laulun yhdistelmässä. My girls on tosi hyvä ja siinä koukkuna on laulun hauska rytmi. Muuten aika taustamusaks jää lopulta muut biisit.
Very interesting and needs more listens.
Really interesting, probably necessitating multiple listens to figure out what's going on here. I'll be back.
I can understand why this has a lot of fives and ones. Hell I feel like giving it both these scores. It is an exercise on one level in opaqueness and production. Songs appear to be being played underwater at times. Many are soundscapes that while pleasant lack focus. But at its best - on closer Brother Sport and My Girls, it's how the Beach Boys might have sounded if they were into glitchy electronica. I looked at this album and it's 2007, making it one of the last albums I would buy before Spotify made it possible to hear a whole album instantly with no commitment to purchase. Like many other frustrating things about this album, I struggle to remember why I bought it, but there's enough intrigue here to keep it on the shelves. 3.5 but rounding down for calling yourself Geologist and Panda Bear.
Trippy Albumcover und die Songs bestimmt mit Drogen so richtig lecker genießbar, so....nüchtern im Büro.....ist der Funke bei mir nicht übergesprungen.
I have tried and failed to get into Animal Collective in the past and this album was part of that journey. At the time (maybe 5-6 years ago) I thought it was pretty mediocre and I never returned to it. But people age and tastes change so I don't mind giving it another shot. Gonna try to go into this with a fresh mindset. In The Flowers Strange and atmospheric intro. Psychedelic delayed sound. Watery and dreamlike. Interesting explosive synth passage, love the experimental vibe. Decent. 3.5/5 My Girls I like the oscilating synths. Don't love the vocals. The percussive elements are pretty cool I suppose. Dynamic melodies. Great layering. Kinda don't love the lyrics. Decent. 3.5 Also Frightened Pretty busy and all over the place. Don't love the sluggish vocals. It's unique, but really difficult to follow. Dislike. 2/5 Summertime Clothes Interesting vocals. Decent chorus. Slowly getting into the heavy electronics as the song goes on. Has a bit of an ethereal vibe at times. Good. 4/5 Daily Routine Don't love the loud synths. The track goes through a lot of changes, leaving it almost unrecognizable at times. Really like the slower, reverby, atmospheric part in the middle. Decent. 3.5/5 Bluish Very dynamic instrumental. Extremely psychedelic and dream-like. Kinda getting into the vocals as the song goes on. I like the higher register portions. Decent. 3.5/5 Guys Eyes The woodwinds and the background ambience in the intro is pretty cool. Interesting vocal layering. Don't really like the "need her" part at all. Annoying. Fails at reaching a hypnotic effect. Does feel really busy after a while. Dislike. 2/5 Taste There's a lot going on. Has some okay melodies and some interesting layering. Not too inspiring. Average. 2.5/5 Lion In A Coma Jaw harp? Great sample. Love the instrumental. Solid chorus, really like how it builds up. Decent. 3.5/5 No More Runnin I like the slower tempo and less chaotic sound. I like long notes in the chorus. There's a bit of a liquid sound to the instrumental that really works. Fine. 3/5 Brother Sport Rough start. Kinda find the main vocal melody really irritating. Annoying synths. Unbearably repetitive at times. Mindless and obnoxious. Points for creativity. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 I appreciate how experimental and loose it is when it comes to both sound and structure. It's a creative blend of psychedelia and synth pop which pushes some boundaries while still keeping a self contained sound. Unfortunately not all of it is pleasant or frankly even listenable in a casual setting. And while it remains impressive from a creative standpoint it has some moments that are just headache inducing. Between the psychedelic reverb and the dreamy layering there's also a lot of strange and sometimes even annoying synths that with their heavy repetitive nature buries into your brain stem and becomes really obnoxious. Now most of these songs have great moments, with fun samples and interesting vocal choices, each and every one of them also has some sort of element that just isn't all too pleasant. In the end it's a bit of a mixed bag. The solid amount of ethereal moments on here is definitely the highlight, with the reverby, synthy psychedelic ambience kicking you into a sonic realm all of its own. That's where this album shines, when it finally allows the listener to listen in on something focused and unique. When it isn't that it is busy, overwhelming and inaccessible. 3/5
Vibey, but I expected more from an album cover this good.
Meh. It is fine. I like the cover for the cool optical illusion. The music is fine. The name of the album is cool since I spend a lot of time at shows at the venue. But I don't know if I would need to include this album on this list. I'll say bang average, but round up to 3.
Merriweather Post Pavilion falls squarely in the “not great, not bad” category for me. It’s got a unique sound for sure — very layered and trippy — but it didn’t really blow me away. That said, there were definitely a few tracks I liked. “Lion in a Coma” had a cool groove to it, and “Brother Sport” brought some solid energy to the back half of the album. Those two stood out the most and gave the record a much-needed boost. Also, shoutout to the album cover — that optical illusion look is pretty wild and definitely one of the more memorable visuals I’ve seen on an album in a while. Favorite song: Lion in a Coma
My fondness for the venue has sadly never been matched by the album (2.5/5)
Pretty decent indietronica with a nice psyche sound to it, with some great production & vibe to it, however it's a little longer than it should be & the album can feel a bit samey & boring at times, although, that may be partially be because indietronica isn't really my thing, but still, it had some highlights with a nice atmosphere to it & I found myself enjoying it at points, it's decent.
Who is this for? Baffling.
Þetta fannst mér vera ofboðslegt bílskúrsband að prófa að fara aðeins út fyrir þægindarammann en þora ekki að fara of langt út fyrir hann. Ég get ímyndað mér að þeir eigi aðdáendahóp sem fílar þetta en ég er ekki í honum.
Reminded me of that one song bullfrog I really liked back in high school. Could be something i listen to while i work
This is a decent album. I didn’t care for a lot of it when I heard it years ago, but it’s grown on me. I think there’s still some just ok songs, but Brothersport is probably my favorite album closer of all time.
Pretty cool.
I could use a little more grooviness to this kind of alternative electronic music. Not bad though.
☀︎le début de In The Flowers me donne de l’anxiété ☀︎honnêtement pas si pire. 3.5
Pretty dope
It’s not really something I would listen to much, there was a song I recognized that I liked. I just prefer more prominent drum percussion.
3+
This album was truly like nothing I have heard before. The vocals were soothing, almost hypnotizing at some points. This worked to its favor most of the time. I really appreciated the artistic choices made in this song. For example, Daily Routine has a keyboard which plays sporadically at the beginning of the song (representing the hectic nature of the daily routine of the "storyteller") and eventually stopping (representing the day drawing to a close). It was really cool, and the lyrics across the board were great. Where it suffered for me a bit is that the vocalist uses the same tone across all songs, which makes the love songs, triumphant songs, angry songs, etc all have a similar feel.
This is a very noisy album. Its hard to listen to. Like really listen to because there is so much going on, but I like it. I'm also not in a good mental place right now, which definitely affects my experience.
Holy shit. Super viel los, krasser sound, sehr eigen, aber ziemlich nice
ok 2010s spacey, electro hipster pop... or whatever it was.
This is the most 3.5-ish album I've listened to in a while. For the most part, I was grooving. But every few minutes, I'd be like, "...hm...it got...unenjoyably weird for a second".
Some really excellent timeless songs on here, but also some diddling pretentious tracks. I love the song My Girls - had a nice father/daughter dance to it in the kitchen with my little daughter. Sentimentals aside, a good album that isn't entirely my thing.
When I first heard this years ago I don’t think I got it and as a result never revisited until now. I get it now and I like it. Very much Beach Boys inspired. Favorite songs were My Girls, Summertime Clothes, Bluish, and Brother Sport.
Solid, however it is a sign of the times. Has a certain feel to it that really pins it to late aughts. Enjoyed it though.
Cool and then weird. not sure how what to think of this one
3.5/5. When I was younger this band and their music felt like the extreme of experimental indie rock. I was so naive smh.
Not awful, but won’t listen again
Ever since I first heard Panda Bear's brilliant song, "Comfy in Nautica", I've tried to get into Animal Collective. Unfortunately, I've never been able to sit through a whole album until now. It just get kinda old after a while. We get it... you like the Beach Boys and computers.
These are some interesting songs here, some enticing vocal harmonies. Over time, I find the production relentlessly shiny, echoey and flat. Interesting enough to warrant the occasional repeat listen maybe, though towards the end this time I found myself craving to be free if it. Claustrophobic in a way.
Such a 2010’s album even tho it’s from 2009 lmao. Interesting electronic elements even tho the vocals are a bit wacky at times
Not really my thing, it was interesting enough but a bit longer than necessary
Started pretty strong but not much staying power for me I guess.
each song has a different psychedelic feeling that i like but it's just not that great to be honest. there are some really good songs but for the most part this album is just mid. i can see the creativiy and it did help me lock in for my test and also was a pretty comforting album but it still was just okay in my opinion.
Feels very experimental in a very dated way. Would rather listen to Dodos :)
Animal Collective was really big when I was busy having kids and going to school while working and I have always wanted to check them out and was excited for this opportunity. I generally real soft spot for this type of psychedelic rock-pop but this one didn't gel with me. Sometimes music takes more than one listen for me to get it so I will try again...probably. Am more likely to try other AC records first.
I'm pretty sure I've heard of Animal Collective before, but also pretty sure I haven't heard anything by them (or at least from this album). I feel like they've sort of channeled Radiohead and maybe some sort of mashup of TV on the Radio and LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire, blended with some sort of retro 90s alternative vibe (mainly just the occasional wall of impenetrable sound), plus weird bits of Beach Boys and ersatz-world-music styles. But somehow not as interesting as what that combination could have been. The highlights for me were "Summertime clothes" and the oddly peppy "Brother Sport". There are a surprising number of videos for this album (6), most of which hew (somewhat) to the Radiohead style, especially the video for the opening track "In the flowers" as well as (partially) "Summertime clothes" and (even more remotely) "Brother Sport", but again not as intriguing (perhaps even pretentious), and with a weird fascination for masked dancers in sheets in many of them. The cover's non-animated illusion of animation is pretty cool, though, I'll give them that. Overall, though, it's not really to my taste, even if it was *much* shorter and/or they'd convinced their guitarist to participate in the album.
I listened to this first on speakers and couldn't get my head around it but after I moved to headphones I enjoyed this vaguely interesting ambient music. Not my thing though wouldn't respect you less if you liked it.
I can hear their sound in lots of albums that came after. I enjoyed the highs and didn't hate the "lows." Still not really my thing but think I would like it more with repeated listens. It's so dense and packed to the brim with effects. Rating: 3.4
Started off feeling a bit noisy but it got better the more I listened. I’d never put this on myself but I wouldn’t be upset if someone else did. 2.5/5
This album likely will not appeal to everyone, and certainly sits outside my usual listening preferences. "Merriweather Post Pavilion" appears to be more of an exploration into electronic sound, incorporating samplers, synthesizers, and heavy reverb. The sonic layers are arranged in such a way that, at times, it feels as though two songs are playing simultaneously in an strange yet effective musical harmony. I enjoyed the more minimalist tracks on the album, such as "No More Runnin,", while more layered songs like "My Girl" and "Summertime Clothes" were also interesting. I can recognize the artistry and craftsmanship involved in this album, however, I find its sonic complexity to be too disjointed to enjoy listening to "Merriweather Post Pavilion" on a regular basis.
Fine, liked the opener, bit samey after that. Interesting to listen to rather than enjoyable
For whatever reason I never listened to Animal Collective much at the time, just didn't do it for me, and I still feel that way now after listening to it.
I’ve given this album multiple tries, hoping it would finally click, but it just never quite hits right for me. I don’t dislike it, and I can appreciate what they’re going for, but I just can’t get into it. Maybe it’s the swirling production or the dreamy, layered vocals, but whatever it is, I’m just not feeling the vibe.
Eh, there was a time and a place. Listened to & enjoyed some stuff off Strawberry Jam in my youth, but I don't think about these guys nowadays, and I don't plan to start again
Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland is a decent outdoor music venue. I’m personally not a huge fan of the amphitheater-with-lawn-seating environment for a concert. It does have its advantages for some types of shows. Sometimes you just want to relax on your blanket far away from the stage and chill with friends. The sound is just ok, you can’t really see the performers, but you’re outside and having a good time. But if you’re in the DC area, the 9:30 Club or it's even more intimate little sibling The Atlantis are the way to go. But the guys from Animal Collective, growing up in Baltimore, apparently had formative concert-going experiences at Merriweather. Were they the ones making the lawn so… fragrant? Or maybe they were using something even more disorienting? Because their brand of psychedelic pop is pretty out there, and the use of the illusory motion album cover art seems geared towards a certain type of experience. I actually dig a lot of what Animal Collective does, but they do it all a little too much. For instance, their biggest single, “My Girls,” has a great hook that is drowned out by too much electronic psychedelia that goes on too long. That’s kind of their thing.
I want to like this but I just can’t get into it. I think maybe I don’t like things described as experimental or psychedelic. I’m just a basic bitch I guess.
Nice.
I love how the sounds were produced but ultimately it didn't stick with me. I should give it a relisten when I'm not listening to Kendrick and metal.
woozy, shifting, hard to pin down - a feeling which the cover captures beautifully
Um cool sound just not my thing. I feel like you need a distinct sound preference to enjoy this
Really interesting set of tunes.
this is a man who loves his wife and son 3.5
"Also Frightened" is great, "Brother Sport" and "In The Flowers" are good, the rest is mostly fine.
I am listening for the second time the album just to confirm my feelings, something I havent felt the need on any of the albums beforehand. In The Flowers is a strong opener, but I dont feel the payoff I expected, the drums are nice. Also Frightened sounds like band was drunk while recording the vocals, or the layering makes me feel like I'm stumbling in a boat. I feel like this album is like an Onion, I just need to keep peeling the layers before I can get it. Daily Routine has a riff after a bit of singing that sounds annoying to me. 22:49 I feel annoyed(this is the bit where the riff is at the forefront) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmmHQpjR8LY (LP rip of the album) Guys Eyes pulls me back in for a little bit. This is my first experience listening to AC, so it's not something that spoke to me in my first or second listens, it is impressive technically speaking, but https://x.com/soocayne/status/1227436682707980290 6/10
Animal collective is cool. Part of that same scene as Neutral Milk Hotel etc…I was always more of a NMH fan than animal collective. Still, not a bad listen.
Moderne indierock/pop, eksperimenterende, mange lyde
Experimental pop...these guys are so funny....wait...it is really fun!
No entiendo cómo este álbum tiene una puntuación media tan baja. Tiene un sonido atmosférico, repetitivo, psicodélico, con muchísimos efectos en capas y reverberación, que tuvo una influencia tremenda en el indie de los 2010s. Es verdad que estar una hora escuchando este estilo puede resultar un poco agotador, y que no es para todo el mundo. Pero Sigur Rós, por poner solo un ejemplo parecido, tiene una puntuación mucho más alta. Personalmente, no creo que vaya a volver a escuchar este disco en algún tiempo, ya que, a estas alturas, su sonido no me dice nada nuevo. Pero, puesto en contexto, creo que merece una buena nota.
Day376 - the whole time i listened i kept thinking how it would be better without the synthesizers
I don't know that this was for me, but it was doing some odd and strange stuff, which is cool of them. I think Animal Collective might be one of those bands I tried really hard to get into in the 00s because people I thought were cool really liked them, except I absolutely did not like any songs I tried, so that was a bust. Skimming their wikipedia page potentially reinforces this idea, just because they clearly have the highly-segmented and detailed wikipedia page of a band that obviously inspired a strong reaction of some sort among The People.
Good. Not great, but good. Good background music for a party that wont interfere with conversations but might have people ask you who it is.
Not sure I get the hype on this one. It is some trippy pop songs, but nothing stands out that much.
Pretty Experimental.
Experimental pop. Psychedelic. A lot of reverb. A bit dreamy. Pleasant. Wall of sound. Electronic. Quirky. A bit too loopy fo me.
meh
I have always liked this album, but listening to it again in detail, I have better memories than reality. It's still a decent album, but just a little too out there in parts.
The music is cool, but I can't endure the almost shouted vocals.
I've had "My Girls" on various playlists for a few years now and really like the tune. Rest of the album falls a bit short of this - not bad - just lacking a spark that grabs me - I've listened to it 3 times now and nothing else has jumped out at me. A low 3.
Layeted
Pop electrónico psicodélico. Ni fu ni fa.
Honestly, think strawberry jam is the better album.
Good, but strange?
Best Song: Brother Sport. Really nice finale for the album. I think I preferred it to the others because underneath the (many) high layers of sound, this track had the strongest, most fundamental-feeling bass to keep everything in check. Worst Song: Daily Routine. I wasn't a fan of that high-pitched ringing that permeated much of the track. Overall: Refreshingly experimental but sometimes prohibitively dense. Each song here feels almost overstuffed with overlapping and intersecting layers, to the point that I found myself getting fatigued with the overwhelming fuzziness by the latter half of the album. Nevertheless, it's fun and novel enough to warrant listening to more to explore those layers.
This was definitely one of the albums of all times. The musical soundscape was fun, definitely feel the experimental part of the pop. That being said, this was not for me. Great headphone listen I think, if you're trying to zone out, but not something to actively listen to
Very eclectic and poppy. Certainly a distinct sound that this group has that can be sometimes neurotic to listen to. It tends to get very spaced out and trippy in places with the vocal effects and how the production carries each track. It's a fun record with many unique, experimental elements.
The album cover makes my brain hurt. The music doesn't. Loved Lion In A Coma, and the whole vibe. Ended on a high note with Brother Sport.
Animal Collective songs don't develop--they steadily entone, hypnotically, the way a Philip Glass composition entones. Incantatory. Lucid dreams indeed.
I was pretty smitten with this for the first half. Creative sound and approach, repetitive melodies and passages that layered upon one another. And then, just like that, the formula became a liability. Just a bit too much of the same musical aesthetic that after a while, became tiresome. So it's an easy 4 for the unique musical stylings and compositions, but brought to a 3 for its nagging incessance.
I remember not loving this one as much as the earlier AC albums. Today's listen was pleasant enough—My Girls still slaps—but after about 5 songs I once again got tired of it. I admire their effort, but it's too much of the same thing and this one is a bit muddled for my tastes. Sung Tongs is still my favorite album of theirs. Check that one out if this one at all appealed to you. I do love the shimmery cover, though.
I don’t want to sound too harsh, but this felt like a low rent version of MGMT. It’s not horrible but nothing stands out here
Interesting, but didn't really grasp me in any real way
First listen. Decent record.
Alternately boingy and plinky.
Its pretty cool
No private session used for Spotify. I have heard songs by Animal Collective, but never sat down for an album. This one is a bit too hyper or manic for me, I listened to it twice, but probably never again.
I've heard of this artist, may have seen them live at a festival. Never really listened to them fully. This is pretty good. I dig this music.
This feels like soundtrack music. Not really fun to listen to casually. There’s a lot of good work here. My Girls is excellent. Mostly, it’s overproduced. Way too many sounds and gimmicks piled up on top of each other. It gets annoying. Otherwise, it’s fine. 3/5
Weird to say I like this band although for the life of me I don't know why. The tracks are quite odd it's true but there's nothing hugely individual from one track to the next. Strange.
its no yeasayer
OK
Helt intressant, blev störande mot slutet
Mediocre.
What a trippy album. Not really like anything I’ve heard before. I think I liked it.
Pretty good 3.5
No doubt it’s a good album, even a great one, but it gets annoying at various times
interesting album, not a bad listen either but kinda weird i guess would be 3.5 but its not a 4 either so going with 3
Not as bad on a second listen but still a bit of a grind at times. Sonically it’s over produced, and the mastering is harsh. I don’t mind all the weird time signatures, but the songs themselves often get buried in the mix. There’s a lot going on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. They probably wear their Beatles and Beach Boys influences on their sleeves a little bit too obviously at times.
That was really cool. I don't know a lot of Animal Collective but their music is super interesting and I think I'd probably appreciate this album even more if I had been paying more attention for the first half (I was doing laundry and walking in and out of the room). This feels like an in-the-background album for me personally because I don't foresee a situation where I'd listen to any of the songs individually / out of context of the album, but I think it would be really good and stimulating music for focusing on another task because of the different sounds / ambient style of a lot of the tracks.
#345. It's fine? 3/5: ok
Forgettable background music.
Walks on the line between refreshing and utter guff occasionally falling on both sides throughout it.
Psychedelic pop/indie/neo-psychedelia from the late 00s. The songs flow together well, though they loose themselves in all the production...I think it is a too overproduced album. The song structures are interesting, but the songs themselves not very memorable or fun. It's a good album but perhaps I would need more listens to enjoy it more. Now it's a strong 3 out of 5.
These guys have a huge talent but their mix of vocal harmonies and electronica often feels to antic. I feel like they don't allow their songs to breathe and hide behind a wall of effects and sounds which wouldn't be necessary.
Not bad per se, just way too wall of noise/over production for my taste. Have no idea why this has so many accolades, especially considering how much else came out in 2009.
So this one was fun. I enjoyed it, wasn't my go to in terms of taste and kinda had this annoying bit to it idk how to describe, You know how with some of the other albums they've had this like mixing that just feels off? It has it hear but its not shit? Hard one this, didn't hate it, wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it but didn't mind having to listen to it. 3/5.
2.5/5 I find the vocals annoying, and the instrumentals are quite uninteresting. Some sections are great, but they are so surrounded by repetitive mediocrity they cannot be really enjoyed. It's never good when I don't feel like the music is going anywhere, and that's a common feeling while listening. Real struggle getting through this album. In The Flowers 2.5/5 My Girls 2/5 Also Frightened 3/5 Summertime Clothes 2.5/5 Daily Routine 2/5 Bluish 4/5 Guys Eyes 2.5/5 Taste 2/5 Lion in a Coma 1.5/5 (LEAST FAV) No More Runnin 4/5 (FAV) Brother Sport 2/5
I was initially unimpressed with this album. The first 3 songs didn’t grab me. But then Summertime Clothes came in and I started feeling it. The rest of the album flowed by and while not something I love, was enjoyable enough. Pretty good!
My Girls // Summertime Clothes // Bluish // No More Runnin // Brother Sport 3.5/5
Favorite Track: My Girls
Decent, but a bit samey
Experimental alternative/indie-pop that you can tell is from the mid to late 2000's. A unique album with each song being hit or miss for me.
A weird one. Lots of random noise I really didnt like But then a few of the songs I quite enjoyed. Can't rate it too high though because of the random noises, which is a shame 3 ⭐️
3/5 - I never went in for this breathy reverb stuff. It was novel, then over saturated almost overnight.
Ah, yes. Music of the late aughts. The reverb is strong with this one. I think I’d enjoy this more if I was on a beach somewhere versus at work. There are some definite Beach Boys-esque layering of harmonies, which was nice. And the echo gives it a bit of a “soaring” feeling. But sitting in my office, it felt a bit cacophonous at times, with no standout melodies. I wish I could give 2.5. But since I can’t…
They’re most accessible. Still challenging
Experimental pop, reminiscent of Snowflakes Midnight by Mercury Rev, which was released just a few months earlier. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: My Girls Date listened: 07/07/24
Mid 2000s electronic alternative. Pretty good. I like the flow from one track to the next
Kept waiting for this album to coalesce into something clearer but it never did. I couldn't really enjoy the chaotic nature of the tracks, nothing seemed to stand out. A second listen through with my headphones in was definitely better but still only scraped this from a 2 to a 3 for me. I like indie-pop but this just didn't work for me.
Too much of the same thing over and over. That “thing” is really good, but not eleven times in a row. There just isn’t enough range here, which is a shame because everything else here is so beautiful and feels like it had an incredible amount of thought that went into it. I’ll enjoy one of these if it happens to come on, but not the whole album. 3/5
The layered vocals make this sound quite dated, even if the music isn't at all. I found it a bit boring. Stand-out: Bluish
In The Flowers - 6/10 too slow for me but good My Girls - Bit long, but I really like the vibe 8/10 Also Frightened - 8/10 Summertime Clothes - 9/10 really cool my favorite of the front half Daily Routine - 5/10 Bluish - 8/10 Guys Eyes - 7/10 Taste - 7/10 Lion In A Coma - 6/10 Funky No More Runnin - 6/10 Brother Sport - 8/10 Overall the album is pretty chill.
Quirky, but good quirky.
Oh boy oh boy. I've sort of been dreading this record since I found out it was on this list. Not because I dislike it, but because it has the cards stacked against it. Its status reflects that of "legendary," which I don't agree with. I've heard it often called "the millennial's Pet Sounds" and that's very unfortunate because regardless of whether or not it's trying to be, it is certainly not. But that's not to say it's bad by any means. It's actually a pretty fun, psychedelic soundscape pop record that influenced a lot of musicians to experiment and let go of traditional structure. But it's also a one-trick pony the doesn't feel very cohesive. By the time we're deep into its nearly hour-long runtime, the new things to discover have worn thin. There aren't many memorable melodies or dynamic high points that keep us invested, and the repetitiveness wares after a while. It's a good time, especially when you have your good friend Mary Jane to keep you company while listening, but it's far from a masterpiece.
Not too bad. Had a good vibe, not sure I had to hear this before I died, but not complaining.
I'd heard "My Girls" before and it's a decent track. The rest of the album was fine but didn't grab me in particular.
I've struggled with Animal Collective in the past, but tried to listen to this with a fresh, open mind; but unfortunately the repetition, manic tempo yelping and layer of sounds on top of each other until they are almost incomprehensible reminds me too much of the voice in my head that is the source of my anxiety. So, even though I know the songs are largely upbeat amd joyous... it all just leaves me stretched thin and exhausted. I understand the appeal for others, but not for me.
It was alright, kinda weird and slow, I remember enjoying animal collective more
Could anything sound any more 2009 alt-indie? No it could not. I've never been a big fan of Animal Collective but always been aware of them. I guess I quite liked the album yeah. It was a bit samey and kinda felt like it was all coming off of one idea but not bad.
感觉就那样
Meh felt like background music. Not my thing
Was into it til like 2/3rds through like okay I get it
Btec version of twenty one pilots
New to me and pretty good.
Post indie psychedelic....I love the vibe though I think its pretty low on ideas. 3.5 My Girl however echoes though my head like some far-away dream.
Radiohead sings beach boys? Beach boys sing Radiohead? I’m here for it. It definitely had that late 2000s indie rock feel of Dark Was the Night.
found this quite annoying at first but by the end i was won over
I appreciate the impact as this sound had a massive impact on pop music for the next ten years…but there’s only so much of it I can handle.
Brother Sport bangs.
The problem when the music is created by machines and the rhythms and driving melodies are repetitious loops, it loses it's human warmth, connection and interest. The music is easy to listen to and inoffensive and provides a decent background soundtrack, but as far as sitting down and listening intently (critically), not as appealing and moves towards boring..
I don't know if I really love it yet but this has been a nice discovery.
3.5
Decent album, pretentious name.
Just the right amount of Psy-Ops to get me through a slow Friday afternoon at work. I feel thoroughly sedated and propped up simultaneously. 4/5 warped realities
In your face Beach Boys electronica - there's something quite punchy and maximalist about the sound which is exciting at first but the record sort of fades when the one trick is repeated multiple times.
It’s interesting enough for another pass through, but I get the feeling it won’t stand up to repeated listening because it’s just all very much the same.
An optical illusion album cover is bad ass. Decent.
The highs of the instrumentation on the first two tracks fades quickly as it becomes all-too familiar a psychedelic indie experience, but it's also never less than good
Fast paced, upbeat rhythm with lots of cool electronic sound effects in the background make this album great listening for any Daily (exercise) Routine. Summertime Clothes is the best song, liked it all. Nuff said, nuff said, nuff said, nuff said, nuff said (2.5*s)
I've listened to Animal Collective before so I welcomed this entry on the list. They have a very recognizable sound, super complex and ethereal. I love their mashup of various sounds, autoharps, synths, sequencers, samples, piano keys, household objects, etc. Their signature feature is probably the repetition of vocals that are harmonized into delay pedals (read as ::mid-word pauses::). They put the art in "artistry" and have really carved out a little niche in lo-fi indie rock. Their deep lyrics and hypnotic loops are so euphoric, it's almost like they wrote these songs while experimenting with psychedelics (wait a minute... ::side eye::). Keep doing what you're doing AC.
Enter a whimsical, psychedelic journey through a multi-level dream sequence. Trippy and calming. Couldn't understand all the lyrics but I enjoyed this on a morning drive to work. Geologist builds musical layers like sedimentary deposition. I can rock.put to more of this.
Nice dance tunes…. None stood out though
I understand why it's on the list. Good to have some more modern music on there too and this is a good example. Psychedelic like Tame Impala with better singing. Some songs remind me of the Beach Boys if they made trance music. At times it's very good, but for the most part it's not my taste. Favorite song: Brother sport.
Experimentell, aber viel frischer als in den 70er. Gute Mittelklasse.
Kept my interest
что-то в этом есть) но я вообразила по описанию почему-то новый хот чип а это не он
Herd it all before.
i will never not be disappointed that they are not actually an animal collective
I would have loved to like this more but I simply did not get it enough…
in the flowers- 5 or 6. its ok but if the rest of the album is like this i might like it a lot less my girls- 5. kinda reminds me of that movie home tbh also frightened- 5 summertime clothes- dont care 4 daily routine- 4. bluish- mgmt type shit. 6 or 7. i like this one actually not as boring as the others. this song doesnt feel blue though, its green guys eyes- 5 taste-5 lion in a coma- 4 no more runnin- 4 brother sport- idc favorite track- bluish