#11 - Ryan & Steve

Animal Collective

Merriweather Post Pavilion

2009

While Animal Collective may not have always been striving to make a record like this, I feel like one can hear the band’s potential to create it even in their early tribal noise folk album, Here Comes the Indian. The collective (no pun intended) has grown and evolved substantially over the past decade. Here Comes the Indian was a pretty inaccessible affair that makes it clear how they would have collaborated with the likes of Black Dice at one point. Sung Tongs grew more broadly appealing but it was Feels that landed the band in more of a freak folk territory. Strawberry Jam last year was the band’s first attempt at creating a pop record but their use of harsh and piercing electronics was still a bit too alienating.

Finally, their efforts have culminated into one of the greatest musical accomplishments of our time, Merriweather Post Pavilion. The hype and raves around this record were at an all time high before the album had even been officially released. In fact, Merriweather was practically part of the indie canon before it was pressed on wax. This level of exposure is bound to bring out the nay-sayers and those folks who never really liked the band anyway. Usually I can respect others’ opinions on music if well defended, but in this case, they’re just wrong.

This band with their long-standing ritualistic interests, have created a sound that is wholly their own and astonishingly unique. This is an immense accomplishment within the realm of rock/pop. Not only that but they’ve managed to make their tunes friendly to the ears of the masses. Though they’ve been filed as part of the freak folk fold, the band has been shown to have more in common with certain electronic acts. They emulate digital dance music but without electricity. Instead, they utilize acoustics, vocal harmonies and tape loops. Then they inject it all with their own dose of psychfolk shimmer and swirl, sun-spangled melody, and a brilliant kaleidoscopic design. I am confident when I say that it is very difficult to overstate the impact of this album. I don’t believe it could be made at any other time or by another band. -R.C.

I’ll be honest – I had never listened to an Animal Collective album until this year. That still couldn’t keep me from completely falling in love with Merriweather Post Pavilion, a record that seems to almost have a mind of its own in how it paces itself and connects with the listener. The only uncertainty about its greatness is how it will be regarded by generations to come. I have a feeling it won’t be forgotten. - Phil