Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavillion

I find this album hard to review, because words just do not do it justice. Hyperbole is all I can choke out about how every song is great and this is the most original music I've heard come out in my lifetime, about how I watch Youtube clips of this band live and can't keep from making the "O" face. 

I could say that and more, but you know what? I'll focus on the aspect of Animal Collective's new album I think is the coolest and gives me hope for a better world- THIS ALBUM DEBUTED AT NUMBER 13 ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS!!!! In America! The land of Rock of Love and Larry the Cable Guy! It sold 25,000 copies, one of which was mine. Don't get me wrong, this band is polarizing as all hell, and in the past has been known to turn people off. But Merriweather Post Pavillion is a different beast than their other albums. They're very much the same band, but warmer and more focused as a cohesive whole. The members (Panda Bear, Avey Tare and Geologist), seem to have arrived at the perfect formula of working together. The production and arrangement is perfect on this album, unlike 2007's Strawberry Jam. The bass thumps and the soundscapes evoke as they should and the pacing is flawless- the songs all bleed together and heighten the trippy atmosphere of each other. The album is best listened to as a whole piece of music, something that is unheard of in this day and age- an album good all the way through- absolutely no filler. 

Every song on the album is amazing, as I said, but the best songs to ease an AC virgin into the album are "My Girls," "Summertime Clothes," "Lion In A Coma" and, after you've busted that cherry, "Brothersport". If the songs don't grab you at first, listen to them again. This is not you're normal pop band. These are people expressing themselves in a very new way, so give them time to grow on you. After reading all the positive reviews of this album, I feel like the collective unconsciousness of the music world is ready to like something that was previously abstract (though by Animal Collective standards, this is their "pop" album). 

Blah Blah Blah. Here's what you do. Step 1! Smoke some weed. No it's not necessary but it tends to take away a negative attitude towards new music. Step 2! Get it as quiet as possible wherever you are. Step 3! Deep breath. Step 4! Turn on the video below and listen close (turn it up! wear headphones! do what you gotta). Step 5! Download the album (legally!) or buy the CD and look into their other stuff (2005's Feels is pretty accessible and good too).