Feb 04 2009
Does Animal Collective live up to the hype?
Everywhere I go these days, all I hear about is Animal Collective and how good they are. I thought I’d listen to their new album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, and see if they live up to the hype.
The first thing I realized was that this wasn’t any ordinary pop music. The band uses a lot of loops and interesting sounds that you don’t hear every day. 
The vocals are a very important part of Animal Collective’s music - they seem to grab me and point me in the right direction, where I would otherwise get lost in a sea of keyboards and percussion. The vocals are very consistent throughout the album, and perfectly performed.
I really loved the beat of Daily Routine and found it to be one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s one song that really grabbed my attention on the first listen (some others took a few listens to get into).
That was one thing about this album that surprised me: I couldn’t get into it right away. After a few listens, I finally got what the “hype” was all about - this album is really interesting but fun at the same time.
The first single, My Girls, is one I’d recommend. It starts off a gradually with the trademark rhythmic keyboard, which continues for the entire song. When the percussion and vocals comes in, the song truly flourishes. I thought the lyrics complemented the song perfectly.
Other songs I’d recommend from this album are: Also Frightened, Brother Sport, and Lion in a Coma. My only criticism is that some of the songs sound similar to one another. The drums, keyboard sounds, and vocals can become a little repetitive.
Still, it seems as though Animal Collective have lived up to the hype after all. I hope to check them out live in May.
Sincerely,
BW.
