Well, here we go, time for me to jump into the same thing that everyone else on Earth had done like 3 weeks ago, write a review of “Merriweather Post Pavilion”. I hadn’t really bothered thus far because of several reasons. Let me just get out of the way right now that I do like the album. I think it has a pretty cool sound and has some really interesting sounds on it that come together very well. The problem is that this album hasn’t really jumped up and grabbed me yet, like it has for a lot of people, and inspired me to put my thoughts down to the page on it. Also, in addition to not being necessarily as blown away as everyone else, I can’t decide how I feel about this album.

Now, maybe that is a good thing, since it kind of keeps me intrigued into it, and everytime I listen to it I hear new things I like and a lot of the same things that are good but not necessarily face-melting. I think this album sounds like it would kick ass live though, once you get the energy of the crowd going with it, I think a lot of these songs would really take off. But I think somewhat in this environment they sound a little sterile at times, while all the while you can hear the more beefed up potential for these in a live music setting. In that sense, I think it may be until I see them live before I really make up my mind on the album. But I’m sure you all have it already anyway so what I say won’t really matter much in the grand scheme, and it will 99.9% likely win album of the year on most lists anyway. Like I said though, I don’t dislike it, I just kind of remain slightly on the fence on this one.

“In The Flowers” is actually a pretty good opener, and it certainly sets the tone for the album pretty well. They are very upbeat, almost giddy at times on this record in comparison to past efforts, and that shines through often. The second track is the ’single’ for lack of a better term, and it is of course “My Girls”. My fence sitting is most prevalent on this song I believe. Every other song I can really get behind but I can’t make up my mind on this. It is catchy, it has a nice little hook, but the chorus kind of goes between sounding catchy and really annoying to me. Saying “I don’t care about material things” is kind of smug sounding to me, because no one really says that except to try and in your face someone they think is just a materialist jerk. On the other hand, it is a cool idea in concept and theory, to care about taking care of ‘my girls’, just the way he says it gets me a little sometimes.

“Also Frightened” is a slow meander of a tune that is pretty solid. “Summertime Clothes” is where it starts to pick up a little and sound really cool. This song sounds like it would be really cool live. “Daily Routine” is also a really cool sounding song, though a little be slower, but it also tends to feel a little more fresh and unique than some of the others. “Bluish” is just an awesome song that has a very cool groove that is almost old-school R&B or something. “Guys Eyes” is also pretty cool.

“Taste” I like a lot because it has a really nice sounding chorus to it that just flows really well. “Lion In A Coma” has some bizarro sounds that they manage to weave together pretty well. “No More Runnin” I like a lot and it may be the most ‘normal’ sounding song on the album as it kind of almost sounds like a slow folk ballad dressed up in a electronic shell. “Brother Sport” is where the tribal/ethnic jam element of Animal Collective is on full display as they pretty much just have a jam out to end the album.

This is a really good album and I do recommend it for people to check out. Even though it is their most accessible record to date I think that a lot of people will still find it an acquired taste. I think in a lot of ways this is an incredible step for these guys as they have brought some awesome sounds to the table and put together some great songs. Minor drawbacks would be that I am severly on the fence on “My Girls” (which is really the only song I kind of don’t like here), and also the songs can be quite repetitive. However, this album sounds like it would kick all kinds of ass live so I am very much looking forward to experiencing it in all of its glory in June.

BV Rate: 84

They have a slew of tour dates upcoming, including a stint at Bonnaroo:

03-04 Oslo, Norway – Rockerfeller
03-05 Lund, Sweden – Mejeriet
03-06 Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio
03-08 Cologne, Germany – Gloria
03-09 Heidelberg, Germany – Karistorbahnof
03-10 Fribourg, Switzerland – Fri-Son
03-11 Luzern, Switzerland – Konzerthaus Schurr
03-12 Florence, Italy – Viper Room
03-13 Rome, Italy – Teatro Studio
03-14 Milan, Italy – Rolling Stone
03-16 Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
03-17 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
03-18 Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
03-19 Lille, France – Aeronef
03-20 Nantes, France – L’Olympic
03-22 Bristol, England – Trinity Centre
03-23 Nottingham, England – Rescue Rooms
03-24 London, England – The Forum
03-25 Leeds, England – TJ’s Woodhouse Club
03-26 Liverpool, England – Static Gallery
03-27 Dublin, Ireland – Tripod
03-28 Belfast, Ireland – Stiff Kitten
04-11~14 Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
05-11 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
05-12 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
05-13 New York, NY – Terminal 5
05-14 Boston, MA – House of Blues
05-15 Montreal, Quebec – Metropolis
05-16 Toronto, Ontario – Sound Academy
05-18 Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Hall
05-19 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom
05-20 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
05-24 Vancouver, British Columbia – Commodore Ballroom
05-25 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
05-26 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre
05-27 Big Sur, CA – Henry Miller Memorial Library
05-29 Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern
05-30 Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
05-31 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater
06-01 Albuquerque, MN – Sunshine Theater
06-02 Boulder, CO – Boulder Theatre
06-04 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
06-05 Austin, TX – Stubbs
06-06 Oxford, MS – The Library
06-08 St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre
06-09 Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
06-10 Orlando, FL – Club Firestone
09-12 Monticello, NY – All Tomorrow’s Parties

Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes – From Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective – My Girls – From Merriweather Post Pavilion