Okay, so we're going to try something a little different. Ordinary, this is the part of the day when you might (or might not) read my review of the new Animal Collective album Centipede Hz (out September 4 via Domino Records), which the band were cool enough to premiere during last night's Animal Collective Radio broadcast and now feature (along with exclusive custom videos for each song filmed by Avey Tare's sister, Abby Portner) over on their official site.
| Previously… AC Drop Appropriately Bonkers "Today's Supernatural" Video |
I'd probably compare and contrast it to their last album, 2009's Merriweather Post Pavilion… probably comment on the fact that the band recorded this one in an actual room together, resulting in a more organic, tangibly rock-ish sound and vibe… and I'd probably use words like "sweeping," "sprawling," "lush" and/or "devastating" because I have a major tendency to over-use those words when I'm reviewing music. So rather than assault you folks with more of my usual adjectives, I thought I'd open things up a little bit. Yes, that means…
…Comment Party!!!
It's pretty simple. You've all got Centipede Hz at your clickable disposal. You're all (presumably) capable of utilizing some form of written language. You're all members here at Ology, I hope? (Sign up here if you aren't.) So then who cares what I think about the album, right? You guys decide! I've shared my two cents about each new song below but I want to know what everyone else thinks of the new Animal Collective LP. Toss your own reviews in the comments section provided below or post your very own proper review in the Indie Rock Ology. Go completely crazy! It is Animal Collective we're talking about, after all.
Stream Animal Collective's Centipede Hz in its entirety right here!
Okay, so here we go. First thoughts…
"Moonjock"
Holy hell, those opening cymbals just smashed my brain a little bit. The marching band snares are a nice touch, too… almost lost beneath a thick haze of psychedelic synth and guitar layers. An interesting shift in sound/vibe from Merriweather, for sure. Can't even begin to explain what's going on in that video, though. Yellow teeth… shudder.
"Today's Supernatural"
Still think is one of their all-time best songs. Love Avey Tare's howled vocals paired with that trippy, carnivalesque keyboard riff and all that hiss, grinding and tumbling drums rolling around in the background. The crunchy guitar hits on the chorus are pretty great, too. Can't shake the mental image of him in that creepy-weird face paint, though. (See above) Also, please tell me he's saying "erotic see-saw" and where I can purchase one.
"Rosie Oh"
Creepy synth intro segues into a wonky, mellow spaz-fest of warbling keyboards and wacky, distant lead vocals. Dig the lush (see?!) vocal harmonies around the midway mark and all the oddball found sounds bustling in the background. Sort of an early '90s Flaming Lips vibe.
"Applesauce"
If insects started evolving at an alarm rate and were suddenly capable of starting and successfully operating their very own NASA-esque space program… I feel like this would be playing somewhere in the background during the inevitable Hollywood film about the first bug mission into outer space. Yep, that's all I've got.
"Wide Eyed"
Sounds a little like a half-speed Bollywood number where everyone's on acid. Has a semi-distinctly (I mean, I think, right?) Middle Eastern vibe… but paired with some tumbling, lo-fi electronics and a lead vocal that, please don't hate me, makes me think of the lead dude from 311. Don't ask me to explain.
"Father Time"
Beneath all the hissing and tape loops, there's actually a pretty melodic little thing during the intro. Listen close for it. The rest of the song reminds me a little bit of Feels—a little haphazard, a little thrown together, but wondrously restless and surprisingly cohesive. Gets really cool at the 2:59 mark—insert your own synonym for "lush" here, I suppose.
"New Town Burnout"
Pretty cool, extra choppy percussion. Really digging the thick synth chords, too. Don't know, though… all the loops and found sounds and tape manipulation is starting to wear a little thin, don't you think? It's a nice motif, sure, but I don't know if I need to hear 55 straight minutes of it, you know? Melodically, though, this song might be my second favorite after "Today's Supernatural"… definitely the one I'll be re-listening to first. Falls apart in a really interesting way towards the end.
"Monkey Riches"
Though the accompanying video has a conspicuous lack of monkeys wearing top hats and little tuxedos, the vocals and sputtering synths build up this pretty cool and evocatively bleak, cavernous vibe. Hence, you know… the caves. "I want to know you down!" Yeah, whoa, okay. Where are the rich monkeys?
"Mercury Man"
Don't know if I'm feeling this one. Sounds, to my ears, like a half-formed idea from the last album. Can't really hear anything too distinctive in there… more spazzy keyboards and swirling, effects-drenched vocals, etc.
"Pulleys"
Okay, this is more like it—a big wave of warm vocals, spacious ambient keyboards and gently twinkling drums. Sounds a little like rain falling onto a pond… where, deep below, a giant fish that looks like Panda Bear swims around looking for plankton.
"Amanita"
What will happen to the storks, indeed! As far as album-enders, this one's a pretty satisfying little freak out. Dig the start/stop rhythm, the ominous surges of bass synths and those high, whistling keyboard sounds. "I'm going hiking. Are you going hiking?" Um, sure, totally! Overall, I don't know that the album has the same focus, vision or sweep as Merriweather Post Pavilion, but its great to hear these guys "rocking" (or whatever version of it you want to call this) again and constantly switching things up and keeping their music interesting. Thumbs up, definitely.
Agree? Disagree? Respond and react to Animal Collective's Centipede Hz below. I'm not going to flat-out promise that every person who comments wins a free chocolate chip cookie… but let's just say the Ology oven is being pre-heated as we speak.
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