Animal Collective Is Really Popular
Have you heard the new Animal Collective record, Merriweather Post Pavilion, yet? If you’ve got hipsterish music-listening tendencies, or dabble in indie rock with any regularity, I’m guessing you have. But if you’ve missed it, somehow, let me urge you to find a copy pronto. It’s getting near universal raves, and I think they’re fully deserved. I’ve been an Animal Collective booster for a couple of years (I put them near the top of my 2007 best-of list), so I’m happy to see them getting the kind of attention and adulation they’re receiving. Still, I’m not exactly sure why this album is being hailed as a breakthrough. Is it really that much more accessible than Strawberry Jam? I sure don’t hear it.
But who knows what counts as “accessible” when it comes to quirky popular music? I mean, Kraftwerk draws huge crowds with fairly freakish stuff like this:
Why? I don’t know! It’s inexplicable!
But for the record, I think the song is pretty fantastic, even though I’m not usually much of a Kraftwerk fan. By the way, I recommend listening to the song as loud as your speakers will go. I think if I ever dress up as a robot for Halloween, this is what I’ll listen to while building my costume.
The only proper noun I recognized was “Halloween.” Thanks for making me feel old.
— MH · Jan 26, 04:34 AM · #
Fantastic record. If I had to hazard a guess as to what “accessible” means in the context of AC’s discography, I would offer that accessible=less dissonance, more warm and bubbly electronics, and a whole duffel bag full of infectious hooks.
— cam · Jan 27, 01:56 PM · #