1.05.2009

Hey Guys. Big Gulps, huh?

(Hey Y'all. I'm very, very late. I'm exhausted from doing nothing on break apparently, and for that I apologize.)




THERE IS NO ONE LIKE ANIMAL COLLECTIVE.

So the most / second most anticipated album of the year (as far as me and pretty much everybody is concerned) is out. Reports are in that it's pretty great (see above), and I wholeheartedly agree. "Summertime Clothes", "My Girls", and "Brothersport" seem to be the hits thus far. I'll throw my weight behind "Summertime Clothes" as my favorite, and probably in my top 5 favorite songs of the year. It's skewed pop genius is even more addictive than it initially appears, building through a pulsing, creeping, head-nodding verse to a joyous exultation of a chorus that kills every time through it. Animal Collective still have a few tricks up their sleeve, throwing in more than a few sound effects to spice everything up, but the song's formality in structure has only been seen a few times before in their catalog. Fortunately, it works even more beautifully than their more expansive, meandering work. The rest of the album is also fantastic. Get the leak if you have the means, and then BUY THE ALBUM.

Animal Collective -- Summertime Clothes

Other recent thoughts:

Of all the bands I've discovered in the past two weeks, Gang Gang Dance stuck around the most. Saint Dymphna is great, I'm very excited to dig into their back catalog.

I'm not sure any criticism gave me more to think about than this. Very difficult for me to understand.

Decent music journalism recently, in the NYT magazine (Andrew Bird) and New Yorker (Will Oldham). What a baller Will Oldham is. The piece also got me into Viva Last Blues, which is fantastic.

Not sure why it took me so long to start reading Dusted, but it's excellent.

I am so excited for the next Grizzly Bear album, I don't know what to tell you. Department of Eagles, and the prospect of seeing them live on the 18th (Boston. Anyone want to come?), is the only thing keeping me going.

I'll be back in full soon, I promise.

X

No comments: