Psychedelic band makes statement

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On their eighth studio album in as many years, the experimental-pop weirdos Animal Collective have married their unique psychedelic sound with a more straightforward, accessible approach to songwriting.

The result is “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” one of the most dense, beautiful and downright enjoyable listening experiences in recent history.

Composed of electronics and layers upon layers of percussion samples, the album finds the Baltimore-based band channeling their influences in more direct ways than ever before.

The African rhythms of “Brother Sport,” the bouncy pop of “Summertime Girls” and the hazy, droning psychedelia of “Daily Routine” all feel familiar, though they have all received Animal Collective’s unique paw print.

Produced by Ben Allen – the man responsible for engineering duties on Gnarls Barkley’s Grammy Award-winning single “Crazy,” – “Merriweather Post Pavilion” boasts a strong low-end presence.

Tracks like “Also Frightened” and “My Girls” rely heavily on squishy bass drum hits, giving much of the album a dance-like, almost hip-hop feel.

The album will certainly give subwoofers a workout, but there are still plenty of sweet, gooey vocal melodies supplied by vocalists Dave Portner (a.k.a. Avey Tare) and Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear), that are sure to enchant listeners’ auditory taste buds.

In the opening line of “My Girls,” one of the album’s most infectious and accessible tracks, Panda Bear asks, “Is it much that I feel I need a solid soul and the blood I bleed?” His angelic tenor is drowned in Beach Boys-esque reverb.

Avey Tare provides round-like counter melodies and his trademark howl, which was always present on past releases but has never sounded this complimentary.

The lyrical content is one of the things that sets this album apart from Animal Collective’s past releases. Ranging from confessions of love (“Bluish”) and fear (“Also Frightened”), to the struggles of providing for a family (“My Girls”), the album’s lyrical content finds Avey Tare and Panda Bear emoting in more personal ways than ever before, making this their most lyrically deep and interesting album by a large margin.

On the album’s standout closing track, “Brother Sport,” Panda Bear consoles his brother Matt after their father’s death, telling him, “Open up your throat and let all of that time go/I know it sucks that daddy’s gone but try to think of what you want.”

Considering the track is an unbridled and anthemic dance tune, it almost seems strange that Panda Bear would offer listeners insight into such a personal interaction over what may easily be the band’s best song for dancing. If anything, the juxtaposition makes the song all the more motivational and effective.

“Merriweather Post Pavilion” is easily one of the best records that will be released in 2009, if not the very best.

It is the most cohesive, dense and accessible release from one of this decade’s most influential and important bands. Only time will tell whether or not it will be regarded as a classic, but one thing is certain: this album is a huge statement that could not have been made at any other time or by any other band.

Five stars out of five

features@cm-life.com