Animal Collective | Merriweather Post Pavilion

Eric Ransbottom | Bearcast

Animal Collective’s recent release of Merriweather Post Pavilion [Domino] has not come without controversy. Following the release of a subpar EP effort, Water Curses, and a supposed leak of tracks off the new album by fellow animalia musicians Grizzly Bear, the anticipation for this album has been unbearable. Avey Tare and the gang, as always, deliver. The album ebbs and flows with the ease of a knife through butter, or maybe even a “Lion In A Coma.’

Named after a Columbia, Md. musical venue designed by Frank Gehry, Merriweather Post Pavilion is Animal Collective’s third full-length effort in 5 years. The album is reaffirming for fans who sensed a rift within the band when both Avey Tare and Panda Bear released solo albums, Pullhair Rubeye and Person Pitch, respectively.

Rather, what seems to have happened is the two furthered their own styles and were able to amalgamate said styles to the always incessant beat of Geologist’s electronics to create a more mature sound on this record. Avey Tare shows much refinement in his vocals on “Bluish,” a beautiful, bubbly soundscape about the nostalgia of past love that departs to a ringing Of Montreal-esque love field.

Most impressively, both Tare and Bear harmonize majestically throughout the album, both with shaky warbles in “Summertime Clothes” and cadenced falsettos in “Also Frightened.” Maturation aside, the core of classic Collective still shines on: intermittent yelps, repetitive refrains and electronic ecstasy.

There is a strong influence, with much of the ambience throughout the album coming primarily from Panda Bear; many water bubbles and otherworldly quavers sound as if they are directly off Person Pitch. But not all influences on MPP are strictly inter-band inspired. There is a strong afrobeat theme in practically all of the songs but most notably, “Lion In A Coma” and “Brothersport” sound as if they could be produced by Fela Kuti himself.

This is not to say that this record will be spun at dance clubs because there are still moments of whimsical, long-winded bliss. The dissonance of the first track, “In The Flowers,” coupled with the funk groove of “My Girls,” peppered in with the aforementioned alien groans, makes a sound that is purely and ineffably Animal Collective.

Best known for combining the experimental attributes of Brian Eno with the lilting vocal style of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, this album signals a departure for the boys from Baltimore. Gone are the days of fifteen-minute dream ballads; no tracks on MPP eclipse the six-minute mark, with most of the songs hovering around four or five minutes in length.

Though they are nowhere near Vampire Weekend in brevity, the indie kings are in competition for catchiness. Not since the former’s album release last year have I listened to a record, track after track on repeat, and had the melodies stick in my head so zestfully.

Though the shorter time of tracks and vivacious melodies have, ultimately, made this album the most accessible of the Collective’s collective it is not necessarily a negative by-product. For a band that is shrouded in controversy and is accused of being the “demise of structured music,” this is a fantastic response, proving that they can be catchy, melodious and altogether beautiful if they want to. This album is a great early- year gift and will remain a consistent good-listen throughout 2009.