Given the incredible anticipation surrounding Merriweather Post Pavilion—the ninth proper LP from the new-primitivist outfit Animal Collective—the album could well represent the second most memorable album release of the digital era (topped only by Radiohead’s In Rainbows). The fanfare for Merriweather went far beyond the listening parties and live bootleg compilations that initially piqued interest, eventually devolving into genuinely absurd episodes: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear found himself in a legal spat with the Web Sheriff over a leak of Merriweather standout “Brothersport” that he did not instigate; a band posted covers of songs on MPP months before the release date; one overzealous fan (or group of fans) attempted to trick a blog into sharing the LP by hacking into the band’s email account. Then, to top it all off, the album still leaked onto the internet on Christmas as a vinyl rip.
In spite of the drama, Merriweather has emerged in triumphant fashion, fulfilling a seemingly impossible set of aesthetic expectations. The album is the most accessible the band has released yet, trading the abstract, meditative side of their earlier work for more well-defined song structures and hooks. The visceral yelps and obscure samples are still here, but MPP introduces a stronger sense of rhythm into the band’s repertoire, pushing the low-end on a handful of tracks.
Singers Dave Portner and Noah Lennox perfect their use of a contrasting bridge in these songs—“My Girls,” “Also Frightened,” and “Brothersport” all hit unexpected harmonies in such sections, producing a set of honeyed earworms. Not to mention that these songs are as conceptually moving as they are musical: Portner spins woozy tales of love and ethereality; Lennox sings of his familial affections, swearing to care for his wife and family “on [his] father’s grave.”
The end result is a sublime pastiche of psychedelic pop, electronica, ambience, and soul that stands toe-to-toe with some of the best records of the decade. Don’t believe the hype, though. Just try it for yourself.
Voice’s Choices: “Brothersport,” “Also Frightened,” “My Girls,” “Daily Routine”
