"Merriweather Post Pavilion" is the eighth studio album by American experimental pop group Animal Collective. This album can be a lot of things to a lot of people. It could be a lot of noise to some people, and it can also be inspiring, innovative, and complex to the people who seek to listen. This collaborative effort is one of the most critically-acclaimed albums in recent memory that could best be described as an onion of an album; and I mean that in the best way possible. Figure that each song is its own layer. You keep peeling and peeling until there's no onion left; leaving you with a very disappointing feeling.
Right off the bat the intro "In The Flowers" starts out slow but builds up to a stunning drum line right in the middle of the song that grabs your attention, and keeps you seated until the album ends. The lengthy intro reminded me of what some progressive rock bands like ELP, King Crimson, or even Pink Floyd used to do at the beginning of their albums. Not only does the intro lure you into the unique world of Animal Collective, but its followed by one of the best songs on the album "My Girls". The song is extremely catchy and well put together with stunning vocal synchronization that'll leave you speechless the first time you listen to it. It's a modern experimental masterpiece that takes pieces from different genres such as house music, electronic rock, and indie-rock; just to name a few.
Even though it may seem "Merriweather Post Pavilion" has a lot going on, it is considered a pop album. The same way MGMT's "Oracular Spectacular" is considered a pop album. Animal Collective's direction is very much a melting pot of different genres showcasing electronic melodies, catchy synth riffs, and diversity between each individual song making it hard to choose a favorite song. A lot of people may gravitate towards "My Girls" for the vocal melodies and driving rhythms. Others may prefer a song like "Brother Sport" that is very repetitive in nature, but offers catchy chants from Panda and Avey warranting it a song that you could even dance to.
Listening to this album can be overwhelming at some points; leaving you wondering where the structure lies. There have been monuments, and norms established in music. This album epitomizes how to break through those norms. The foundation of this album, in my opinion, is the vocal performances by Panda Bear and Avey. Their melodies give the album a base of support while Geologist paints around it with electronic sound manipulation, and sampling.
Even during the middle of the album you have songs that captivate, and stun in ways you would've never thought possible. "Summertime Clothes" offers a bouncy beat, catchy chorus, and driving momentum that works well with Geologist's samples, while "Guys Eyes" is a song that caught me off guard. The song starts off making you feel like you're in a rain forest with rain/running water samples, frog croaks and cricket noise, and an airy atmospheric blend of electronic samples. The way Panda and Avey go back and forth finishing each others sentences, and how the vocals are layered even gave me goosebumps at times; completely catching me off guard and I'm so glad it did.
Not to mention, you can tell this album is heavily influenced by many classic rock/progressive bands of the past. You could say the vocal back and forth between Panda and Avey reminds you of the vocal melodies on The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds". The driving, repetitive nature on many of these tracks could remind you of a track like "Dogs" off of Pink Floyd's "Animals". And even though "Merriweather Post Pavilion" is heavily influenced by these bands (intentionally or non-intentionally), Animal Collective succeeds in creating an extremely unique sound to their own; essentially carving out their own genre, and carving their own, diverse spot in music history.
Final Summary:
This album is a modern masterpiece. The excellent vocal work gives this album the structure it needs in order to thrive. The carefully crafted work by every member of Animal Collective created one of the best albums I have had the pleasure to listen to, ever. From beginning to end the album thoroughly surprised me. The layers of different electronic samples, and driving momentum each track had, gave the album a very mechanical, computery base; yet the album didn't lose its passion and emotion. I actually felt overwhelmed with emotion after listening to songs like "My Girls" and "Guys Eyes" and I was fully captivated throughout. I would compare this album to a Jackson Pollock painting. Each color thrown onto the eaisel tells it's own story yet blends well with everything else around it in a way that isn't forced, it just is. Easily one of the top 5 albums for me over the last 10 years and an absolute pleasure to listen to if experimental music is your cup of tea.
Rating: 9.4/10
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