YAGN Essentials: Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion

We've mentioned this Baltimore psychedelic/electro/indie/experimental band here before (1ST TIME and 2ND TIME).  Their 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion is the band's strongest to date and is the latest addition to YAGN's Essentials.  The band abandoned some of the piercing sounds of their earlier work to let the melodic beauty and fluidity, that has always been under the surface of their work, to take a central role on Merriweather Post Pavilion.  As mentioned in the earlier posts, I think Animal Collective is an extremely talented group that continues to wow critics and fans alike with their deeply layered compositions that leave a lasting impression whether you like it or not.

Bluish -- also check out a very trippy video for the song HERE
Taste

The Beach Boys and Animal Collective

I have had the comparison I made of Animal Collective to The Beach Boys on my mind for a few days.  And when the song "College" came on my iPod, I had to check to make sure it was Animal Collective - I really thought it was The Beach Boys.  The resemblance is uncanny on this short track.  I also included a true mash-up of the 2 bands that is pretty good.  Enjoy folks.

Animal Collective - College

Animal Collective vs. The Beach Boys - All I Wanna Do (I Just What My Body Needs To)

The brilliance of Animal Collective

I don't know what took me so long, but this week I have finally realized the brilliance of Animal Collective.  The quartet out of Baltimore, Maryland are loved by bloggers across the board, but my affection has been a gradual one...until now.  Listening to their newest LP, Merriweather Post Pavilion, and their latest EP, Fall Be Kind, over the past week has brought this realization to life.  The band has mastered the art of layering sound and creating strange pop masterpieces.  Think Radiohead's experimental nature mixed with the Beach Boys' sense of harmony and transition.  Animal Collective layers organic sounds and vocal harmonies with many loops and a few electronic sounds thrown in there (more synthesizer than beeps and blips like Radiohead).  Hate or love Animal Collective, you have to agree that they continue to be inventive with each song/album that they release.  Enjoy the samples below.

Brother Sport

What Would I Want? Sky