Rebirth

I managed to get my greedy paws on the upcoming Animal Collective release, Merriweather Post Pavilion before the New Years Holiday. I was patient about my first listen and had one person in particular I was holding out to share the experience with until the right moment. Unfortunately sometimes you just need to hear your Animal Collective and I cheated and went forth ahead on my own. I am absolutely confident in claiming that it is a complete masterpiece. About three years ago now I bought a ticket to check out their live show at Webster Hall with Metric. They sounded so awful and messy that I left during my favorite track of theirs at the time, two songs into the set. I had never walked out of a show until that moment. It took a lot for my eardrums to feel that assaulted by what I was hearing and make my way down the slippery marble stairs without feeling the urge to turn around and suck up the noise and see if by chance the performance was going to get any better. When I first read about the glowing reviews of their side project, Panda Bear and their debut release Person Pitch I was stubborn and didn't even give the album a listen until last January. It was one of those perfect days that you remember every single detail about where you went and the person you were with. It was cold and snowy and I have been deeply connected to Panda Bear ever since. This summer at the Pitchfork Music Festival I stood next to members of Fleet Foxes and watched Animal Collective as the sun set against the glowing Chicago sky. Hippies were dancing in a huge mud pit behind me and the `squish` `squish` `squish` of the water~sand~solution between their toes was as gentle and soothing as crickets after a rainstorm. I could not have been happier. Walking away from that show I happily admitted to my new Chicago friends that I was wrong and Animal Collective was and is an amazing live band. This is why I state with such passion and adoration that their latest record is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. From where the band began, swapping mixed tapes and experimental ideas to where they have come, releasing a completely fluid, lush, exotic, complex, emotional roller coaster of a mess that sounds so breathtakingly beautiful it makes my mouth water. It is exactly what was missing during 2008. A year of difficulty, frustration and pain that found me confused about where I belonged within this ridiculously infectious industry and eager for inspiration and strength. It is with much happiness and expectation that I look forward to this year in music. In the meantime, Frankie Knuckles has already given it a go with a remixed version of My Girls. I admit I definitely was grooving through sections of it, but the creepy breathing makes my insides squirm-and not in a good way. It is worth overlooking my girlie reaction to give it a listen.
Animal Collective vs Frankie Knuckles-Your Love My Girls.mp3
Animal Collective vs Vashti Bunyan-I Remember Learning How to Dive.mp3
Animal Collective-Water Curses.mp3
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