Psych Out

Listening to a band perform its upcoming releases isn’t always rewarding. More often than not, it leaves audience members feeling anxious and desirous of the songs they know and love.

However, this is not the case with Animal Collective. After the band frequently performed songs off its seventh full-length album, “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” fans only grew eager for what seemed to be one of the most anticipated albums of 2009.

Upon hearing the album, it became clear that the hype was justified; “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is more than just another commonplace psychedelic rock album. It’s noisy, but not bombastic. It’s sentimental without being maudlin. It adheres to their idiosyncratic, tribal primitiveness while layering on confectionary melodies.

The opening track, “In the Flowers,” is easily one of the best tracks on the album. Effervescent and honest, the song climbs to an unprecedented peak and plateaus with the line, “If I could just leave my body for the night.” This song alone epitomizes what makes Animal Collective so wonderful: Though listeners often have to look closely to find the best parts of the songs, it’s truly rewarding when they do.  
The album doesn’t falter after the first track, but getting only dreamier and more sugary.

“Merriweather Post Pavilion” is an outdoor album, Animal Collective said in an interview, and this description makes complete sense. Although released in winter, the album seems more fitting for a warm, green day.

The songs “Bluish,” “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes” continue the theme of intimacy, making the album Animal Collective’s most skin-and-bones work to date.  
While the band is usually knownclear that the hype was justified; “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is more than just another commonplace psychedelic rock album. It’s noisy, but not bombastic. It’s sentimental without being maudlin. It adheres to their idiosyncratic, tribal primitiveness while layering on confectionary melodies.
The opening track, “In the Flowers,” is easily one of the best tracks on the album. Effervescent and honest, the song climbs to an unprecedented peak and plateaus with the line, “If I could just leave my body for the night.” This song alone epitomizes what makes Animal Collective so wonderful: Though listeners often have to look closely to find the best parts of the songs, it’s truly rewarding when they do.  
The album doesn’t falter after the first track, but getting only dreamier and more sugary.

“Merriweather Post Pavilion” is an outdoor album, Animal Collective said in an interview, and this description makes complete sense. Although released in winter, the album seems more fitting for a warm, green day.

The songs “Bluish,” “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes” continue the theme of intimacy, making the album Animal Collective’s most skin-and-bones work to date.  
While the band is usually known as being strange and difficult to listen to “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is their most accessible album. Now the only thing fans will be anticipating is another release.