Appreciation Post: Avey Tare of Animal Collective

*MP3: Animal Collective - "Purple Bottle"
*MP3: Animal Collective - "Water Curses"

In August 2005, Avey Tare of Animal Collective and his girlfriend recorded a handfull of songs live and on video, called the Planet Claire Sessions. I've been a fan of these videos for some time, however, I re-discovered them this weekend to much delight. "I've Got Mine" is my particular favorite, but this version of "Purple Bottle" is pretty awesome as well.

(Ian Anderson)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero" (Animal Collective Remix)

*MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero" (Animal Collective Remix)

Animal Collective remixed "Zero" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It's not Earth-shattering, but it's neat. Actually, it sounds exactly like Animal Collective remixing a YYY's song. So, go figure.

(Ian Anderson)

MFR Is Concerned About Gary Oldman

*MP3: Hold Steady - "Positive Jam"
*MP3: Hockey Night - "Grim Break"
*MP3: Interpol - "Heinrich Maneuver"
*MP3: Justin Timberlake - "Sexy Back"
*MP3: Cloud Cult - "Fairy Tale"
*MP3: Bon Iver - "Babys"
*MP3: Kanye West - "Stronger"
*MP3: Kings of Leon - "Knocked Up"
*MP3: Les Savy Fav - "What Would Wolves Do"
*MP3: Elliot Smith - "Needle In The Hay"
*MP3: Say Hi - "November Was White"
*MP3: Coconut Records - "West Coast"
*MP3: Animal Collective - "My Girls"
*MP3: The Strokes - "Trying Your Luck"
*MP3: Mates of State - "My Only Offer"

The other night, I saw The Unborn. It was bad, just like anyone would expect. However, there was one redeeming aspect of the movie. At about the one-hour mark, Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Harry Potter, Fifth Element, JFK) appeared in the form of a liberal and free-thinking rabbi. I was absolutely pleasantly surprised; in fact, I gave my friend a wee silent cheer. Rarely there is a movie I can disagree with that features Mr. Oldman and his wonderful accent. But as the movie progressed, my mind began to wander. I began to question why Mr. Oldman would take on such a role with the knowledge that the movie would be complete crap; I am, of course, assuming that Oldman is near genius, if not a complete genius. I mean, just look at him and that mustache.

With that in mind, I think it's safe to say the Mr. Oldman took on this role merely for monetary gain, which I normally would fault an actually successful actor like Oldman for doing. But now, I'm thinking that his decision was more responsible, dare I say, economical. As you may have noticed, we are in the midst of a large-scale recession. A recession which I believed only influenced the meak, such as myself. It never dawned upon me that this recession could even take a bite out of the careers of popular actors. Well, to put it plainly, while something was happening in the movie that involved some near-dead zombie child, I was blowing my own mind with this economic riddle within a rhyme.

The fact of the matter is this: Gary Oldman is in trouble. Gary Oldman needs our help.

If I get 100 comments to this blog post, I will start garyoldmanneedsourhelp.com and will begin accepting donations on behalf of the Oldman estate.

In case gold old GO reads this, here's a mix to make him feel better.

Smooches.

LARPERS Caught by Google Street View

Two battling LARPERS were caught on camera by Google Street View. I'm not kidding. Check it out here. After laughing for a good spell, I began to think about LARPing, and what it could mean to me: you know, the swords, the shields, the never-ending lore. So, I put a mix together of songs that I would pipe into my medieval helmet whilst I don the appropriate garb, wield a battle axe, and smite my enemies.

Please, imagine a montage of me running through fields with a sword slaying some shit up while this playlist is rocking me to victory.

Behold, my LARPING mix:

*MP3: The Microphones - "The Glow Pt. 2"
*MP3: David Bowie - "Life On Mars"
*MP3: Animal Collective - "Brother Sport"
*MP3: Fuck Buttons - "Ribs Out"
*MP3: John Vanderslice - "Time To Go"
*MP3: Deerhoof - "+81"
*MP3: Headlights - "TV"
*MP3: Dr. Dog - "My Old Way"
*MP3: Ten Grand - "Fuck You Guyses Teams"
*MP3: Frightened Rabbit - "I Feel Better"
*MP3: Hockey Night - "Style Raiders"
*MP3: Justin Timberlake - "Summer Love/Set The Mood"
*MP3: Les Savy Fav - "The Orchard"
*MP3: Marnie Stern - "Simon Says"
*MP3: The Knife - "Neverland"
*MP3: Deerhunter - "Lake Somerset"
*MP3: Copeland - "Chin Up"

So, yeah, special note. If you're in a larping club and are reading this, please send me a note, I might totally want in.

Animal Collective Announce Tour Dates

01-20 - New York, NY - Grand Ballroom
01-21 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
01-22 - Chicago, IL - Metro
01-23 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
01-24 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
03-04 - Oslo, Norway - Rockerfeller
03-05 - Lund, Sweden - Mejeriet
03-06 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
03-08 - Cologne, Germany - Gloria
03-09 - Heidelberg, Germany - Karistorbahnof
03-10 - Fribourg, Switzerland - Fri-Son
03-11 - Luzern, Switzerland - Konzerthaus Schurr
03-12 - Florence, Italy - Viper Room
03-13 - Rome, Italy - Teatro Studio
03-14 - Milan, Italy - Rolling Stone
03-16 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
03-17 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
03-18 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
03-19 - Lille, France - Aeronef
03-20 - Nantes, France - L'Olympic
03-22 - Bristol, England - Trinity Centre
03-23 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
03-24 - London, England - The Forum
03-25 - Leeds, England - TJ’s Woodhouse Club
03-26 - Liverpool, England - Static Gallery
03-27 - Dublin, Ireland - Tripod
03-28 - Belfast, Ireland - Stiff Kitten
05-11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
05-12 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
05-13 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
05-14 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
05-15 - Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
05-16 - Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy
05-18 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Hall
05-19 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
05-20 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
05-24 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
05-25 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
05-26 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theatre
05-27 - Big Sur, CA - Henry Miller Memorial Library
05-29 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern
05-30 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
05-31 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
06-01 - Albuquerque, MN - Sunshine Theater
06-02 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theatre
06-04 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
06-05 - Austin, TX - Stubbs
06-06 - Oxford, MS - The Library
06-08 - St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre
06-09 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
06-10 - Orlando, FL - Club Firestone
09-12 - Monticello, NY - All Tomorrow's Parties

Animal Collective on MySpace

Best New Releases for Jan. 20, 2009

Today is proving to be quite a release date and will make quite a dent in my pocket book.

Andrew Bird - "Noble Beast" (Fat Possum)

*MP3: Andrew Bird - "Sovay"
Buy on Amazon

Animal Collective - "Merriweather Post Pavilion" (Domino)

*MP3: Animal Collective - "My Girls"
Buy on Amazon

Atmosphere - "God Loves Ugly" (Reissue with DVD) (Rhymesayers)

*MP3: Atmosphere - "God Loves Ugly"
Buy on Amazon

Bon Iver - "Blood Bank EP" (Jagjaguwar)

*MP3: Bon Iver - "Beach Baby"
Buy on Amazon

Coconut Records - "Davy" (Young Baby)

*MP3: Coconut Records - "Drummer"
Buy on Amazon

Electric Fetus and Radio K to Host Animal Collective Listening Party

Taken directly from the Electric Fetus website:

When: Tues., Jan. 6th
Where: The Minneapolis Electric Fetus

The Electric Fetus and Radio K are having a listening party for the new Animal Collective album, Merriweather Post Pavilion. The double, gatefold vinyl LP (180 gram) version of the album will be available for sale for the first time that day. The LP includes a full album download card in both wav and mp3 formats inside. The Fetus will also be taking pre-orders for the CD version which comes out Jan. 20th. Customers that pre-order the CD or buy the LP that day will receive a download card with an "Animal Collective Mix" of live tracks.

Ya'll internet freaks probably know that Animal Collective's latest has leaked--on Christmas Day, to boot--but that this also is an event to definitely attend. I've only heard it once all the way through (don't get nervous, I plan on purchasing this beast on vinyl), but this is my most basic reaction: While Merriweather is an excellent listen, it definitely comes off as Strawberry Jam 2: The Strawberrying. That said, do I have any complaints? Nope.

Animal Collective - "My Girls"

Stream: Animal Collective - "My Girls"
Download: Animal Collective - "Water Curses"

Animal Collective's "Merriweather Post Pavilion" will be out in early 2009 and, if these songs are any indication, it already is on everyone's Top Ten List for 2009.

Pre-order the record from Domino Records.

Animal Collective on MySpace

Animal Collective Announce Track Listing

Animal Collective will release "Merriweather Post Pavilion" on January 12th on Domino Records.

Track Listing:
01) In the Flowers
02) My Girls
03) Also Frightened
04) Summertime Clothes
05) Daily Routine
06) Blueish
07) Guys Eyes
08) Taste
09) Lion in a Coma
10) No More Runnin
11) Brothersport

MySpace

(Ian Anderson)

Animal Collective Live on NPR's "All Things Considered"

Download: Animal Collective - "Derek" (Live on NPR)

NPR captured Animal Collective's live performance at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. last Friday night on "All Things Considered." Some of these performances a really fantastic. To listen to the whole show, visit NPR here. Otherwise, here is "Derek," my favorite song from the performance.

(Ian Anderson)

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Download: Animal Collective - "Peacebone"
Download: Animal Collective- "Chores"

Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam (Domino, 2007)
Grade: A

So no one on this blog has said much about Animal Collective's Strawberry Jam yet. I was going to post something about it back when it would be, you know, relevant and all that. However, due to a very unfortunate two weeks, the album is just coming into my possession.

And it's fantastic.

Mark your calendars, dear readers, because this is one of the rare days that I actually like something. A lot.

Fellow MFRer Pete Farrell, our co-worker and I were talking yesterday. Pete remarked that the Animal Collective write songs that sound like campfire sing-alongs on acid. Agreed. The swaying, drunken swagger that most Animal Collective songs have a has always been one of my favorite things about them. I love mayhem, and Strawberry Jam has loads of it.

I've always found it hard to talk about Animal Collective in terms of over-arching sound and style. I don't know if they're about that as a band. Their core instrumentation is built of repetitive guitar parts that have enough jangle and bounce to them so that they keep moving. But really, it's always the little flourishes that make the song. The well-timed spoon sound on the second verse of "Winter Wonder Land," the little '70's sci-fi keyboard clip at the beginning of "#1" and the intermittent whistle in "Peacebone" are the types of sounds that build this album. It's shambolic and cluttered, but we can still find something to grasp on to underneath it all.

Panda Bear has always been a great singer, but I think the Avey moments define the vocals on this record. I know he enrages some people, because I guess his voice sucks or something, but he's like the Matt Sharp of Animal Collective. A falsetto shriek here and there is like the punctuation in an e.e. cummings poem: Panda Bear yodels on and drags this way and that, and I really do think that if it wasn't for Avey bustin' on in, Animal Collective songs – on all their records, not just Jam – would lose a lot of forward momentum. His vox mark ends where ends need to be marked, stresses stretches of song that need stressing and I appreciate that.

The funny thing is, I looked at some reviews on other sites after writing this, and Pitchfork really like Avey on this record, too. Is this the coming of the Avey Empire? Yes. Yes it is.

The bottom line is that Strawberry Jam is a phenomenal record. It has the perfect blend of momentum, songwriting and unpredictable little flourishes and perfect little moments.

Now, maybe it's the fact that I can count the amount of sleep I've gotten in the past 3 days on one hand, but stay tuned for another rare "April Wright Loves Something Moment," because Iron & Wine have a pretty damn good new album out.

(April Wright)

Animal Collective - "Peacebone"

These Animal Collective videos are just getting crazier and crazier.

Buy the "Peacebone" EP Here

(Ian Anderson)

Buzz Bin: Animal Collective

I don't really buy hard copies of CDs anymore. Don't get me wrong--I still make an effort to purchase every album that really impresses or moves me. But I've moved so many times over the past five years that hauling around my CD collection was becoming a huge hassle. So last summer I decided to sell nearly every disc I own and burrow even further down the digital rabbit hole--my new record library is entirely electronic. I know this makes me part of the problem, one of "those people" that's partially responsible for the decline of local, independent record retailers, etc. Pushing the bigger issue aside, though, there are still a few bands that I'll always make a trip to the record store for, like Radiohead, The Walkmen, Modest Mouse and, most importantly, Animal Collective.

For my money, Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin and Geologist are making the best and (arguably) most innovative music today. A few days ago, Stereogum previewed and posted the tracklist of Animal Collective's forthcoming album, Strawberry Jam. Brooklyn's finest have been playing most of these songs for over a year now. (In fact, you could argue that their newer "new" material is even more compelling than the Strawberry Jam stuff.) In any event, I've posted some live videos of the band testing out the new material on the road. Keep in mind that there's generally a big disconnect between Animal Collective's live/studio sound, and most of these songs have changed significantly over the past year. The recorded versions of these songs may sound markedly different. But assuming they're even half as good as the live versions, prepare to get blown away by these guys again.

"Reverend Green"


"Peace Bone"


"Cuckoo Cuckoo"


And here's the tracklist. Domino will be unleashing Strawberry Jam this September.

01 "Peacebone" (5:13)
02 "Unsolved Mysteries" (4:25)
03 "Chores" (4:30)
04 "For Reverend Green" (6:34)
05 "Fireworks" (6:50)
06 "#1" (4:32)
07 "Winter Wonder Land" (2:44)
08 "Cuckoo Cuckoo" (5:42)
09 "Derek" (3:01)

(Pete Farrell)