[roopn]

This is probably the AC album I know the least about. Can someone fill me in on how the band came to make the record?

Also shoot the breeze about HCTI in general

[Tropic]

Never heard of this one, or this band. Will check it out

[preacherben]

this is their hex induction hour. the band was about to fall apart and then they record their last hurrah together and it ends up being the one the breaks through. and it's also their best.

pretty gr8 comparison if i do say so myself

[terrestrialjane]

Heavy psychedelia that only animal collective can create. An album I have yet to hear sounding similar to another. This album kinda got the ball rolling Into hardcore psych music.

[speen]

preacherben sort of covered it there. they were all pissed at each other and they recorded it really quickly, without a lot of the vocals first, then avey and panda went back and did the vocals. imo it's my second favorite AC album. it's just so unhinged and wild... it always conjures images of twisted forests growing up around a path in a surreal, purple world. amazing album, a great example of the music they are capable of making when they truly just let go of any ties to making traditional songs.

it was arguably their most out-there psychedelic album, but unfortunately it was the last of the back-woodsy forest children psychedelic albums. hollinndagain and parts of danse and spirit are the only thing they have close to HCTI in terms of sound. (plus that weird in-between sung tongs and HCTI stage, where they did that spinning on air show with tuvin, pumpkins funeral, etc.... crazy shit)

even though campfire songs was recorded 2-3 years before HCTI, i still love the contrast created by campfire songs and HCTI being released the same year. it's almost like it's 2 sides to the same forest

[ghastlyorchid]

I think it's interesting that people always talk about "forest" when they talk about HCTI... I remember an interview where PB said he thought of HCTI as their "city" album, and for him it made him think about the grittiness of their practice space, and all the concrete and trash around it (There are awesome photos of that space here http://www.isabelashapenzlien.com/pages/B_PS.html). Though the lyrics are mostly inscrutable as a listener, and thus not important, they don't especially focus on nature or being outside at all. There's nothing really natural about the music itself. To me, it sounds very electric and technological. The fact that they chose an image of a forest for the album cover is very interesting. I think it's fair to say that it doesn't have very much to do with the music itself. Overall HCTI is a really interesting case about how it's impossible to separate other factors (such as the album cover) from affecting the perception of the pure sound.

[Tropic]

I didn't know there was in-fighting at all. Makes sense though. There's that really obvious tension in a lot of these songs.

I also wouldn't really associate this album with forestry. I heavily associate Two Sails on a Sound with a breakdown of society. Can definitely see it as a 'city' album too. There's so much chaos. Slippi sounds like bustling streets. Panic sounds like agoraphobia.

Obviously I think we would all adore if their next LP had them re-exploring these kind of soundscapes, long-form songs and loose structures. I have a feeling they will be.

[scrambledgreggs]

The more I listen to HCTI the higher it ranks among their discography. At this point it's probably my favorite.

The in-fighting and tension between band members is interesting given that this was the first album with all four members and the first released under the name "Animal Collective".

Every time I listen to Animal Crack Box or Hollindagain I fantasize about all those tracks being recorded and mastered with the same care that went into HCTI, especially because we're unlikely to hear anything like it ever again, from AC or others.

Someone posted a photo of the poster insert that came with the original pressings that pretty much hits the nail on the head in terms of what I visualize when I hear the album:



Reminds me of neurons, brain chemistry and electricity, even though it does have a forest in the background.

[roopn]

Interesting insight dudes, thanks! Always makes me sad to hear about peeps not getting along, but I guess it's in the past now. Pretty strange atmosphere which shines through crystal clear into the music

[FAF]

probs my second favorite animal collective album

it definitely makes me think of a city very late at night, after things are closed and the streets are mostly empty (two sails on a sound especially). i listened to it once driving through san francisco at 3 in the morning and it was perfect.

[pigman08]

Maybe it's because of the cover art but this music to me just could happen in some abandoned warehouse just outside a forest, and as the songs get more and more atmospheric and abstract it's like a journey into the forest at midnight and encountering weird ghosts and stuff. Interesting that many people including Panda get a urban feeling from this album.

The chant at the end of Hey Light was the main thing that stayed with me afterwards. Native Belle feels like a whole different band to me because of that crazy chorus melody but I love it. And the ascending drumming at the beginning of Hey Light is just so raw. Infant Dress Table is so eerie and fascinating,Panic always scares me out, Two Sails on a Sound feels more pacific and serene to me, to the point where Slippi feels so sudden, but so good, I'm very glad the band played that one live years later because it's one of their best "happy" ending songs (even though it's not exactly the final track). Too Soon feels super dislocated, definetely one of their weirdest songs structure wise to me.

[griff_doge]

This was the first animal collective album I bought and is what opened me up to noise music. My friend played Chocolate Girl for me when I was really high and it blew my mind. The next day I went to Waterloo records in Austin to see what I could find and they had HCTI. When I got it home I was disappointed at first but the more I listened the more I was drawn in. It didn't hurt that Native Belle, Hey Light and Slippi had (very tiny) elements of more traditional music. Sung Tongs came out some time later and I got to see them at Mary Jane's in Houston but by then they were playing Feels material, which totally blew my expectations away. I think that's what I have enjoyed most as an AC fan, consistently having my expectations trumped by what they do next. I dropped off after MPP (which was amazing) and didn't pay attention to CHz which, and I say this as a longterm and loyal fan, to me was a bad record that seemed more like an album "in the style" of animal collective than an actual AC record. Hoping the next record is something as innovative and surprising as their previous work. But I digress...

[scarfacesam317]

griff_doge wrote:

This was the first animal collective album I bought and is what opened me up to noise music. My friend played Chocolate Girl for me when I was really high and it blew my mind. The next day I went to Waterloo records in Austin to see what I could find and they had HCTI. When I got it home I was disappointed at first but the more I listened the more I was drawn in. It didn't hurt that Native Belle, Hey Light and Slippi had (very tiny) elements of more traditional music. Sung Tongs came out some time later and I got to see them at Mary Jane's in Houston but by then they were playing Feels material, which totally blew my expectations away. I think that's what I have enjoyed most as an AC fan, consistently having my expectations trumped by what they do next. I dropped off after MPP (which was amazing) and didn't pay attention to CHz which, and I say this as a longterm and loyal fan, to me was a bad record that seemed more like an album "in the style" of animal collective than an actual AC record. Hoping the next record is something as innovative and surprising as their previous work. But I digress...

man i wish i was an AC fan back in those days. then again, i highly doubt 11/12 year old me would have been a fan of HCTI when it first came out haha. growing up in the suburban midwest with parents who didn't expose me to much beyond Journey, Elton John and 80's top 40 shit didn't help much either.

wrote:

seemed more like an album "in the style" of animal collective than an actual AC record.

this is the best description of Chz I've seen. although i don't know if id go as far to say its 'bad'. Just didn't push any boundaries like every other record. but as far as post mpp stuff, ODDSAC and TTG were great.

[Stanshant]

FEELING LIKE THE CITY

Every so often, this voice will pop in my head and I'll have to vocalise it, it's so sticky and metallic. Almost through gritted teeth.

IS FEELING LIKE A SOUND

Once, I was doing it walking round the students' common room, tidying up the chairs and thought nobody was there. One kid appeared from round the corner, looking like he was shitting his pants. All in a day's work.

[Blooregard]

I like the album a lot, but I have to be in a certain mood to listen to it. Not Slippi though, that's an amazing pop song any day of the week.

The first two songs are real cathartic for me. A great audio accompaniment to letting all that excess energy out.

[griff_doge]

wrote:

this is the best description of Chz I've seen. although i don't know if id go as far to say its 'bad'

Yeah bad is probably too strong a word. I like the way the CHz stuff sounds on the new live record.

I used post on this board awhile back. It's cool to see that sonic boom hangs out here; I'm a big spacemen 3 fan. Is slippi still around?

[preacherben]

slippi got too unruly so we had to take em out back

[zontar]

first time back on CA since ~'09 bros
also just connected my lost ext harddrive since then! soo many gems on er

whats the story behind this again?

rough draft im assuming?

[csw]

Pretty sure that's just alternate tracklist and titles. rough draft, sure. Never seen it called "ark' though!

[jetski]

actually that's a different early mix of the album commonly referred to as the Ark mix. I haven't really listened to it much but I guess some vocals are missing and the guitar is louder. and obviously the track list is different. but yeah, rough draft

[jfw7]

pretty much all the lyrics are missing right? karaoke slippi etc.

[zontar]

vocals are there but low volume(youre right with none on slippi tho), definitely just an early unmastered recording

anyways,
yes,
this(HTCI) was my favourite ac release back in the days(what got me into these guiiiseee)

[Tico]

Stanshant wrote:

FEELING LIKE THE CITY

Every so often, this voice will pop in my head and I'll have to vocalise it, it's so sticky and metallic. Almost through gritted teeth.

IS FEELING LIKE A SOUND

.

YES. one of my favorite AC vocals

also the little ditty at the end of Panic is grossly underappreciated

[kingo]

this album is so psych and so amazing. beautiful and intense

[kingo]

soooooo gorgeous and intense!!!! guys this is religious rn

[archie]

Tico wrote:

Stanshant wrote:

FEELING LIKE THE CITY

Every so often, this voice will pop in my head and I'll have to vocalise it, it's so sticky and metallic. Almost through gritted teeth.

IS FEELING LIKE A SOUND

.

YES. one of my favorite AC vocals

also the little ditty at the end of Panic is grossly underappreciated

yes to the ditty at the end of panic
actually all of panic has some real beautiful melodies runnin thru it

[Hash]

Yeah Avey's and Panda's harmonies on that bit are so nice. Also I love when they go quiet again and you can still hear a ghost of the original melody playing, sounding tinny as hell

preacherben wrote:

this is their hex induction hour. the band was about to fall apart and then they record their last hurrah together and it ends up being the one the breaks through. and it's also their best.

pretty gr8 comparison if i do say so myself

You could say it's their "Iris"




scrambledgreggs, do you not have a physical copy of the album? the picture on that poster is the same as the one on the inside cover...

[scrambledgreggs]

Ooh I didn't know that, I do have a physical copy but I guess I never looked closely at the inside of it. I'll have to look when I get home later today, thanks for the tip!

[scrambledgreggs]

Just checked my vinyl and I guess it's a re-pressing because it's just a sleeve with no inserts

[roopn]

Mine has no inserts either

[Hash]

Maybe it's just the CD then, lame

[roopn]

must be

[Hash]

Here's what it looks like in case anyone wanted to see

[thebackdrifter]

roopn wrote:

must be

treeman

[jfw7]

i like hollinn more than hcti

[jeremy]

essential listening! would probably rank it second or third

[Superhit]

To me this album is winter at its absolute peak. The coldest day, strongest blizzard, out in the middle of forest alone at night just listening to the sounds that your brain is creating.

[tender]

fun fact: all the vocal takes are technically samples played from minidiscs

[Leshy]

anyone else totally blown away by the sound of Noah's snare on this record? Fuck, talk about minor details - I mean this is the band. But even for a real off-the-hinges record, it seems that he got the most perfect sound, because I don't think a normal snare would have sounded quite right! Steel snare as opposed to wooden? Mic'd through delay? Maybe the other mics and racks around the room happened to pick it up like that? I've just observed in pictures from this era that it looks like he was using a wooden snare, but who knows!!

[ness]

griff_doge wrote:

This was the first animal collective album I bought and is what opened me up to noise music. My friend played Chocolate Girl for me when I was really high and it blew my mind. The next day I went to Waterloo records in Austin to see what I could find and they had HCTI. When I got it home I was disappointed at first but the more I listened the more I was drawn in. It didn't hurt that Native Belle, Hey Light and Slippi had (very tiny) elements of more traditional music. Sung Tongs came out some time later and I got to see them at Mary Jane's in Houston but by then they were playing Feels material, which totally blew my expectations away. I think that's what I have enjoyed most as an AC fan, consistently having my expectations trumped by what they do next. I dropped off after MPP (which was amazing) and didn't pay attention to CHz which, and I say this as a longterm and loyal fan, to me was a bad record that seemed more like an album "in the style" of animal collective than an actual AC record. Hoping the next record is something as innovative and surprising as their previous work. But I digress...

damn, you and i have had exactly the same animal collective experience