[hatredcopter]

what the hell is this review? this is written like garbage and makes no sense. there are like 4 sentences total about the music itself???

[kafkaesque]

ughhhhh pitchfork fucking sucks. i realize i shouldn't care, but it seems like they're going out of their way to shit on a perfectly good record. this is far better than the shit they've been pimping out lately--fucking diiv, which doesn't have an inventive bone in its body, gets a low 8, but anco is "past their prime" so they slap them with a 6. fuck mike powell, fuck pitchfork, fuck this.

[johnnyvulpine]

avey rocking some eye liner

[scrambledgreggs]

Screw that guy, he's missing out. And now unfortunately so will a lot of people who trust Pitchfork's opinion

I love the infectious sense of optimism that pervades this record! It makes me happy to think that the guys are in such a good place to be making music like this

[joke]

dinked it

[hybrination]

aw cmon, its a reasonable perspective on the band, and the reviewer's personal history with them. He is a dude who has had an important connection to a certain era of the band, and that shows in his perspective. But who cares, rating music is pointless, if you love the album, love it. I think the band has always been in the habit of inhabiting a sort of mystery and this newest effort they are kind of almost doing away with mystery for more direct connection about certain topics, a more clearly and succinctly presented thing entirely. It's something they've never done before, and while it certainly foregoes some of their trademarks, it is, as always, an interesting new development. I love the album it is hitting me in interesting ways, to me, it makes up for the mystery with a giddy delirious energy that feels just as nice, in a different way.

[Me Tiger]

This is just a low-quality freebird of the review. Don't read it guys, wait for Friday's proper version of the review. Respect the reviewer's artistry!

[Vovenarg]

lololol how does a song "writhe with the liveness of kimchi" -- this guy dum as fuk no offense

[atmosphericrex]

I attacked the source, respectfully.









damn i made a grammatical error, if he responds and acknowledges that, I will say it is detracts from my meaning in contacting him and that is a low attack on my intelligence that is irrelevant.

[MisterMagpie]

If the dickfork review has got you down on this album you can revisit my 10/10 it's ok review scribblings from like an hour ago lol

Spoiler: show

MisterMagpie wrote:

Jotted down a few thoughts on each song - kind of a long post, sorry

Floridada - still a banger, and serves well as the album's hype man

Hocus Pocus - love the intro ("well if you're out and about on the freeways this morning nooo dinosaurs to worry about") and the vocal dive-bombs at the end - someone said it earlier but I too am also very glad that we have Panda vocal dive-bombs on studio trax and not just live boots. I think these give the record more of a raw energy

Vertical - Honestly prolly my fav right now. dat beat is just yummy - it brings the 2011 live Taste vibes that I wanted on this record. I absolutely love the parking lot line as well as "a tree we are with limbs extending to the sun"

Lying In The Grass - definitely works well in the context of the album. I love how they weave their voices together on this track and the "oh eh ee ah" vocals running throughout bring the caveman vibes

The Burglars - holy fuck this song. Those Panda vocals at the end are some next-level shit. This song sounds exactly like what I wanted Slasher Flix to sound like, with Angel doing the Panda parts. Definitely going to be sick to have Jeremy on drums for this

Natural Selection - I found this song to be very jarring based on the amazon sample. But hot damn has it grown on me - very techno Ramones - some of my fav Panda vox here too "the pact is written before the act" he sounds so robotic its awesome - kind of reminds me of the repeated "mine"s on ATP Principe Real. I'm still hoping/calling that we get a sweet live jam of this into Chores on the upcoming tour

Bagels In Kiev - I have loved this song since the tracklist dropped based on the title alone and it does not disappoint. I love the mid-section (its so floaty) and then we come back to "bagels for everyone, that's the kind of thing he would have wanted" it makes me smile every time

On Delay - sweet jesus this song brought the feels for me. I agree with another previous poster who had said the back half of this song lacks the emotional punch of the first half, but I'm totally cool with that. I need that nice jaunty piano to bring me back from the brink of tears

Spilling Guts - this one took a few spins to grow on me. it really started to click for me once I tuned into the marimba-like flourishes that round out this track. All of those background noises and such (I'm looking at you, Geo) really make this one imo. The chompy synth beat reminds me a lot of Selfish Gene

Summing The Wretch - This was one of my favorite samples and I love the way that this track grows and evolves into something completely different from the start so subtly. I get where this song might not click with some people, I think that Avey's half-beat vocals sound a little off, like he's a tad behind where he should be. If you hone in on the vocals too closely it sounds a little choppy, but when I dig more into the music, I find the vocals here work much better as their own instrument, or more as "decoration" (I guess?)

Golden Gal - this is such a sweet gem of a song. I totally associate this song with my gf because of her very blonde golden hair, and this tune totally goes with her vibe.

Recycling - very solid closer, definitely went some unexpected places for me based on the amazon sample. Can't wait to spin that slipmat and jam this one

tl;dr every song is good

[delorean]

you guys better get ready to be salty cause this is gonna get more mediocre reviews, honestly think 6 is a bit low but it was pretty obvious that this was not gonna be an universally acclaimed album.
the record itself...was underwhelmed at first but knew it was gonna grow on me fast and it fucking does...this is so goofy and ac and full of emoiton...just love it.

[iKahn]

If I may...

My rebuttal to this review is simple: The album, called Painting With for goodness sake, plays more like a series of different sonic environments and experiments; akin to one painter using different combinations of the same 6-8 colors to create a series of very diverse, but clearly related, environmental paintings on a canvas(snowy landscape with a barn, summer beach sunset, rainy night in Manhatten, ect).

While it's missing a certain element of intimacy and "secrecy", as he puts it, it's more a display of sonic manipulation and architectural capability. What intrigued me so much by them in the first place was their ability to combine this skill with the strong emotional expression and closeness that they maintained for so many years.

So now, how I see it, is the boys love playing live and want to dance and sweat and have fun and get everyone pumped up. A great way to do this is create some peculiar electronic paintings with pounding beats and joyful melodies. They're in a partying mood, and for pretty much the first time on record they have really expressed that.

6.2 is a hilarious joke.

[Vovenarg]

ya i knew it would be a divisive album, surprising that it seems to be almost moreso than CHz as far as professional reviews go. dang, kinda impressive ac guys

[Me Tiger]

Vovenarg wrote:

lololol how does a song "writhe with the liveness of kimchi" -- this guy dum as fuk no offense

Best new burrito on your windshield

[Takyon]

I agree with the review.

I'll give broader thoughts later (like it or not) but my sentiments are nearly identical to the critic's.

delorean wrote:

you guys better get ready to be salty cause this is gonna get more mediocre reviews, honestly think 6 is a bit low but it was pretty obvious that this was not gonna be an universally acclaimed album.

People seem to have forgotten that the Guardian gave the album an even lower score. It's just not that good of a record and no amount of fanboy cum can fix it.

[atmosphericrex]

This is always going to be 9.4 It Is OK in my book

[scrambledgreggs]

The score is whatever but what really kills me is that last paragraph where he talks about them as if their career should be over because they're old and have kids. Fuck. That.

[atmosphericrex]

Takyon wrote:

I agree with the review.

I'll give broader thoughts later (like it or not) but my sentiments are nearly identical to the critic's.

delorean wrote:

you guys better get ready to be salty cause this is gonna get more mediocre reviews, honestly think 6 is a bit low but it was pretty obvious that this was not gonna be an universally acclaimed album.

People seem to have forgotten that the Guardian gave the album an even lower score. It's just not that good of a record and no amount of fanboy cum can fix it.

Why can't people genuinely like this record aside from a proposed "fanboyship" of animal collective. You sound like the immature people I had to sift through on 4chan to get the freebird. The Guardian is not a well respected publication, Pitchfork has influence and this review is surprising. You can dislike the record, just don't devalue other people liking it.

[zack]

Lol p4k burn is hilariously inaccurate and pompous.

[MisterMagpie]

like this shit

Mike Powell wrote:

Depth and hiddenness become metaphors here. Watching the rockets' red glare over Baghdad in April, 2003, I was ready for an album like Here Comes the Indian, whose nightmarish volatility reminded me that whatever evil men do starts in the heart; after the 2008 election I vibed unapologetically with the optimism of "My Girls," which sounded like Peter Pan taking the wheel and telling the Darling children everything was going to be all right.

this is an ENTIRE PARAGRAPH that does not have anything to do with the strengths and weaknesses of the 2016 Animal Collective album Painting With.

PS excellent job on the attack, atmosphericrex!

[moop]

Takyon wrote:

I agree with the review.

I'll give broader thoughts later (like it or not) but my sentiments are nearly identical to the critic's.

delorean wrote:

you guys better get ready to be salty cause this is gonna get more mediocre reviews, honestly think 6 is a bit low but it was pretty obvious that this was not gonna be an universally acclaimed album.

People seem to have forgotten that the Guardian gave the album an even lower score. It's just not that good of a record and no amount of fanboy cum can fix it.

It's kind of annoying to reduce anyone's feelings on the album as "fanboy cum". Go away.

[atmosphericrex]

Thank you mister magpie, I hope he responds to me

[meys]

Takyon wrote:

People seem to have forgotten that the Guardian gave the album an even lower score. It's just not that good of a record and no amount of fanboy cum can fix it.

bad post

[joby]

when did it become cool to hate animal collective? it feels like a very specific part of their early (sung tongs/feels) fan base (some of whom prolly write these reviews) kinda whoorled them up with releases like funeral and aeroplane, and maybe they thought animal collective was something they weren't?

like this whole narrative of "animal collective used to be deep and pure but they just never really figured out where it was going and they took a wrong turn somewhere after MPP and now they're just a parody of themselves cuz they didn't become the band they meant to me in 2007-2009" is just barf worthy. like santa claus isn't real, the world sucks, animal collective is just another band like every other band, now review the damned album like you would any other band....

[kafkaesque]

it straight-up doesn't make sense on so many levels. i don't understand how they can give PBVSGR an 8.7 and this a 6.2--are they listening to the same fucking songs? why have they senselessly panned a great record from one of the best bands of recent times? not to mention these guys are some of the nicest, humblest dudes in the business. but no, bill cosby innocent 9.0 it's ok!!!!! (i like kanye, but seriously)

pitchfork in the last 7 years or so has transitioned from a champion of independent music to a corporatized monster. i've just lost the last bit of respect i had for them. this review just makes no goddamn sense. good job, guys, you've successfully prevented thousands of people from listening to this wonderful slice of joy.

[atmosphericrex]

This has genuinely made me sad

[Gool Aid]

i dont want to devalue anything, but i want to say i think the way they've (collectively hehe) been making records recently just hasnt been in the same creative zone as they used to be. aside from that i think solo wise panda bear is at the greatest point in his career. i found it real interesting to see someone point out that they have been treating things like work for the past few years. every member in the band has said this, its just not something they used to say. seems like the dynamic is just different. i think everyone is being pretty tough on others opinions. would be pretty shitty if this was like an AC disappointment free zone.

that said, pbvgr is probably his best record and has become one of my favorite records in my life. and i think every member in AC is a really great artist, i thought painting with was pretty cool at points, just not earth shattering or have the magic AC's other records have given me.

[hedgecore]

.

[iKahn]

You guys, AC is polarizing...

Besides MPP they have been a very specific kind of band, doing something that is extraordinarily uncommon. They are still doing it, it's just that the rest of the modern music scene is not on the same page.

AC is dramatically further ahead than pretty much every other electronic group on the planet. Which could be good or bad depending on how in the "Now" you are.


We're still living in the comedown from the mass exposure that was MPP. It's really an interesting spectacle.

[Takyon]

atmosphericrex wrote:

Why can't people genuinely like this record aside from a proposed "fanboyship" of animal collective. You sound like the immature people I had to sift through on 4chan to get the freebird. The Guardian is not a well respected publication, Pitchfork has influence and this review is surprising. You can dislike the record, just don't devalue other people liking it.

The Guardian is very well respected, especially for its articles on the arts. Their opinions are at least as valid as yours or mine.

And if you like this album, godspeed; keep listening to it to your hearts content because I sure as hell have done that with "Floridada" (nearly 50+ listens by this point). But that won't mean that I won't stop thinking that the writing of the majority of the album is poorly developed or stop believing that the pacing of the album has a serious lack of cogency (which is peculiar, since the tracks are all so samey). I'll give this record more time, because AC is my favorite band and because there are brief moments of goodness in some of these songs. But I do agree with the reviewer that it's as if we are listening to a group in a post-mortum state of uninspired songwriting. For such a sunny album, it really makes me depressed.

[kafkaesque]

the only thing that comforts me is knowing that history will erase that terrible review. no doubt this goes down as another great entry in the band's repertoire. pitchfork will ultimately look stupid for their kneejerk pan, and i'm glad for that

[Akaio]

It's not "socially relevant" enough to get it's ok

Spoiler: show

Really though, Pitchfork has been a joke for a while now, I don't see the point in getting angry over what they have to say when they gave an unfinished album a 9

[speen]

Here's the thing.

First of all, we are all guilty of taking Pitchfork way too seriously. Its just a publication, offering up an opinion. But really, to be perfectly fair, its not a terrible review. 6.2 seems shockingly low for an AC release, but given that the majority of the review focuses on the context, nobody should be surprised.

The reviewer could have said that the guys have settled into a new style, and are naturally good at it. But instead he chose to focus on what I'm sure a lot of us are thinking (I know I am): this isn't how we picture animal collective. The last part of his review resonated with me. Lets be honest- its a fine album, its fun, but will it really stand against the rest of their career? Even chz, which is still controversial years after release?

Like he said in the review, this isn't a band that's leading an indie movement now. This album isnt going to inspire a legion of imitators. Maybe it's great for what it is- a psych pop album- but in the context of an important band with a lengthy, incredibly diverse history, we may have reached the point where they are faced with getting older, having limited schedules and just wanting to put something out.

I'll be interested to see what the show is like this Friday

[Tap]

so if pitchfork was on a 5 point scale and this was rounded down to be 3/5, would you guys still think it was as scathing? there's something really weird with the shifting perception of scale as that arbitrary quantity goes up.

don't try to make sense of a criticism business' daily product. that's a tool for you in finding your position with an album. if it's not helping, cast it away.

[kafkaesque]

haha takyon, do you feel big now that p4k has backed up your negative thoughts? interesting that you come out of the woodwork to shit on the record as soon as you realize your opinion is in line with one of indie's biggest tastemakers

[atmosphericrex]

Sometimes Pitchfork gives an album a pity best new track when they think they have reviewed an album too low. It'd be a stretch for a 6.2, but I wouldn't be completely surprised to see a best new track for "Golden Gal" . Also wouldn't be surprised if they didn't review any tracks.

[Sam]

Ready for the Deak to crack a 9.5 and return us all to the golden age of AC reviews

[Vovenarg]

don't worry p4k is gonna "fix" the Kanye review tomorrow to a 10.0 to try to make him like them. they will borrow the point from PW, it wasn't using it.

[Takyon]

kafkaesque wrote:

haha takyon, do you feel big now that p4k has backed up your negative thoughts?

Yeah kinda, lol.

No real shame here; I was just waiting for some of the overly excited initial observations to quiet down before that dark cloud of critical dissent usually ushers in, but it seems as if it's happening a little faster than usual. Like I said, I'll have more construction things to say later (prbly post-midterms) but it feels strangely good/relieving to be able to say that this record is not a masterpiece, or even great for that matter.

[atmosphericrex]

This will be the most underrated record on their reader's year end list this year.