[yayharekrishna]

Anybody got a link?

[pullhairdownthere]

I need some tush

[Stories and Games]

i have made this exact comment already but god i am just so happy with avey's vocals on magicians from baltimore. most ideal realization of the Live-Sounding Vocals approach taken throughout iin. youuuuuu *just* *kept* hoooooooolding gah it makes me jump i am excited for people to hear this song :]

[Stories and Games]

also so delighted that an animal collective song called freaking Magicians From Baltimore somehow does not come off as even slightly on-the-nose or uninspired. every time avey arrives at "...in baltimore" again it gets somehow even more invigorating

[dio]

I've listened to this thing like 2.5x today during break periods at work/commutes, and yesterday in gym sauna... Layers still revealing. Listened to Skiffs a lot this weekend. It really is just a double album y'all.

And whoever said they think promo budget is going somewhere else could be onto something maybe? Listening parties don't seem like a huge deal idk... It's just one of their most special album so it will be strange if it doesn't get more promo, but yeah we got 2+ more weeks til the real deal.

I almost want Broke AND Genies to be a single before Gem, if we're talking (mostly) Panda tunes. But Gem is cool. It's just none of the singles would quite signal to anyone the beast of a 2nd track this LP has...

This is the danker, wiser, kinda wilder brother of Skiffs. Skiffs is more of a workout record. Or a in-city commute record. But Now is a roadtrip/sauna record.

[bullseye]

Three singles and no video is sus.
Would be nice if they're cooking up something greater.

[spiriadude]

Can I get a punch pls? I joined just for this I can't wait

[opposite field]

I know it doesn't matter but if you told me in 2010 that one day Pitchfork wouldn't have even posted about the new AC single but was running multiple articles about the VMAs I would have laughed in your face

[scrambledgreggs]

speen wrote:

How does the official stream of gem&i sound compared to the freebird?

I can't tell a difference between the official stream and the bird (but I'm not perfect at discerning audio quality). I think the 320 rip is pretty much legit and those expecting any kind of boost with the official version might be disappointed

[Dudders]

Hey, where are you guys getting the info about the listening parties/Q&A?

[Allatrobles]

I'm holding off on listen to the Bird until I can get in the mood. I'm in no rush. But I'm having a ball reading everyone thoughts!

[foxtrot]

Allatrobles wrote:

I'm holding off on listen to the Bird until I can get in the mood. I'm in no rush. But I'm having a ball reading everyone thoughts!

We are very different people. When it freebirded I found out when I first woke up on Father's Day and I couldn't wait to get away from my kids for an hour and give it a listen.

[Fritz]

opposite field wrote:

I know it doesn't matter but if you told me in 2010 that one day Pitchfork wouldn't have even posted about the new AC single but was running multiple articles about the VMAs I would have laughed in your face

Had a very similar thought to this today.

On the album: The over-the-top vocal effects are obviously used much more sparingly, but damn they work when employed. Reiterating my point about when "there is a dreeeeeam land" kicks in on Magicians. Love it in Defeat, too.

Kings Walk I was super dubious about, thought the tiny desk was kinda rough, but they pulled it off. Maybe it's the catharsis of being on the final leg of a very long journey. I found it so beautiful. When the hurdy comes in at the very end of a long vocal bit, it reminds me of the trick in Gotham where a vocal harmony turns into a synth chord, but it's even better cuz it's playing like a step down or something. This whole world is tougher than it looks.

Trying not to listen too much so I can feel something on release day! It's hard!

[foxtrot]

Yeh I'm probably up to around 20 listens now. Trying to slow down but its still the first thing that comes into my head every time I think about putting an album on.

[witek]

I'm noticing many diferences in the mix of Gem and I official version and the bird. So much more richer, opened, i'm noticing new Geo stuff, new frequencies and more dynamics, with more space for the reverbs

[thegasprices]

I really don't want to be a downer and a negative Nancy and whatnot, but I was wondering if anyone here feels like they are digging the album as much as everyone else like me?

[annalivia]

cosplay makes my day wrote:

hi! not much of a poster but long time lurker and loving this album.

Call it wishful thinking, but rather than bemoan the lack of visuals / promo, I can’t help but dream up that that part of the Domino budget (if any) is going to something yet to be announced. Full visual album? Music Box or recent tour concert films? Anyone have a dream scenario of how that all plays out?

Surprise companion EP would be a dream. There was an untitled Panda jam in an IG post a couple days ago. Maybe more is out there?

Also agree with above: the streaming songs on Apple Music sound sonically richer than the freebirded ones.

[LeadHat]

gem & i feels like panda writing about being the band? or is that too obvious of a reading ? either way, always like the he writes lyrics, rhyming "unrigging the game" with "flagging the lame" rules. can't wait til all the lyrics for the rest of the album are out too!

[Fritz]

Hell, I’m noticing differences between the Bandcamp and Spotify streams (Bandcamp being better). But yeah, the bird I have feels a little crunched up, another reason to wait like a chump.

[Cooper]

Everything is coming together around the 4th or 5th listen for me. This might be their best album ever? Wouldn’t blink an eye if someone claimed it as their favorite. It’s so fucking good

[blindmowing]

Fritz wrote:

Hell, I’m noticing differences between the Bandcamp and Spotify streams (Bandcamp being better). But yeah, the bird I have feels a little crunched up, another reason to wait like a chump.

Good call -- Bandcamp listening is the best, noticed some new little sonic details in the corners of Gem

[foxtrot]

LeadHat wrote:

gem & i feels like panda writing about being the band? or is that too obvious of a reading ? either way, always like the he writes lyrics, rhyming "unrigging the game" with "flagging the lame" rules. can't wait til all the lyrics for the rest of the album are out too!

Yeh, I think that's what its about. First verse alludes to their early days, sudden fame etc. Chorus is about them doing their thing and making it authentic. Second verse is a bit of a 'we're always moving forward but should probably take stock and realise that the good times (and the satisfying sounds) are the ones we're experiencing right now'.

[rohcti]

Ooh official lyrics! That's exciting

[Cooper]

I could listen to ACAB over and over forever. What a precious thing they caught with that one. Reminds me of bbyondchord [sic] from drukqs

[Nil_0001]

Cooper wrote:

I could listen to ACAB over and over forever. What a precious thing they caught with that one. Reminds me of bbyondchord [sic] from drukqs

YES THAT IS IT. There needs to be more songs like that
Edit: been thinking about doing an acab drum cover

[cosplay makes my day]

foxtrot wrote:

LeadHat wrote:

gem & i feels like panda writing about being the band? or is that too obvious of a reading ? either way, always like the he writes lyrics, rhyming "unrigging the game" with "flagging the lame" rules. can't wait til all the lyrics for the rest of the album are out too!

Yeh, I think that's what its about. First verse alludes to their early days, sudden fame etc. Chorus is about them doing their thing and making it authentic. Second verse is a bit of a 'we're always moving forward but should probably take stock and realise that the good times (and the satisfying sounds) are the ones we're experiencing right now'.

Ok so the answer to “Isn’t it Now?” is “We’re probably in it”

[Stories and Games]

LeadHat wrote:

gem & i feels like panda writing about being the band? or is that too obvious of a reading ? either way, always like the he writes lyrics, rhyming "unrigging the game" with "flagging the lame" rules. can't wait til all the lyrics for the rest of the album are out too!

yeah i think gem and i is totally one of noah's songs about the philosophical woes of Being In A Successful Band a la graze or sunset

[Allatrobles]

foxtrot wrote:

Allatrobles wrote:

I'm holding off on listen to the Bird until I can get in the mood. I'm in no rush. But I'm having a ball reading everyone thoughts!

We are very different people. When it freebirded I found out when I first woke up on Father's Day and I couldn't wait to get away from my kids for an hour and give it a listen.

I totally understand that feeling. I felt that way with Skiffs' bird at first. The excitement and all. For a moment I found myself getting real anxious about when I could get a chance to listen and I realized I needed to remember this is all supposed to be fun.

They've been my favorite band for 16 years. Early on I learned the excitement of going from boots to show to announcement to singles to bird to release. While i would never say i was part of this community, I've certainly enjoyed being a wallflower around such like minded folks here at CA. I also experienced dashed expectations from studio versions set up by bootlegs, totally my fault to place such importance on the music, but all the same. And as time went on and albums varied in interest, so did the anxiety that can come from missing out, although clearly with Skiffs, not entirely.

This little freak out got me thinking about this era. imparticular. Music Box performance to now. I listened the MBS once, but never invested as much as CA did. I chose to skip the boots this time, so once Prester came out I was all in. Then I saw them Live right after Skiffs came out and I was right to the boots for what was coming next. Back logging through CA for everyone's thoughts on these songs through the years.

Then it hit me. This experience has got to have been way more satisfying for you guys and... I'm just so happy. Reading your thoughts as been amazing. It's made me understand when I finally dispatch all distractions, get in the right mindset, and finally sit down and enjoy Isn't it Now? It'll be for me. Despite opting out of these boots, even when i knew you guys were high on em, I love Animal Collective's music. Whatever they make, I'm in. Even stuff I've hated in the past I've grown to appreciate. I no longer have a jaded heart when it comes a lot of the pop culture I obsess over.

[tay's tee games]

Stan wrote:

Strangest thing about big music releases for me these days is that nothing really freebirds.

[tay's tee games]

Right time to dig in.

On lack of promo: super strange, pretty limp. Definitely feels like this is a contractual obligation and/or Domino have just given them leeway to get it done with. I really do hope something bigger is on the way but I'm not holding out hope. If we don't get one proper video then something's fully amiss.

On the Q&A's: I'll be attending one and have about 8000 questions to ask, but if I get picked I'll focus on the sequencing and perhaps which TS songs they feel would've been done the most justice if recorded in person.

On IIN vs TS: I've felt all along that the songs are better and after my tenth listen... yeah. It's a way better album than Skiffs. No question. Just every aspect of it, even the (in my eyes) odd sequencing.

On live vs studio: I feel like 90% of it is super faithful to the boots and has been nicely spruced up. I basically feel the opposite about the TS tracks, so this is a massive result. As has been said ad infinitum, this has taken too long and the boots definitely fucked it for me. We had such a huge amount of time to form opinions, over listen, get used to certain one time quirks and fantasise about what could've been. Not their fault but it's unfortunate. This happened to me with CHz, so next time I'm swearing off them.

Alt tracklist:
1. King's Walk (cut out the last two "this whole world"s and just end at 4:21)
2. Soul Capturer (single version)
3. Broke Zodiac
4. Magicians From Baltimore
5. All The Clubs Are Broken
6. Stride Rite
7. Gem & I
8. Defeat
9. Genie's Open

Just feel like that would flow so much better but hey. It's a strong 9 for me either way.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand my thoughts per track:

Soul Capturer - Biggest surprise for me. Was lukewarm at best on the boots but this has truly come alive and I love it. So much energy and such an excellent outro. New details come through on each listen. The Feels vibe is less so than the live iteration but I'm fine with that because it feels new. Thank god for those drum embellishments. On paper a really odd choice for opener but in practice I can scarcely place it elsewhere (unless Kings opened). Could take or leave the studio chatter.

Genie's Open - I initially got everybody's criticisms despite this still being one of my top three or four of the era at its core. It has less flare than the live versions and I think it may be the only one that has suffered in the studio. Having said that, it's still absolutely brilliant in my eyes. They smashed the first two sections. Perfect clarity, loads of pretty little details. It's just the last section that lets it down a tad. Had that bit been 4bpm faster and bumped Avey's eeeeeeeee's up about 2db in the mix it'd be as close to perfect as possible. Given how that section ended up though, I'm glad it's not the closer (which I was always hoping for). Again, still a superb song and I'm liking the recording the more I listen to it instead of the boots.

Broke Zodiac - Hit it out the park. Perfect version. Captured everything great about the live track and made it pop. Good lord the chorus shines. Yes, on the surface it's a kinda cutesy little Panda song but man it's as good as it could possibly be for what it is.

Magicians From Baltimore - Another home run. Couldn't really be better. Always been an epic and they did it so much justice. I'm glad it wasn't the opener in the end as well, its placing actually works so nicely as an early-mid behemoth. Someone referenced those guitar bends as Geo butt sliding into the picture and boy oh boy what a butt slide it is. The vocals are the best on the album I think. Only minor critiques would be Avey's "woo" at 6:09 would've been great as a "WAAOO" a la live version, and the pianos in the latter third are a tad too high in the mix for me, making them sound a little bit Jimmy Buffet. Never listened to a Jimmy Buffet song but that's what I imagine. Maybe Dave Matthews? Dunno, just someone with a shark tooth necklace, pink shorts, crocs and a pot belly.

Defeat - Best song in history with worst tracklist placement in history unfortunately. Kills the flow and will be skipped by 85% of listeners I reckon. Regardless, it's still unbelievable that this exists. I hear what people are saying about the length but it still works so so so so so so well for me. Only thing I would've changed is Avey's vocals in parts - too dry in the first section and the delivery in the first and much of the third section is a bit too.. Not sure how to articulate it. Strained? Anyway whatever it's ridiculously good and still moves me beyond words.

Gem & I - Jarring after Defeat but gets us back in. Proud member of team bum bum right here. Basically everything I said for BZ applies here. Best version, embellishments a plenty without overwhelming the mix, the chorus shines. Couldn't be better.

Stride Rite - And again. Best version of what it could have been. An incredible song and easily now my favourite Deakin-penned tune. Heartbreaking in the best possible way. I do agree with what some people said a few days ago in that having Avey harmonising with him instead of him self-harmonising would've been nice but I don't care. Huge late-album highlight without question.

All The Clubs Are Broken - It's pretty good but at this moment my least favourite track and feels quite out of place, though that may just be because I'm so used to the others. Well recorded, enjoyable lyrics, very enjoyable vocal delivery, nicely mixed. Not exciting or adventurous in any way and could've been 1:20 in length to the same effect. I will say the use of drum machine claps is a cool new thing for them and I'd be interested to hear more in than vein. The (presumably) JUNO-60 organ sounding lines throughout make it very MGMT/Tame Impala (to make a few lazy comparisons) and I just think they can do better than that but whatever.

King's Walk - I've always adored this song and once again, they did the best version of it that could've been possible. Exceptional production and quality. Tidied up but not enough to make it too clean. Really happy with the lack of autotune in the end, even though I used to dig that a lot. Just Avey making weird sounds with his mouth. Awesome. Yes, I think the placement is a bit strange but it also works as a comedown.




All in all, I do feel like we have a classic on our hands but I don't think it will be digested well by the music press and due to the lack of promo, it'll get forgotten about almost immediately by everyone outside our circle. Bit of a tragedy but these things happen. Some of the best art isn't necessarily meant to be adored, understood or even consumed for the most part. It's their best recorded project since Fall Be Kind to my ears, and there's not much more I could've asked for.

Love you lot. It's been a hell of a ride.

[Alcohol]

Great read thx

[awesome]

first review spotted, a short one in nov 23 issue of uncut mag + a little interview with avey

[mildew_on_rice]

It really is a miracle that this band has somehow managed to write and record possibly their best song ever after having been a band for over 20 years. That just does not happen. Defeat is still as fresh as it was the first time I heard it and it still grows on me with every version.

[Alcohol]

AC has a lot of fans. I think this record will get heard. Not on the level of MPP, of course. The band was aligned with the zeitgeist then, and the zeitgeist then, as it so often is, was high-energy and youth-centric. Dudes are, in the pop music game, old now, and Isn’t It Now? is cut from different cloth. Those early records were so embryonic and beguiling partly, I think, because they were learning how to write “songs.” They had genius but, as the promo blurb for this record mentions, it was of “the beginner’s mind.” That sort of ineffable ignorance of the craft matched with good taste and fearlessness that is so rare. There is a pretty small window in which to put that élan vital to use. (“Youth is wasted on the young.”) And there is that strange paradox when one improves at something—that wild, loose unconscious instinct is replaced by something more rigid, something formed. I think the band has, by reinventing their sound with virtually every record, largely avoided this. They aren’t so much chasing a sound now as they are channeling one. It’s not as overtly or immediately gratifying as it was, but it feels deeper and earned somehow. Perhaps because I’ve grown up with the band it’s a transition I can relate to and find meaningful. I can also see how, if you’re a young fan discovering this record and the older ones simultaneously, you might be a bit befuddled by the contrast. All that to say: Isn’t It Now? won’t often be the answer to the question, “Where should I start with AC?” but maybe that sweet re-discovery down the line after you’ve written them off.

[awesome]

Dudders wrote:

Hey, where are you guys getting the info about the listening parties/Q&A?

https://www.dominomusic.com/news/us/ani ... ng-parties

[tay's tee games]

Alcohol wrote:

AC has a lot of fans. I think this record will get heard. Not on the level of MPP, of course. The band was aligned with the zeitgeist then, and the zeitgeist then, as it so often is, was high-energy and youth-centric. Dudes are, in the pop music game, old now, and Isn’t It Now? is cut from different cloth. Those early records were so embryonic and beguiling partly, I think, because they were learning how to write “songs.” They had genius but, as the promo blurb for this record mentions, it was of “the beginner’s mind.” That sort of ineffable ignorance of the craft matched with good taste and fearlessness that is so rare. There is a pretty small window in which to put that élan vital to use. (“Youth is wasted on the young.”) And there is that strange paradox when one improves at something—that wild, loose unconscious instinct is replaced by something more rigid, something formed. I think the band has, by reinventing their sound with virtually every record, largely avoided this. They aren’t so much chasing a sound now as they are channeling one. It’s not as overtly or immediately gratifying as it was, but it feels deeper and earned somehow. Perhaps because I’ve grown up with the band it’s a transition I can relate to and find meaningful. I can also see how, if you’re a young fan discovering this record and the older ones simultaneously, you might be a bit befuddled by the contrast. All that to say: Isn’t It Now? won’t often be the answer to the question, “Where should I start with AC?” but maybe that sweet re-discovery down the line after you’ve written them off.

Very well put.

[speen]

Lol i love that interviewers still say “Tare” to refer to avey as if thats his last name. I feel like its been a minute since ive seen a journalist refer to noah as “Bear”

[Cooper]

I’m super lukewarm on stride rite tbh. Not sure exactly what the song is supposed to be communicating, and I recognize repeats of so many of deakin’s songwriting and vocal quirks that it feels almost uncanny.

Also re: defeat length. What kind of sicko pays close attention to a 20+ minute song anyway? Ever heard of going Buddha Mode? Gratifying entertainment is not the MO for that song or its themes

[meys]

scrambledgreggs wrote:

speen wrote:

How does the official stream of gem&i sound compared to the freebird?

I can't tell a difference between the official stream and the bird (but I'm not perfect at discerning audio quality). I think the 320 rip is pretty much legit and those expecting any kind of boost with the official version might be disappointed

This right here - the 320 we have is just about as good as it gets outside of lossless, not sure why people seem convinced that this freebird is low quality.

I'm curious how people are hearing new little bits in the Bandcamp streams if all BC streams are lower bitrate / compressed far further than the files we have

[BORCHENKO??]

If you would all be so kind as to respond to this poll, I would be immensely grateful

https://strawpoll.com/LVyK83QEdn0