Collected Animals

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't see how Hocus Pocus is so much better than NS, SG, or StW. I like those three better than HP. I like the edge those other three have, whereas HP seems middling. Not that that's a bad thing, or it's a bad song -- I like it, just less than those other three.

Hocus Pocus is my favorite just because of how twisted and alien it sounds to me. I already don't pay much attention to AnCo lyrics (although it seems like I really should for this album), but with the hocketing effect, I like to think that the verses are just unintelligible messages from some other language. On HP in particular the vocal volume seems to be balanced enough between Avey and Panda to make it especially difficult to hear some parts.

The crystallized synths during the chorus are simply of another planet in my opinion, and the bleeps and bloops in the background during each verse give me images of an alien spaceship.

Lastly, the SO MANY WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS part just makes me feel as if everything is melting away, it's a cool effect. I'm really glad that it happened more than once on the record too ('so turned on by the delay')

I feel like Painting With is their most "alien" record for sure, and that was everything that I loved about PBVSGR. In both albums I feel like there's some figure lurking within that isn't human. In PBVSGR it was the Grim Reaper himself, and I really felt like the character had some influences in the sound (I don't know if that even makes sense though). On PW it's like the guys collaborated with some otherworldly species.

Cheers. Skipped through it there. Thought they all sounded awful bar maybe Summing.

Just sounds muddy

Hiff Cluxtable wrote:

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't see how Hocus Pocus is so much better than NS, SG, or StW. I like those three better than HP. I like the edge those other three have, whereas HP seems middling. Not that that's a bad thing, or it's a bad song -- I like it, just less than those other three.

Lastly, the SO MANY WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS part just makes me feel as if everything is melting away, it's a cool effect. I'm really glad that it happened more than once on the record too ('so turned on by the delay')
.

Oh yeah, I do really like that part. I guess it does have edge.

I really like the idea of seeing the vocals as just another instrument

So this album was very different in the first few listens than any other AnCo records. I immediately was sucked into the upbeat blissful beats and poppy melodies. Even with that said, it was also very much a grower and became much better with each listen. On Delay is definitely my favorite. Has all of my favorite ingredients for a solid track. Those piano riffs near the middle are phenomenal and make me feel quite good. The second half of The Burglars is top tier, still trying to get into the first half. Golden Gal and Recycling were an excellent end of the record choice. Golden Gal might be their most accessible song to date and that excites me greatly. Recycling definitely feels like they altered some samples and sounds from their earlier record and made it transition into the frame of mind they are in now in their lives. At first I was not into tracks like Natural Selection, Spilling Guts, and Summing the Wretch. Spilling guts has grown on me as a track that shows a completely different side of them and even a track I could play for family members or friends without worrying about them being weirded out.

Overall I am pleasantly surprised how much I love this record. The energy makes me feel lucky as hell to be able to see them twice in the next few months.

Guess I'm in the minority on On Delay. Think it had potential to be something much bigger. Might be the biggest disappointment on the album, which is a weird thing for me to say seeing as I really like the track.

i also adore hocus pocus. probably in my top 3 on the record, and that WAAAAAAAYS part is legendary. during the concert EVERYONE sang that shit

Guess I'm in the minority on On Delay. Think it had potential to be something much bigger. Might be the biggest disappointment on the album, which is a weird thing for me to say seeing as I really like the track.

It didn't stand out in the Amazon samples, yet the chord change with the piano and vocals in the middle kinda made the song for me. and now its one of my favorites.

I really love the little piano bits. It's a very pretty song imo. Honestly, I think it would have been cool if, in an alternate reality, they would have toured prior to this album and turned the last 40 seconds or so into a really lengthy, daily routine-style lethargic textural thing

the "so tuuuuurrrnnned onnnn" section i mean

And it was.... Nnnnn iiiiiiii ccccxx eeeeeee

I really love the little piano bits. It's a very pretty song imo. Honestly, I think it would have been cool if, in an alternate reality, they would have toured prior to this album and turned the last 40 seconds or so into a really lengthy, daily routine-style lethargic textural thing

the "so tuuuuurrrnnned onnnn" section i mean

Yeah I think this is my issue with it. It has lots of really nice parts but feels suffocated somewhat. Would've really stood out on the LP for me as a ~6 minute track.

Am i missing something, or is there like... not any delay in on delay

doesnt that seem like it'd be an obvious thing to do haha

NOT A CRITICISM: Floridada is probably THE AC song that would most easily be parodied by Weird Al. In terms of music style and shit

I'd actually really like to see that

And it was.... Nnnnn iiiiiiii ccccxx eeeeeee

It happened (happened) twiiii-iiiiiiiiiiiiice

Spilling Guts and Summing really bore me every time they come on. It sucks that they're right next to each other. Panda's other songs are well done though.

I agree with you about Summing the Wretch, to me it's like it's the only song where they didn't trim down the unnecessary parts. Sits too still for my liking.
Spilling guts is great though!

Ok, so based on the reviews, I've got a suggestion as to how they should listen to the album:
1. Slow it down by 50% (so it's not too fast)
2. Listen to it in your bathroom (for reverb)
3. Randomly play other songs every once in awhile (to break up the sameyness)
4. Put some floating candles in your bathtub (for a magical atmosphere)

edit: no wonder bathroom flacs had universal acclaim

Guess I'm in the minority on On Delay. Think it had potential to be something much bigger. Might be the biggest disappointment on the album, which is a weird thing for me to say seeing as I really like the track.

i almost cried driving home and listening to on delay, just saying

rampface wrote:

And it was.... Nnnnn iiiiiiii ccccxx eeeeeee

It happened (happened) twiiii-iiiiiiiiiiiiice

YES! You get it

resident advisor review: http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-v ... x?id=18576

i think it's cool that an electronic site reviews AC and panda regularly. they rarely choose to review acts from the indie/alternative scene, but when they do, they choose well (e.g. their 5/5 review of portishead's third)

wait, does Geo really "own restaurants in Baltimore and Washington, D.C." ??

wait, does Geo really "own restaurants in Baltimore and Washington, D.C." ??

co owner I think
more like an investor

ok cool

man this record has more hate than cHz

man this record has more hate than cHz

Nah

I feel like people had actually hateful, uncalled for reactions for chz. this time it seems like more people are just kind of like... disappointed, rather than hateful

personally it shot straight up to AOTY status

https://www.michigandaily.com/section/a ... ive-review

i thought this was funny and some of us feel the same way but there is something in them hills guys

i think it's aggro parody, her only other submission is an article about coffee addiction (i think, i didn't read it) and "pumpkin spice" is in the first few sentences

editing in a quote from her coffee addiction article. here's an example of why you shouldn't take note of the reviewer's opinion:

When I was in the primary stage of my addiction I liked my coffee sweetened with French Vanilla Coffee Mate *insert heart eyes emoji here* but as I’ve grown in to the better version of myself, I prefer it almost black. I don’t need anything extravagant. I just need it simple, like my personality. And I don’t mean that in a boring way. I’m far from boring — or at least I would hope so — I mean it in an I-genuinely-enjoy-the-smaller-things-in-life kind of way.

Listening to this album while reading the lyrics at the same time seems like it'd be helpful for people who aren't getting into it. I was digging it without the lyrics, but they really help put the songs into perspective.

editing in a quote from her coffee addiction article. here's an example of why you shouldn't take note of the reviewer's opinion:

wrote:

When I was in the primary stage of my addiction I liked my coffee sweetened with French Vanilla Coffee Mate *insert heart eyes emoji here* but as I’ve grown in to the better version of myself, I prefer it almost black. I don’t need anything extravagant. I just need it simple, like my personality. And I don’t mean that in a boring way. I’m far from boring — or at least I would hope so — I mean it in an I-genuinely-enjoy-the-smaller-things-in-life kind of way.

Wow what the fuck

Brainless blog click bait is so depressing

Was anyone able to catch that track by track commentary they did on SiriusXMU?

I find the vocal interplay really annoying

the 'eh uh ah ha hey hu ha hu'

it's too...monosyllabic

fucking pisses me off!

I loved it when they traded off lines on other songs like brother sports/my girls

but it's disorienting as hell to do it for single words

I can just imagine them brainstorming in the lab and being like 'what HAVEN'T we done?'

and someone being like 'well...we've never traded off one syllable wordless yelps for entire songs....'

and someone else being like 'let's do that on the whole album!"

it's not wordless... try let it sink in, read lyrics if you need to

All Hispanic music sounds the same.

Does Floridada really stand out from the other tracks for anyone else? Not in a good or bad way, it just seems different. Maybe its because we heard it a bunch of times before the rest of the album. Then again, Today's Supernatural doesn't really stand out on CHz for me like Floridada does. It feels like the album starts with Hocus Pocus somehow. When the first hocketing comes in lol. I love that part though, thats when you know you're in for a ride.

Yeah I feel the same on floridada, I assume it just needs time to meld in with the rest of the tracks

ya probably just that. that trademark pw bass makes it sound right at home to me. but i do kinda feel like avey's songs seem to stand-out from panda's maybe.... vertical kinda fits in well with panda's vibe and so does bagels since it almost sounds like panda's on lead there. burglars gives me a similar vibe as NS and spilling guts cuz they all have a sort of punk energy. but burglars still, and fldada, on delay and golden gal do kinda stand out imo. its like panda's songs are the bassline for the album's sound? and avey's songs kinda push the boundaries of what that sound is? idk im just rambling...

also realized PW and MPP seem like theyre in their own grouping 2gether, beyond just being connected by the 3-man lineup, but cuz panda has nearly 50% songwriting/singing (more like 45% on mpp), but this makes it seem like feels, sj and chz are like the "avey albums" and mpp and pw are "panda albums", by that just meaning panda only writes on 1-2.5 songs on the former ones and more on the latter. i mean i know they all write and sing on all of them, but the ratio and duties shift album to album... like i wonder if panda wrote less for chz just since he was drumming the whole damn time..

i find the vocal interplay real trippy, yeah i guess you could say disorienting but in a totally good way

I think it's too much for the whole album to be that way. I wouldn't have been able to listen to pbvsgr if every song was like boys latin. Not saying painting with's vocals are exactly like boys latin but my point stands... trading off all the words is just kind of hard to listen to

Experimental music is sometimes hard to listen to. Even at arguably their poppiest I'm really glad these guys are still trying new things. But I get that it won't always work for some.

Love this connection:

Vertical:
Lots of people thinkin
Thinking about falling
Nothing but a rope so
Vertical hold tight

Recycling:
while you got it you figure
why not launch off of the very highest rope

Anyone notice others?