Collected Animals

Still can't get over that 7.4 and still can't tell if they were serious or if it was a joke...

If it was a joke, that was a damn good one.

But if they were for real, are they for real ?

i think to describe CHz as polyrhythmic is fair, but tedious. one should use restraint when using music terms

But where are the polyrhythms!

to be honest, im not really sure.. i wouldnt use the term to describe any rhythm on the record, but i havent actually heard the term until yesterday lol i mean, ive always thought the rhythm to applesauce was pretty cool in that its in 4/4 but it still feels like a waltz (like its in 3). but other than that i wouldnt be able to cite anything. reading about polyrhythm, i thought of this as an example

simply because its the most rhythmically dissonant thing i've ever played.. so if we were to call that polyrhythmic, i dont think CHz can compare in the least. but if someone were using it as a very broad term to account for interesting, though not 'odd,' pairings of rhythms, it fits. but i also may be understanding the principle of polyrhythm entirely...

I always thought to be polyrhythmic, it just has to have two or more rhythms going on at once but they have to be fairly contrasted or dissonant.

yeah thats what im figuring too, and i wouldnt say that any of the rhythms on CHz are specifically contrasted or dissonant. at least sparing applesauce which isn't really 'contrasted' and certainly not dissonant at all

We just had this conversation at the end of the last page. lol

A polyrhythm is indeed overlapping time signatures. There are no polyrhythms on CHz. I remember when it came out last year one of the gripes was that it was rhythmically pretty standard. What CHz does have is a lot of time changes. That is all.

Aren't most of Animal Collective's songs pretty standard rhythmically though? I don't see why people would complain about that because I can't think of anything they've made thats really polyrhythmic, but I might be wrong.
Not to say that their rhythms aren't creative, I just can't think of anything too abstract except for maybe the early days.

Speaking of drumming, I can't help but feel like I would love this album twice as much as I do if the drums were mixed louder (and maybe the vocals a bit quieter). I feel like they really hold everything together, and that if they were more audible there would be less windshield burrito comments. Just an oddly mixed album in general, in my opinion.

Still can't get over that 7.4 and still can't tell if they were serious or if it was a joke...

If it was a joke, that was a damn good one.

But if they were for real, are they for real ?

Gotta say that after a good year with CHZ, i'm starting to agree more with its critical reception in general. I mean i'd still give it a higher score but when i look through all their albums it's definitely one of their weakest.

Aren't most of Animal Collective's songs pretty standard rhythmically though? I don't see why people would complain about that because I can't think of anything they've made thats really polyrhythmic, but I might be wrong.
Not to say that their rhythms aren't creative, I just can't think of anything too abstract except for maybe the early days.

Speaking of drumming, I can't help but feel like I would love this album twice as much as I do if the drums were mixed louder (and maybe the vocals a bit quieter). I feel like they really hold everything together, and that if they were more audible there would be less windshield burrito comments. Just an oddly mixed album in general, in my opinion.

yeah i always thought the vocals were a bit much.. but i think its what they wanted. whenever people gripe about the lack of panda vocals I always think, "but the drums are so damn good, whats to complain about?"

The drumming on this album is indeed ridiculously good, might be my favorite from Panda. The drumming in the second verse of Mercury Man is some intense shit.

I think Gotham is my favorite track from this songcycle
which surprised even me

Honeycomb and gotham are at a higher level AC-wise than all of CHz

I still like to occasionally go back to the visuals to watch along with this album, probably still the best way to listen to it.

yeah they def amplified everything i was feeling.

hard to argue about honeycomb/gotham. that single is a prized possession

I feel like the only person who completely despises Gotham. Can not stand that track for some reason.

I'm not a fan of Avey's vocals on that song, but I dig the music itself.

Totally agree with the mixing issue. It's the same gripe I have with the Youth Lagoon album Ben Allen produced. All of the sounds wash together leaving no room for dynamics. The drums SHOULD be the loudest thing on CHz but they're so quiet they might as well not even be there. Monkey Riches NEEDS those loud, pounding drums but they're reduced to a whisper. Not sure who the blame falls on because the band may have wanted it this way. But as I said, Wondrous Bughouse has a similar sound leaving me to believe Ben Allen is at fault.

I read that after the bands OK the production choices Ben has made, he goes back in later that night and changes everything 'to make it sound better' on his favourite earphones. Can't believe he's still getting away with this. Just look at them.

I totally fell for that

lol

Honeycomb and gotham are at a higher level AC-wise than all of CHz

Actually, scratch that. Mercury man is the best thing from this era

I agree, I love Mercury Man. Can't help but go nuts when I hear that song.

Drums could have definitely been tuned up a notch on CH. Wouldn't have hurt anybody...

I read that after the bands OK the production choices Ben has made, he goes back in later that night and changes everything 'to make it sound better' on his favourite earphones. Can't believe he's still getting away with this. Just look at them.

Spoiler: show

lol

Did anyone else read that story about Ben Allen's baby? He named it Best New Allen.

He makes me sick.

i know im a bit late for this, but re: all the rhythmic stuff on chz, i think a lot of whats going on is more similar to polymeter (which i understand is quickly switching between time signatures while the tempo stays consistent) instead of polyrhythm. like, ac's used polyrhythms in the past (in reverend green, noah drums in 4/4 during the verses while everything else is in 7/4), but i think they kind of stayed away from that on chz (as a lot of people have said).
on songs like moonjock or applesauce, they kind of just keep the beat consistent while changing time signatures around, kind of like this philip glass piece:

idk, i might be wrong. i just thought i'd throw in my 2 cents while the topic was still (somewhat) relevant. also, hey guys! ive finally decided to try and stop lurking so much! glad to be here

Tic wrote:

Honeycomb and gotham are at a higher level AC-wise than all of CHz

Actually, scratch that. Mercury man is the best thing from this era

I agree wholeheartedly. CHz Era is another Avey heavy era and Mercury Man is the best Avey song by a mile. Still haven't gotten over New Town Burnout though.

Honestly I guess I'm one of the few that wasn't into the whole burrito craze. That song on the entire album I felt had the least connection with me, not sure why.

Mercury Man has the most disappointing production on the album for me ( mostly the mix of the vocals and unnecessary clutter) which is a shame because it's full of fantastic melodies.

Looking out for panthers from the road again but didn't they pass a long time ago?

i'm the panther

until they buried phantom by the road

are avey's young days (spirit) gone?

also what do people think today's supernatural is about? it totally resonates to me when i think about it being about the feeling you get when you're trying to get over someone and you know you should. the screaming avey does is the exact feeling.

and this line

this exploding young brain has gone and thrown me out again

explains slipping into liking the person again soooo well
just thought i'd put some thoughts down.
oh and applesauce is in 2/4 with the drums in a 6/8 like pattern but they are basically the same time sigs so its not really polyrhythmic. for reverend green is a really nice polyrhythm because the drums are in 2/4 over 7/8 the second bar of the 7/8 section has the drumbeat on the offbeat while the first bar is on. focus on it and get your jam on

I honestly think Today's Supernatural is directed at Noah and Rosie Oh is directed at Avey. Just imagining that Noah and Dave would be that blunt with each other through their music makes CHz ten times more intense for me. Feel the same way about New Town Burnout and Monkey Riches back to back. New Town Burnout is sort of the themes and feelings from the Tomboy era summed up in a single track as Monkey Riches is to the Down There era.

There are a lot of lyrics I interpret as being very cryptic but personal. Mercury Man is reaching out to the guys saying "look I need your friendship". One the eagle (Noah the nomad), two the noble (Deak wit it), three the lizard (ole Slippery Sounds Geo), four the soul (self proclaimed heart of AC, Mr. Fingers himself: Avey Davey). Pulleys sounds like coming out of a thick jungle of depression and finding the magical forest with plenty of Amanita for your "trip". Cuz you about 2-B Trip'N (Deak WIDDIT II: Electric Boogaloo).

The rest of the songs are about various memories.




the end (?)

oh and applesauce is in 2/4 with the drums in a 6/8 like pattern but they are basically the same time sigs so its not really polyrhythmic. for reverend green is a really nice polyrhythm because the drums are in 2/4 over 7/8 the second bar of the 7/8 section has the drumbeat on the offbeat while the first bar is on. focus on it and get your jam on

but man, thats why i said applesauce was polyrhythmic.. its def in 4, but it still feels like a waltz. in those two time sigs you mentioned, one is subdivided to the eighth note and the other is a triplet feel. i think thats just about as basic of a polyrhythmic example you can find, though its not really dissonant or anything. idk if it has to be

ahh fuckit, w.e

or maybe, its really "won the eagle to the noble. free the lizard for teh sole"

may b deepr this whey?

I honestly think Today's Supernatural is directed at Noah and Rosie Oh is directed at Avey. Just imagining that Noah and Dave would be that blunt with each other through their music makes CHz ten times more intense for me. Feel the same way about New Town Burnout and Monkey Riches back to back. New Town Burnout is sort of the themes and feelings from the Tomboy era summed up in a single track as Monkey Riches is to the Down There era.

There are a lot of lyrics I interpret as being very cryptic but personal. Mercury Man is reaching out to the guys saying "look I need your friendship". One the eagle (Noah the nomad), two the noble (Deak wit it), three the lizard (ole Slippery Sounds Geo), four the soul (self proclaimed heart of AC, Mr. Fingers himself: Avey Davey). Pulleys sounds like coming out of a thick jungle of depression and finding the magical forest with plenty of Amanita for your "trip". Cuz you about 2-B Trip'N (Deak WIDDIT II: Electric Boogaloo).

The rest of the songs are about various memories.




the end (?)

that's pretty much exactly how I interpret the album too

but man, thats why i said applesauce was polyrhythmic.. its def in 4

i liked to think of it in 6/8 but hey that's me
the "i eat a mango part", the beats are on 1 and 4
the "farmer picks a good thing part", the beats are on 1, 3, 5, etc etc etc
but the band doesn't think about this stuff anyway

yeah strangeclams got it goin on

but the band doesn't think about this stuff anyway

haha yeah

the band thinks of how ALIEN it can get...and it got pretty intersteller

yeah all the songs are technically in Alien/16 time signature

lol'd!