Collected Animals

denjanenna wrote:

a lot of cool textures and sounds
songs are just ok
C+

i dunno smoke cannabis and check it out again

The spice must flow!

Bout to quiet-bump this at 4:30am jk ran out of bandcamp is it on nvm i can stream via cos https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/07/ ... et-new-ep/

bridge to quiet is my fav AC song since mr. fingers

ODDSAC all over this

something about the end part of Sux Bier Passage with the vocals reminds me so much of Danse Manatee stuff like Meet the Light Child or the Living Toys. Such a sweet little lullaby

[Hypeholder for the next 50 times i play this]

Cooper wrote:

bridge to quiet is my fav AC song since mr. fingers

ODDSAC all over this

The synths floating around in the second half of the title track are almost definitely from the Lady on the Lake recordings

aAND THE RAINSSSSSsss SUUDDENNLYiiiS GONE AGGAAAIINNN

aAND THE RAINSSSSSsss SUUDDENNLYiiiS GONE AGGAAAIINNN

I don't know about the comparisons to an alternate post-Fall Be Kind timeline - I don't think they could've made something like this without Tangerine Reef or Cows or new psycho actives. I like the grooves but Sux-Bier is lacking just enough structure to make it feel like it drags on a bit too long. Nevertheless I like the direction this is heading production-wise. I think this type of production/mixing with some of the 2019 live tracks would have the potential to be their best stuff ever.

It's growing on me every listen but I don't think it holds a candle to their mid-late 2000s stuff - but it's heading in a good direction. All four members are involved, there are lots of cool and weird sounds flying around, lots of good rhythms. If they brought back more vocal harmonies I think I'd be in heaven.

ep's great
sux-bier passage sounds like it could be a eucalyptus remix

Tunes are growing on me. Not a big fan of the mixing/production tho—feels pretty toothless. My guess is most of the parts were recorded DI ("direct-in") because it doesn't feel like there is much "air" to the recordings. They sound really smooth and one-dimensional in that uniquely digital way—nice but kind of innocuous. I've loved Deak's aesthetics in the past, especially on Down There, but here it just feels slight or something. Performances feel kinda "phoned-in," too. Interesting concept, making a record with all the band members in different cities—not sure it's a screaming success tho. It's still an Animal Collective record! I think "Sux-Bier" is my favorite so far...

this shit rocks

This is the AC I like. Boys are killing it this year.

Tunes are growing on me. Not a big fan of the mixing/production tho—feels pretty toothless. My guess is most of the parts were recorded DI ("direct-in") because it doesn't feel like there is much "air" to the recordings. They sound really smooth and one-dimensional in that uniquely digital way—nice but kind of innocuous. I've loved Deak's aesthetics in the past, especially on Down There, but here it just feels slight or something. Performances feel kinda "phoned-in," too. Interesting concept, making a record with all the band members in different cities—not sure it's a screaming success tho. It's still an Animal Collective record! I think "Sux-Bier" is my favorite so far...

yes. i really enjoy the muddy modular swarms of sounds––brian's on to something––but have a harder time with how live instruments, drums (sans hi hats), vocals, and synths are mixed. there's a wall-of-sound element to it that's both muddy and clean. vocals sound either buried or digitally whispy. part of a good mix is a good arrangement, which is why these days i tend to view strawberry jam and sung tongs (and to some extent, hcti) their best-mixed records. so much space! even if there are tons of sounds.

the band used to experiment more with recording techniques back when their songwriting wasn't as polished, and i'm inclined to think this really sat well with the gear they had to record with in early aughts and their 'beginner's mind' for recording (despite not actually being beginners). meeting of the waters was a powerful record due in part to how they experimented with tracking; dave's vocals are so near and human. couldn't even listen to eucalyptus because its mix sounds like ikea furniture. love down there, though. mpp is my favorite mix, whatever that may say about me.

but i get it. this is a collaged record. i'm inclined to give them more credit as a listener and fan by imagining that some, if not all the mud in the mix is an aesthetic choice that adheres to how they envisioned the feeling tones of the songs. i dig this ep.

piggy sounds like new orleans kirtan

Man what do you mean about eucalyptus? Parts of that record to me are all space, coral lords comes to mind first but also season high, melody unfair, when you left me. The songs that aren't spacious benefit from being cozy, PJ and Dr aw one for J, Ms secret. Pls give it another chance

I will agree with you that St and SJ are probably their best mixed records, down there too

eucalyptus mixing is some of my favorite in the catalog. it lets when you left me, season high and melody unfair and songs like that just flourish. i think its makes the acoustics and avey's voice sound amazing.

nah

sounds sterile, "no teeth". it has something to do with how the songs were tracked and how the types of compression and the reverbs were mixed.

maybe i'm just not into the california melancholy of eucalyptus. to each their own

I messaged Deakin on Instagram about the possibility of DownDownDownDown being on the “new project” they mentioned in the email they sent out, he liked my message and never responded so I think we can interpret that as either “yes but I don’t want to spoil the track list” or “please never message me on Instagram again”

eucalyptus mixing is some of my favorite in the catalog. it lets when you left me, season high and melody unfair and songs like that just flourish. i think its makes the acoustics and avey's voice sound amazing.

100%. I love how earthy and demo-y it sounds, like Bobby Brown’s fake “live” sound on Prayers of a One Man Band and his debut. Eucalyptus feels very 1970s-ish to me.

lhtd, you mentioned arrangements—I think this is yuuuuge. The arrangement can make or break a song. I feel like they used to have really unique take on song structure. They used to have one or two big ideas drive a song—the psych swirl of “Visiting Friends,” the swelling guitars of “Flesh Canoe,” the deep-space arpeggios of “#1,” even the revving, squiggly “Natural Selection.” These are just a handful of examples—of which there are many—but Bridge to Quiet just sounds different to me. Too much competing for attention or something. I’m liking it—it just sounds to me like they couldn’t decide who the songs belong to, who should take the wheel.

it just sounds to me like they couldn’t decide who the songs belong to, who should take the wheel.

man, ain't that a metaphor for the current plight of america

The vocals on "Sux-Bier Passage" reminds me a lot of The Residents Eskimo. It's really interesting stuff.

nah

sounds sterile, "no teeth". it has something to do with how the songs were tracked and how the types of compression and the reverbs were mixed.

maybe i'm just not into the california melancholy of eucalyptus. to each their own

I dunno smoke cannabis and check it out again

eucalyptus mixing is some of my favorite in the catalog. it lets when you left me, season high and melody unfair and songs like that just flourish. i think its makes the acoustics and avey's voice sound amazing.

100% agree

lhtd wrote:

nah

sounds sterile, "no teeth". it has something to do with how the songs were tracked and how the types of compression and the reverbs were mixed.

maybe i'm just not into the california melancholy of eucalyptus. to each their own

I dunno smoke cannabis and check it out again

FEEL ON1NE!!! wrote:

eucalyptus mixing is some of my favorite in the catalog. it lets when you left me, season high and melody unfair and songs like that just flourish. i think its makes the acoustics and avey's voice sound amazing.

100%. I love how earthy and demo-y it sounds, like Bobby Brown’s fake “live” sound on Prayers of a One Man Band and his debut. Eucalyptus feels very 1970s-ish to me.

Hey thank u for mentioning this, I decided to look up Prayers of a One Man Band and it's one of my favorite things I've heard in awhile

"no teeth".

"no teeth" doesnt seem to be too much of a problem when the music isnt particularly biting

This slaps, it's always spécial moment when we have a new ep/lp from the bouys to discover.

ingenue wrote:

FEEL ON1NE!!! wrote:

eucalyptus mixing is some of my favorite in the catalog. it lets when you left me, season high and melody unfair and songs like that just flourish. i think its makes the acoustics and avey's voice sound amazing.

100%. I love how earthy and demo-y it sounds, like Bobby Brown’s fake “live” sound on Prayers of a One Man Band and his debut. Eucalyptus feels very 1970s-ish to me.

Hey thank u for mentioning this, I decided to look up Prayers of a One Man Band and it's one of my favorite things I've heard in awhile

You’re welcome! I first heard about him through the band (in an interview or on the old CA maybe?), so it’s come full circle. I think it was Dave who liked “In Search of a Dream.” I put it on a mix that I listened to on my first psychedelic voyage—thought my heart stopped during the crescendo part at the end where his yodel just keeps going up and up and up.

Have to also admit this EP has grown on me. A lot. It definitely has a vibe all its own in the AC catalog. Can’t get the songs outta my head. If it really is a bridge “to quiet,” I wonder if that means the next LP is going to be a mellow one.

this EP has grown a lot on me too even though I liked it for the most part on first listen. "piggy knows" is that classic AC that we haven't heard in awhile (especially that "ehhhhhhh ehh" in the chorus), "rain in cups" is something totally new for them with the trip-hop influence, "sux-bier passage" sounds like both their earlier ambient/noise stuff and also like the perfect cap to all the meandering and atmospheric stuff they've been doing recently, and "bridge to quiet" is just pure bouncy bliss, as if Painting With were stretched out like laffy taffy

can't wait to hear what else they can come up with using these new remote mixing and editing techniques

Why do I get slight Brand New vibes on Rain in Cups? Just me?

Just found today - I'm happy with this.

Brings me back some Fall Be Kind car-ride-staring-out-the-window half nauseous half bliss good stuffs.

piggy grew a lot. kinda bummed me on first listen lol. now it rips

Piggy nose kind of sounds like a Willy wonka lesson-learned song

"bridge to quiet" is just pure bouncy bliss, as if Painting With were stretched out like laffy taffy

NAILED it.

If it really is a bridge “to quiet,” I wonder if that means the next LP is going to be a mellow one.

Can’t believe how much panda’s “try it on” reminds me of old school AC. I really can’t wait until the new album

Anyone hear the resemblance of Rain in Cups to Bat You’ll Fly?

Nobody:
Bridge to Quiet: yes

I really really love this. BTQ itself is an absolute monster, massive euphoric sound, Graze-tier bass riff and that will he/won't he beat makes me dizzy.