Collected Animals

Whoa. I wonder whether he means that the “pot is starting to brew” internally - or as a group? Are we looking at getting a couple of solo records out the way before the next full AC album cycle begins again? Or is it gonna be another 4-6 year wait?

Avey posted an interview with a Miami mag (I think) where he talks a little bit about how “the pot is starting to brew a bit” in terms of what AC might do next. “The possibilities are endless”

np'd

exciting that they're at least talking about next steps as a band... i figured they were all totally in solo mode and weren't even talking about a next AC era yet. this bodes well for continued momentum after the 2024 solo projects wind down

So I was working my retail 9 to 5 job. As I was helping customers, the ones who just talk without thinking, the ones who get upset at nothing, and the ones who have no idea what’s going on, all I could think about was Animal Collective.
I think Isn’t It Now does exactly what it needs to do, but I’ve been thinking how cool it would be if they made an album that tricks the average everyday person into listening to an album that sounds poppy and vibey that slowly turns into something deep and existentially serious.
Even with songs like Soul, Genie, and Broke, as amazing as they are, don’t necessarily have the vibe that a person as described in ACAB would listen to. If Animal Collective wants to attract more people into an album with deep, existential messages, they would need an album that starts off with songs like Grass, Brother Sport, My Girls, Amanita, ect.
Even better, if the album was all straight bangers with lyrics that get progressively more and more existential, with 2 or 3 ending tracks that straight up shake the person out of that ACAB trance.
Again, this is no criticism on IIN, but I think another album similar to IIN, with more of a pop / electronic vibe can attract a greater amount of people to their message.

I get the feeling this will be a wildly unpopular idea, and one that is so insanely outside the realm of possibility, but I had this fantasy today of AC recording an album of early rock n’ roll standards/covers of 50s and 60s rock n roll songs. I just think somehow an AC version of Roy Orbison’s Only the Lonely would absolutely slap. Mix those classic straight ahead Melodies of that era of music with AC brand psychedelia and I think all of our hearts could melt.

Whole album of Jimmy Macks

I think it would be cool if they did an era full of pitch shifted vocals (think mr fingers or pandas cheap treat remix). Maybe combine that with something like the live pride and fight from the painting with tour, so crazy soaring vocal harmonies pitch shifted all over the place, sung over lush walls of synthesizer pads. The pitch shifting might be hard to pull off live tho

Whole album of Jimmy Macks

and There She Goes Again (AC cover version)

By all accounts, it really will be awhile until we get another AC album. Even Deakin just calling it a "hiatus" makes me realize how they're approaching this period of focusing on solo projects.

But, makes sense if you think of the projects in pipeline:

Panda Bear - album being recorded soon, maybe out late 2024?
Deakin - album being recorded sometime in 2024, maybe out first half of 2025?
Geologist - has a collab album with an IG guitarist coming out next year

Guessing Avey will work on solo albums in 2024 as well.

Deakin also said he really wants to do a big tour after his album comes out, so that'll also take up some time.

So I don't know if I see AC writing or touring until 2025, album out 2026. Maybe they'll do a few fests next year at most? Or maybe they'll keep doing joint solo tours?

yeah i feel like (and also hope? seems way more exciting to me at this moment?) they keep doing stuff like avey/deak/geo did with the solo sets plus a brief anco jam. seems like the best way to pay homage to their original idea for the band away, keep things fresh, but allow the kind of creative freeedom they seem to love and need and crave

i totally agree!

seems like their recent interviews have really been trying to express how much we need to continue to see their collective as this ever-shifting group of projects and that to just be waiting for "the next AC album" is missing the point of the whole thing...

as a counterpoint, for me nothing is quite as special as the alchemy of these four minds making music together... so yes i am super pumped for another AC album, but i will gladly take 4 solo albums first! we're really lucky as fans to be getting as much output from these dudes as we do...

Even with their solo work - the collective idea still holds true often. Members opening for each other on their solo tours, assisting with production like Deakin with SG, remixes. It’s not like we won’t see the boys collaborating for another 3-4 years until the next AC studio record.

Really hoping they veer away from songs like stride rite and royal next time around. Stride Rite just felt a bit forced and not as mature or interesting as the other boys songwriting. He locks himself into certain vocal motifs, same sort of singing style and it doesn't really feel inspired or great.

Would also like to see panda freed up from the kit and back on electronics/providing more vocals.

Maybe instrumentation similar to MPP and PW eras, but darker, less poppy songs? Heavier vibe?

really dismissive imo

I'd be cool to hear stuff where it is less clear who wrote the song. All three adding vocals and the origin of the idea being unclear.

really dismissive imo

lol "i want less songs like the two deakin did, and i hope they go back to the sounds they had on the two latest albums that deakin wasn't on"

be respectful people

i hear ya blindmowing!

nothing is quite as special as the alchemy of these four minds making music together

but i also think for me stuff like these recent spat of shows or like deak playing in avey's touring cows band isn't distinguishable from their collective (ha) work, i.e. Isn't It Now? or, perhaps a better example, Spirt or Painting With.

I'm definitely in this camp:

Even with their solo work - the collective idea still holds true often. Members opening for each other on their solo tours, assisting with production like Deakin with SG, remixes. It’s not like we won’t see the boys collaborating for another 3-4 years until the next AC studio record.

and i think this stuff is, for whatever reason at this exact moment, way way way way way way more exciting than the idea of Another Animal Collective Album. as long as these guys or some combination of these guys keep doing art together it can come from any name its all magic to me!

I'd be cool to hear stuff where it is less clear who wrote the song. All three adding vocals and the origin of the idea being unclear.

Yeah - this sounds great to me, and fresh.

jfw7 wrote:

really dismissive imo

lol "i want less songs like the two deakin did, and i hope they go back to the sounds they had on the two latest albums that deakin wasn't on"

be respectful people

wasn't trying to be disrespectful? i read plenty of comments about a dislike for bouys/reset, but seemingly any time i criticize deakins songwriting, people get upset. sorry for having an opinion on a group I follow borderline religiously?

idk, i was just trying to have a conversation about the next era. i for one think it would be cool to see what deakin would bring to the table with a sound/setup similar to the eras he wasn't a part of.

After their performance in Asheville I have no idea what to expect for their next record.

Avey seems focused on poppy / head bumping sounds

Deakin is focused on piano ballads

Geologist is focused on psychedelic / techno grunge / Tangerine Reef-esque sounds

It seems like Panda has something on the way that sounds indie surf rock pop esque

I’m not really sure what to expect. Everyone is doing something completely different, which is good, but I think this means we may not hear from them as a group for a while either.

And despite how different everything sounds, I think we need an album focused on the strengths of each member. This might sound stupid given the fact that the guys put all their effort into every album they make. But I mean, I think we need an album where no one person takes the lead, no one persons presence is felt more than another. We need equal parts Geo-Avey-Deakin-Panda. Geologist doesn’t need to sing, but I need to know that he’s just as much part of a song as the other guys. I think we need an album that encompasses Animal Collective as a whole throughout their life span.

A psychedelic-atmospheric-folk pop-ballad

Typing this shit out sounds so vague and dumb, but in my head, I see 4 best friends producing the greatest album in history. An album where you couldn’t tell apart if it was an Avey song, a Panda song, a Deakin song, or even a Geologist song. It all just blends together perfectly.

Even with their solo work - the collective idea still holds true often. Members opening for each other on their solo tours, assisting with production like Deakin with SG, remixes. It’s not like we won’t see the boys collaborating for another 3-4 years until the next AC studio record.

ya, i was actually going to mention this as well. in fact, i think with Deakin working on Panda's new record, it'd be cool if Geologist was the producer for Avey's next album.

I'm down for more jams in the vein of their flesh canoe performance. A casual EP of droney folky stuff recorded all analog would be great

coral lord wrote:

jfw7 wrote:

really dismissive imo

lol "i want less songs like the two deakin did, and i hope they go back to the sounds they had on the two latest albums that deakin wasn't on"

be respectful people

wasn't trying to be disrespectful? i read plenty of comments about a dislike for bouys/reset, but seemingly any time i criticize deakins songwriting, people get upset. sorry for having an opinion on a group I follow borderline religiously?

idk, i was just trying to have a conversation about the next era. i for one think it would be cool to see what deakin would bring to the table with a sound/setup similar to the eras he wasn't a part of.

yeah have whatever criticisms or opinions that you want but I think your phrasing was pretty ungenerous. Certainly not trying to police anyone’s words or perception of the band it just didn’t seem like your post was really serving a very nuanced point of view is all

North

coral lord wrote:

jfw7 wrote:

really dismissive imo

lol "i want less songs like the two deakin did, and i hope they go back to the sounds they had on the two latest albums that deakin wasn't on"

be respectful people

wasn't trying to be disrespectful? i read plenty of comments about a dislike for bouys/reset, but seemingly any time i criticize deakins songwriting, people get upset. sorry for having an opinion on a group I follow borderline religiously?

idk, i was just trying to have a conversation about the next era. i for one think it would be cool to see what deakin would bring to the table with a sound/setup similar to the eras he wasn't a part of.

i don't think this was disrespectful or dismissive. also i'm under the same pov on those two songs. obviously all just subjective. i tend to really like deakin's production, but haven't loved songs where he is lead vox on an animal collective record. tho i wish this was not the case!

I hope and I pray

They just need to tap back into the Music Box Spider/What's on the road/Prester john/Who knows energy again

chiming in to say that the way preakness worded their initial post was very normal and okay and sufficiently nuanced lmao. i really love deakin's songwriting contributions to this era, but i really resent this pattern on here where someone gets ragged on for voicing a mildly dissenting opinion, and then when they push back against that, the response from the raggers is "oh you're totally allowed to express dissenting opinions, i just think you didn't present a thoroughly robust and nuanced version of your views" as if that's ever been a prerequisite for sharing thoughts on a fan forum. super disingenuous, it's okay to admit you just got overly defensive

deakin himself said he needs to move past the ballads!

chiming in to say that the way preakness worded their initial post was very normal and okay and sufficiently nuanced lmao. i really love deakin's songwriting contributions to this era, but i really resent this pattern on here where someone gets ragged on for voicing a mildly dissenting opinion, and then when they push back against that, the response from the raggers is "oh you're totally allowed to express dissenting opinions, i just think you didn't present a thoroughly robust and nuanced version of your views" as if that's ever been a prerequisite for sharing thoughts on a fan forum. super disingenuous, it's okay to admit you just got overly defensive

Big correct. This is an Internet forum, nuance is for chumps. You shouldn’t have to have any nuance to express an opinion about a band anyways

fr lets lay off, and for what its worth ive seen a lot of people share that opinion. ive also seen a lot of people say that deakin had the best songs on both albums. the great thing is that neither of those views or true or untrue. you'd think out of anyone animal collective fans would understand that music is subjective and personal.

I'm really sick of Avey, Panda and Deakin writing all the songs. Geologist too for that matter. I feel like the band is in a bit of rut with those guys writing all the music. It's not exciting or fresh anymore. I'd love to see an album cycle where the family of possums in Avey's backyard does the majority of the writing.

Think animal collective should just be dean blunt for awhile. him taking the reigns would give everyone more time for solo stuff anyway. merriweather post pavillion 2 by animal collective but dean blunt is the only credited artist in the liner notes.

man i dont give a shit about dissenting opinions, i think it would be a shitty thing to read if you're a specific person who we know visits this forum. to me it just feels internet music critic brained to call incredibly emotional works like those songs forced, uninspired, etc.

maybe i'm being overly sensitive and my annoyances with the deakin memes are coming out but i stand by it!

I hope and I pray

This is fantastic, thank you!
Got me thinkin the addition of a lap or pedal steel would be extremely dope. Can you imagine deak on like a proper piano setup and Avey rocking a lap steel? Spindling out incredibly dense lush mood pieces and jams with geo going a bit more pad heavy and panda doing some jazzy shit with cymbals and toms. Brb gonna buy a flight so I can personally pitch this idea.

man i dont give a shit about dissenting opinions, i think it would be a shitty thing to read if you're a specific person who we know visits this forum. to me it just feels internet music critic brained to call incredibly emotional works like those songs forced, uninspired, etc.

maybe i'm being overly sensitive and my annoyances with the deakin memes are coming out but i stand by it!

The other side of the issue is that I read this sentiment as infantilizing (toward Josh) and patronizing (toward internet anons). Yes, thoughtful consideration is probably a best practice if you're a fan visiting a fan site to share views about the subject of your fandom, both out of respect for the subject you're writing about and for the quality of conversation on the site you're contributing to.

But. BUT.

This board increasingly errs on sharing conservative viewpoints (i.e., overwhelming positive) about the band and its music, which is likely why the "contrarian" thread is so fun. It seems to me that there's an unspoken rule here:

"Don't criticize Josh's contributions (in particular) because we know there's something uniquely un-AC about the spirit of his lead songs and something wanting in his singing voice. As such, we're sensitive to hurting his feelings even more because we all secretly agree with his insecurities and feel guilty for that, in addition to feeling gult over being emotionally reckless toward him in the past with our memes. We need to both protect Josh from his insecurities, which we validate through our protective instincts, and our utopic vision of AC as thought leaders in sonic discovery (because our identity is all wrapped up in their image)."

The funny thing is I generally enjoy Josh's imprint on the character of AC, and it's also something that part of me struggles with.

I've learned over the years that this is a fan forum, not a place to muse about AC's music, per se. Not to say that the latter can't happen, but maybe it's best just to be "pleasant" and "nice" and "polite" around here after all. Save the criticism for your phone's notes app and whatnot.

There is no such thing as un-AC. If someone who had only heard campfire songs heard painting with, or someone who only heard strawberry jam heard step by step/playing the long game, they’d sound just as un-AC as deak rocking a piano ballad

We’ll just have to agree to disagree I guess. That unspoken rule feels like you’re really overthinking it, I’ve never felt that vibe reading posts in all my years here.

-snip-

i'm sorry for jumping on preakness for that post, i know i said i wasn't being a cop but obviously i was dismissing it because i thought it was "mean" or wh/e. of course you weren't saying deakin sucks and shouldn't be part of the band, but even if you were: it's not my/anyone's job to make that unallowable to say, i should have just disagreed and moved on

i've noticed the past few times i've seen the band i've gotten uptight about contrarian posting, definitely an insecurity thing. deakin sounded great at eulogy and "golden chords" was the clear highlight of the evening for me even over flesh canoe and april (which i didn't find especially compelling or well executed tbh).

to show penance for bad posting behavior i will share the embarrassing story about how on the way home from the asheville show my jeans or carseat leather or something wrinkled up in a weird way and i had gas and then was positive i had laid a loaf into my undies and drove the entire trip in a cold sweat . i was worried i was the chocolate boy

coral lord wrote:

man i dont give a shit about dissenting opinions, i think it would be a shitty thing to read if you're a specific person who we know visits this forum. to me it just feels internet music critic brained to call incredibly emotional works like those songs forced, uninspired, etc.

maybe i'm being overly sensitive and my annoyances with the deakin memes are coming out but i stand by it!

This board increasingly errs on sharing conservative viewpoints (i.e., overwhelming positive) about the band and its music, which is likely why the "contrarian" thread is so fun. It seems to me that there's an unspoken rule here:

"Don't criticize Josh's contributions (in particular) because we know there's something uniquely un-AC about the spirit of his lead songs and something wanting in his singing voice. As such, we're sensitive to hurting his feelings even more because we all secretly agree with his insecurities and feel guilty for that, in addition to feeling gult over being emotionally reckless toward him in the past with our memes. We need to both protect Josh from his insecurities, which we validate through our protective instincts, and our utopic vision of AC as thought leaders in sonic discovery (because our identity is all wrapped up in their image)."

The funny thing is I generally enjoy Josh's imprint on the character of AC, and it's also something that part of me struggles with.

I've learned over the years that this is a fan forum, not a place to muse about AC's music, per se. Not to say that the latter can't happen, but maybe it's best just to be "pleasant" and "nice" and "polite" around here after all. Save the criticism for your phone's notes app and whatnot.

Yeah i agree that is largely true and i think that you said the quiet part out loud.

I probably should have known my post would stir the pot a little, and probably could have phrased it more sensitively. But isnt it a more interesting and compelling board if the posts actually reflected the opinions of every die hard fan? Only one kind of opinion is allowed and criticism about a certain member must be withheld no matter what? IMO an echo chamber gets boring pretty quickly and i feel like we should be eager to consider other perspectives.