[foxtrot]

Next draw happening in about 3 hours time!

[glenbeige]

foxtrot wrote:

Next draw happening in about 3 hours time!

Hell yeah, blowing on my dice as we speak

But seriously, with the variety of picks here I'm finding myself equally excited for pretty much any combo we get. Even Avey Tane's

[r_o_s_s]

Getting mine in right before the final whistle!


MFPotus Selections

Purple Bottle (Stevie Wonder Version)

I think like a few other people, I had no idea that a studio version of this existed. I think the live cut from Live at 9:30 is my favourite version of the song, so this had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, this is more of an interesting curio rather than something truly great. In fact, there’s something kind of uncanny about hearing a song I’ve heard god knows how many times so slightly changed. Like hanging out with a close friend in a dream. Not sure Avey’s vocals really sell the passage either. Something lacking there for me. Maybe I’m just used to the regular version though.

As for the rest of the track, what can I say, it’s The Purple Bottle. One of the greats. I’ll leave any deeper thoughts and memories for the weeks to come in-case TPB Prime shows up as one of the choices.

Mouth Wooed Her

Probably the greatest Sung Tongs track for me. I wish it was double the length. Feels like all the best parts of ST packed into a single track. Interplay between Noah/Dave. Weird mouth noises. Hazy samples.

When I was around 18 I sang this in the face of some guy I met on the street after coming out from a club. I guess that’s how the song sounds to me. Triumphant in a way. Sounds like the sun barely rising after a drunken night.

I also sing this to myself every single time I’m thirsty - so there’s that.

A Sender

Never been a gigantic Slasher Flicks fan, aside from a couple of the tracks, but surprisingly this worked for me a lot more than it has on previous listens. Really enjoy the pace of the track and that bombastic throbbing synth.

Track still loses me in the second half though. Can’t help but think that song would have been in safer hands as a full band effort. I imagine Noah’s backing vocals + drumming and some Geo soundscaping would plump the whole piece up and make it feel a little less flat.

An An Angel

Actually my first time hearing this too. Have been avoiding the Spirit bonus EP because it is my favourite album ever and just the idea of more material from that time was quite daunting to me. But here we are.

Happy to say that I am a gigantic fan of this. A twinkling beauty. I’ve written before on CA that when listening to Sprit, I often imagine Dave as a Merlin type figure surrounded by swirling glistening blue spells. Might just be because this song is new to my brain but that vision has never been stronger. I sense that the pitched-up vocals here might be controversial but I like the way they punctuate the track and add to the overall other-worldly feeling.

Playing The Long Game

Top tier Panda track as far as I’m concerned. I want a whole record like this. So much of AC’s work, especially stuff with Noah up-front-and-centre is so WET sounding that it’s a lovely change of pace to hear something that feels so dry to me. Wouldn’t say no to a remixed version of this with someone rapping over the top. Quelle Chris is the first person that comes to mind. Not sure how well that would work in practice though


KidEatsKeyboard Selections

There’s An Arrow

Feels so lame to compare art to Wes Anderson these days. As it should because it’s very much overdone. BUT - this really done remind me of Anderson a lot. If it was a little less discordant in the second half, and without Avey’s vocals, I can imagine this playing behind a long tracking shot of a group of ragtag misfits walking through a forest.

Whenever I listen to this era of the band, I yearn for them to go back this style so badly. Even if it was just for a little bit. Just go wild for a 30 minute EP. Let loose a little!

Good Lovin Outside

God this album has perfect production. It’s so easy to take this stuff for granted after listening a million times but LORD, this just sounds SO LUSH. Each strike of the guitar strings just hit so pleasantly. Love when Avey gets saucy. Even when it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. 

I wouldn’t have minded this as the album closer actually. I think on my first listen, I was a little surprised when another track started up immediately after this one. The slow strumming, grumbling vocals, and sample of children playing/laughing that finishes the song feel as though they sum up the whole record for me.

Winter Wonderland

When I first listened to SJ - this was my favourite track upon first listen. These days it is probably bottom of the list. But it’s nice to try and put myself in that mindset again and try to figure out what exactly made this track standout among all the other gems on the record.

It’s certainly catchy as hell. As well as being super emblematic of a lot of the stuff that makes this era of AC so fantastic. There’s a propulsion to the track that I can imagine got my heart racing on a first listen. I think, at the time, I probably hadn’t heard anything like Dave’s ‘whoooo-ooo!’-ing on a track before so I can definitely see how that would have taken me by surprise.

On this listen, with the track isolated from its tracklist, I can’t say I was massively impressed. Far from my favourite Avey lyrics. Wish the drums punched a lot harder too.

Rosie Oh

Now this is a PROPER AC song. There’s not a single second of this song where there isn’t some strange humming, gargling, or pulsing sample taking up space in your ear hole. A particularly nice chunk is between 1:50 and 2:00 where you can hear what sounds like a toad being trampled in the background. It’s fun!

The last twenty seconds just work so perfectly for me. The way it all comes together. It’s like a song from SMiLE.

A weird complaint is that for many years I believed Noah was singing “I’d like to erase it”, and was pretty disappointed to find out it’s actually “embrace” instead. I think my version is better! Not sure how common this is.

When You Left Me

I went through a pretty bad breakup last year and thank the lord this song exists because it got me through some dreary old miserable nights. I think Eucalyptus is quite underrated overall but this song in-particular is a real Avey highlight among his 2010s work.

The lyrics here are obviously just so crushing. Make me tear up every time. Pun not intended. The way he calls to his past love is a perfect use of Dave’s unique vocal styles and talent. It’s hard for me to imagine many other musicians pulling this track off with relatively little happening in the mix, while still being so huge on emotional weight.

[Avey Tane]

Avey Tane wrote:

If my songs get picked I'd like to change the last song to "Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica (XXXChange Remix)"

Think this got lost in the mix

[foxtrot]

Avey Tane wrote:

Avey Tane wrote:

If my songs get picked I'd like to change the last song to "Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica (XXXChange Remix)"

Think this got lost in the mix

Yep, whoops, sorry mate. Now added. Your picks starting to reach mythological levels of hype hehe

r_o_s_s wrote:

Rosie Oh
Now this is a PROPER AC song. There’s not a single second of this song where there isn’t some strange humming, gargling, or pulsing sample taking up space in your ear hole. A particularly nice chunk is between 1:50 and 2:00 where you can hear what sounds like a toad being trampled in the background. It’s fun!

One of my favourite bits too. To me it sound like a pogo stick for small mammals.

Also agree on the SMiLE comparison. Definitely part of the reason the wild structure appeals to me in this one.

[foxtrot]

WEEK 2 DRAW:

drumroll.......

Entries 6 and 31!

6. williswire
Cemeteries, Preakness (2011 version), The Softest Voice, Afterburner, Bees

31. roopn
Jungle Heat, Call Home (Buy Grapes), Forest Gospel, Coral Realization, DR aw one for J


Another pairing of pretty easy to access tracks and a nice variety of career era and band v solo.
Pumped! Particularly excited to revisit OG Preakness and Jungle Heat (rarely get a chance to Crack the Animal Box).

[Stan]

Wicked choices. Looking forward to revisiting Afterburner and Call Home especially.

[wilandhugs]

Yess Preakness is one of my favorites, either version honestly but excited to talk on Keep especially. And softest voice which might be my favorite tong.

And great picks from Roopn too, those are fun ones. Deep Cuts versus Super Deep Cuts

[foxtrot]

williswire:

Cemeteries:
An absolutely devastating and beautiful song. A big favourite. So glad you picked this. Really excited to give it devoted attention. My favourite sound is that noise that repeats throughout most of the song that sounds like an injured animal calling out into the night. So spooky yet full of suffering. Like I empathise and I want to help but I’m still fearful of approaching that animal. Avey’s delivery is so subtle and restrained. A rare thing for him. It gives the song so much emotional weight. The ‘And I’m told’ chorus might be the most understated yet wondrous chorus in the band’s history. The second half of the song is particularly beautiful as the little moments of sparkle somehow pierce the fog. Love the animal sounds and various pitch shifted voice snippets and that pulsing, swampy rudder guiding us through it all. The line ‘the gravestones are covered in time’ gets me every time. What a song. I’m going to give this a few serious headphone listens deep into the night this week.


Preakness (2011 version):
Still my preferred version so I’m psyched that you picked it! I think the slower tempo and minimal arrangement gives the beauty of the melody and Noah’s harmonies space to breathe and overtake you. When he slowly rises during the ‘keep it up, keep it up’ bit right through to the ‘see your hopes become my hopes’ is some of the most sublime and pure melodic beauty in existence. The cute lilting synth during this part is also just gorgeous. Like watching fluffy seed pods dance around in the thick orange sunlight before gently resting on the ground at the end of the song. Between this and Cemeteries you’ve got me on the brink of tears here williswire.


The Softest Voice:
Can see a theme emerging in what kind of AC williswire is most drawn to. Or maybe the kind of AC you think is most in need of reevaluation? This song is another absolute favourite of mine. Works perfectly on the album to introduce the more ambient side of the Tongs. On its own now and it absolutely holds its own. The Softest Voice is like the most rejuvenating and satisfying deep breath you’ve ever taken. The acoustic guitars here are like watching birds on a clear day. They’re so effortless and kind of intuitive or something. I love the creaking, bouncing sounds that drift along with the song. ‘I found a place that fits tight. It feels small but I won't get sad about it’. I love that AC provide these jaw dropping moments of humble wisdom all the time. I fucking adore when the song just suddenly falls in a puddle halfway through. The chimes gently ringing as Avey and Panda swim around and enjoy the feeling of the cool water on their skin. So psychedelic. When the acoustic guitar casually re-enters it is just the most serene and blissful moment. That gurgling sound! I have said this before but if I could live in a song, I’d build my house in The Softest Voice.


Afterburner:
Positively ferocious after the last three songs! This song goes HARD. I just feel its propulsive energy every time. Feel like it retained the live energy really well. This song is just huge. The 4/4 thump, bouncy loops, ragged/raga guitars, layers of synths that sound like propellers of bad ass black choppers circling. It almost feels like a big, serious maturation of the second half of Bros. Panda is soaring - ‘Don’t buy IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT….’ . The harmonies are so fucking tight and aggressive. The production on this track is amazing. It is so thick with atmosphere and attitude. This is Noah saying that he has no interest in ‘keeping up’ with society. It’s his ‘fuck you i’m out’ statement. I think this song is a massive success. A powerful beast. Love the big drawn out closing, right down to the trebly little guitar loop that’s left on its own at the very end.


Bees:
Your choices have been incredible williswire. Just amazing track after amazing track. Not much reevaluation happening for me in this batch. Not much ‘seeing it in a new light’. Absolute mountains of deep appreciation and love for a bunch of the greatest sounds to ever hit my ears though! Bees feels even more peaceful than usual after Afterburner. It stands as one of the defining moments of Feels for me. The autoharp, cooing and chanting, twinkling puddles of piano, violin, the loose watery structure, obviously Avey’s vocal performance - the ‘rehreh rorrrrrrrorrrrr’ bit is iconic. One of the biggest smile inducing moments in music history. Listening again now and the arrangement is just filled with endless details. A constant flowing/sprinkling feeling as so many different instruments drift in and out. Wondrous music.

[time5sumranch]

glenbeige wrote:

And there are consistent sonics too - most prominently all the buzzing and whirring going on in the background - like the whole record lives in this electronic swamp inhabited by little metal bugs (considering other recent work like Bug Mall and Gator Pools I'd say this is likely intentional.) Also first time really noticing the hocketing on Lips at Night which was muy wavy

yeah this is funny as I had the same realization within the past two weeks myself about lips. It connects the first three songs to the bog sweeper suite with that little vocal chop, as sweeper has something similar very prominently. 7s has grown on me a lot, as I have begun to see it more as a linear path narrative of first feeling some appreciation in isolation which sours and turns to the headache that is cloud. like those vocal chops in lips are comforting but on sweeper feels more like paranoia.

ok onto week 2!

[roopn]

Wow omg I got picked! So exciting, hope everyone enjoys.

Williswire yours are all favourites, so excited about them. 2 Tomboy heavy hitters, down there, the (spoilers) BEST (????) sung tong!?

Ain't got time to listen and write today but keen to check in and chat tomorrow

[Fovrodi]

I've listened to everything so far and intend to see this experiment through to the end. Thanks to Foxtrot for organizing this.

williswire-Afterburner- One of the only Tomboy songs not to click for me. Muddy guitar, maximal production with the dour melody leaves me scratching my head. Love the rest of these songs though!

roopn- Love the Keep representation we have this week! DR aw one for J is one that guts me. Jungle Heat is probably my favorite song from that side of Crackbox

[rohcti]

wiliswire
Cemeteries - idk if the studio version ever really clicked with me, I think I had "Down There" fatigue like someone else they had Eucalyptus fatigue. Sounds like some medical disorder. Anyway, hearing it by itself is great, it's a beautiful song. I think I'm a little attached to the Mothlight version, but this is a great version too.

Preakness (2011 version) - Preakness is so hit or miss with me. I think this one is better than the PBvsGR version, but not by much. I 'like' the song but it doesn't blow me away

The Softest Voice - it's one of the best AC songs. Everything about it is perfect and perfectly exemplifies what I love about this era. One of the most sonically pleasing songs as well, the wind chimes in the background and the other noises are some of the most chill/beautiful shit I've ever heard. Really happy to revisit this.

Afterburner - one of the best PB songs in my opinion. I love the repetition. The last two minutes are sublime where he just lets the instrumental ride. I'm a sucker for that kinda stuff

Bees - the heart of Feels, another song that I think perfectly encapsulates what I love about their respective album. The studio version is such a treasure. There's so much to love that I wouldn't know where to begin if I tried to list everything I love about it

[foxtrot]

Sorry, got a bit excited today and I've done roopn's too. Will be giving all 10 tracks many more listens through the week though. Looking forward to reading others' thoughts/write ups.

roopn:

Jungle Heat:
This era was so incredibly productive. They could have almost released a whole other album of Tongs (Covered in Frogs, Don’t Believe The Pilot, Always You, Baby Day, this one). Haven’t listened to this track in probably 5 or 6 years. That you! I love the languid Campfire Songs pace of this one. So delicate and calm. Certainly not the most ostentatious track of that era but another beautiful piece of unique acoustic AC ambience to vibe to. Particularly love a passage about two thirds through (1:45ish) when one of the guitars does this gorgeous descending series of hammer-offs and then the main chord gets gently picked out again, Noah does a sweet little Young Prayer like wordless melody and Avey sings ‘my Tiger den’. It’s quite beautiful the way the song/recording gently reduces to nothing at the end. Wish it was twice as long though.


Call Home (Buy Grapes):
Awesome little Avey rarity and another great pick roop! It’s pretty sweet that half this EP is being covered this week! I chose Country Report - fingers crossed that comes up at some point. Tbh I’m going to listen to it right now while I’m giving the whole EP a spin anyway. Call Home has a classic freaky little manipulated voice bit at the start. Love how often they do that kind of thing. The beat has such a Down There swampy groove to it. I feel like Dave plays the acoustic in quite unique ways on this track. All those hammer-ons. Not his usual strummy/flowing style. Interestingly similar to Jungle Heat in that sense. Is this something you’ve consciously identified roopn? The synth floating along gives things a really hazy, almost hallucinatory feeling. Like being stoned in the fog or something. The dry vocals add a certain woody intensity that I dig. They cut through that dreamy, woozy foggy feeling much like the beat does. It’s a simple song (still have no idea about any lyrics) but for me it succeeds on its textural balance/contrast - the dry/crunchy beat and vocals driving along these thick, gauzy guitar and synth parts.


Forest Gospel:
Time to enter beast mode. A lot of talk last week about the first three tracks of Hollinnd. I grew to really appreciate There’s An Arrow but there is no denying the power of those first three. This one is the messy, explosive climax. Brutal and shocking start. Anyone remember the first time they heard it?! The sheer power and ferocity in that opening passage still sends me flailing around like an idiot today. When things settle we get pure feral early AC energy. Those high electronics, squeaky chants, Panda dancing around the cymbals. And as soon as the song has exploded into being it starts to collapse to the ground. Bloody and mangled. Yet it starts to gather its strength and prepare to fight on. The panted parts behind Avey are brilliant. That guitar chord that feels like a broken bone at grotesque angles. Then Panda starts saying ‘C’mon now, pow!!!’ AND THEY FUCKING LOSE THEIR SHIT AGAIN! The moments of violence in this song are so powerful because of their brevity. I’m going to be a nerd and do the math: first bit is about 27 seconds. Second climax/explosion goes for about 37 seconds. That’s roughly 1 minute of a 4 minute song . Just like in nature, the hunt can require patience and the time to strike is fleeting. One moment of absolute violence and it’s over. But the impact it leaves stays long after.


Coral Realization:
This one is a really interesting choice. Keen to hear your motivation. I think it’s the first track on TR with no vocals at all. Just that massive, foreboding three note bass synth melody and those big, menacing phased synths. Some interesting aquatic textural additions in the background. I always imagine this track as the moment we realise that it’s too late. The coral is all bleached and breaking down. It’s over and we watched it happen. Curious to hear your thoughts roopn. I enjoy this track in the context of the album but definitely see it as more of a transition piece. Texturally rich and evocative but compositionally obviously very slight.


DR aw one for J:
Great to see our second Eucalyptus track. Also (like When You Left Me) not one that I usually identify as a stand out. Which makes it nice to explore and dig into here (the whole point/initial idea of this thing really). Sounds like some kind of kids Western cartoon at first! When the drone comes in things settle into the track proper. It has a really cool texture. Very reedy and rough yet somehow still soothing. Noticing Dave’s melody more today than I have in the past. It’s subtle. The vocals here are certainly more of a textural element themselves - muffled and mixed low. I dig the drippy sounds towards the end. They compliment the acoustic strums nicely. Again, this one has always felt like a little transition piece between ‘real’ songs to me. Let us know why you wanted to put it in the spotlight roop.

[rohcti]

foxtrot wrote:

williswire:


Afterburner:
Positively ferocious after the last three songs! This song goes HARD. I just feel its propulsive energy every time. Feel like it retained the live energy really well. This song is just huge. The 4/4 thump, bouncy loops, ragged/raga guitars, layers of synths that sound like propellers of bad ass black choppers circling. It almost feels like a big, serious maturation of the second half of Bros. Panda is soaring - ‘Don’t buy IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT….’ . The harmonies are so fucking tight and aggressive. The production on this track is amazing. It is so thick with atmosphere and attitude. This is Noah saying that he has no interest in ‘keeping up’ with society. It’s his ‘fuck you i’m out’ statement. I think this song is a massive success. A powerful beast. Love the big drawn out closing, right down to the trebly little guitar loop that’s left on its own at the very end.
[

Really enjoyed reading this, I've always loved this track and your descriptors are spot on. I think it has a special kind of energy among Tomboy tracks

Afterburner followed by Benfica is just incredible

[Fovrodi]

foxtrot wrote:

Jungle Heat:
This era was so incredibly productive. They could have almost released a whole other album of Tongs (Covered in Frogs, Don’t Believe The Pilot, Always You, Baby Day, this one). Haven’t listened to this track in probably 5 or 6 years. That you! I love the languid Campfire Songs pace of this one. So delicate and calm. Certainly not the most ostentatious track of that era but another beautiful piece of unique acoustic AC ambience to vibe to. Particularly love a passage about two thirds through (1:45ish) when one of the guitars does this gorgeous descending series of hammer-offs and then the main chord gets gently picked out again, Noah does a sweet little Young Prayer like wordless melody and Avey sings ‘my Tiger den’. It’s quite beautiful the way the song/recording gently reduces to nothing at the end. Wish it was twice as long though.

Campfire Songs and Sung Tongs eras have a solid two years between them, Animal Crack Box liner notes says the Campfire shows were '00/'01, Tongs stuff was all 2003

[tay's tee games]

Awesome choices, very excited for this. Love the Keep tape and I've had such a Danse/Hollinnd week that having Jungle Heat and Forest Gospel in there is extra spicy.

[foxtrot]

Fovrodi wrote:

foxtrot wrote:

Jungle Heat:
This era was so incredibly productive. They could have almost released a whole other album of Tongs (Covered in Frogs, Don’t Believe The Pilot, Always You, Baby Day, this one). Haven’t listened to this track in probably 5 or 6 years. That you! I love the languid Campfire Songs pace of this one. So delicate and calm. Certainly not the most ostentatious track of that era but another beautiful piece of unique acoustic AC ambience to vibe to. Particularly love a passage about two thirds through (1:45ish) when one of the guitars does this gorgeous descending series of hammer-offs and then the main chord gets gently picked out again, Noah does a sweet little Young Prayer like wordless melody and Avey sings ‘my Tiger den’. It’s quite beautiful the way the song/recording gently reduces to nothing at the end. Wish it was twice as long though.

Campfire Songs and Sung Tongs eras have a solid two years between them, Animal Crack Box liner notes says the Campfire shows were '00/'01, Tongs stuff was all 2003

Yeh I guess I’m just imagining all the early acoustic stuff that was wasn’t used collected on a release.

tay's tee games wrote:

Awesome choices, very excited for this. Love the Keep tape and I've had such a Danse/Hollinnd week that having Jungle Heat and Forest Gospel in there is extra spicy.

Same. Have listened to both of those a few times in the last week. Forest Gospel hit so hard for me today (as evidenced by my reaction/write up above).

Love that the catalogue is so deep at this point that you can frequently burrow into a certain era and the band stays fresh cause there is always a different period to rediscover next.

[dansemanatee]

williswire:

Cemeteries: The pacing of all these songs was so perfect, this one worked so well as an intro. I feel like my favorite songs on down there are all pretty immediate (rllllly strong vocal melodies and cool rhythms), this is rlly the only slow burner on the album so i dont think it stuck out to me the first couple times i listened to it. I've grown to really like it a lot though. I love when the different sounds in the mix all kinda come together in the end. I use the word soupy way too much when describing their music but like, damn thats sum soup.

Preakness: Such a good second track after a slow burn intro. Picks up the pace but doesn't give you whiplash. Consensus seems to be that this one is better than the crosswords version, i'd definitely agree. This might be my favorite tomboy era song, though thats hard to say cause it changes a lot with that era in particular for whatever reason. Some of his best vocal melodies fr

Softest Voice: Damn two weeks in and we've already done my three favorite sung tongs. Been really fun to listen to these on their own, I don't rlly listen to much of their stuff outside albums anymore and sung tongs is such an immersive album for me, i'm realizing now how weird individual tongs are when you're not riding with the whole album, though not in a bad way at all. Some of their best guitar work hands down, and i fucking adore that woodblock are whatever it is (the first time i rlly noticed it i was off an edible and i thought it was a water cooler lol). The only thing that even slightly irks me about this song is that they cut the "little doggy laughing at me" line. The full og lyric "Bombs outside, little doggy laughing at me" might be my favorite ac lyric ever. Otherwise this song is absolutely perfect and means so much to me <3

Afterburner: This one worked so well coming after softest voice, fuck!! I feel like he definitely could have gotten away with making this song like four minutes instead of nearly seven but im all for it, that long ass outro is so serene.

Bees: I'd feel comfortable calling bees my favorite feels song if it weren't for did you see the words. I've always liked this song but it definitely went from a cool song that me and my friends would quote all the time to one of the most definitive pieces of art in my life. I don't even have the words to begin to describe it but this song feels so grand and beautiful and euphoric. The guitar parts over the autoharp and the way avey sings "ill take my time" and the fucking doctress piano...

I really like this song as a closer too. Thinking of an alternate reality where this song closed feels. Wish I had more to say about all these but they kinda just speak for themselves, especially bees.

[nothingmastered]

Circling back quick to that Mouth Wooed Her/Defeat pt 3 melody similarity, MWH begins with the lyric "good day outside". Avey was touring Sung Tongs around when he wrote Defeat...

[tay's tee games]

nothingmastered wrote:

Circling back quick to that Mouth Wooed Her/Defeat pt 3 melody similarity, MWH begins with the lyric "good day outside". Avey was touring Sung Tongs around when he wrote Defeat...

CORRECT

[foxtrot]

Yeh, that has been a pretty cool little revelation.

Afterburner is just ripping through me this week. What a song.

[foxtrot]

Seems like people have been busy so far this week.

Meanwhile I have been belting OG Preakness and Afterburner likes it’s 2011.

Jungle Heat has wooed me.

Cemeteries has turned into even more of a massive mid album highlight. An absolute gem of subtle beauty.

[tay's tee games]

Yep sorry bud I'm getting to this! Have had the tabs open for each song since fri lol. Bees and OG Preakness are two of my all time AC-universe favs so definitely looking forward to a deep dive.

[roopn]

My weekend turned out flat out! Here's some thoughts on my picks first up...

Jungle Heat:
This song is a pure mood piece to me. I don't know any of the lyrics. It feels like I'm sitting next to two buddies playing guitar, somewhere calm and warm. There's no emotional arc or drama to the track, just a wonderful moment in time. Even compared to other campfire tracks Jungle Heat is so unadorned, it's kind of an unusual space for this band.
Hey Friend is feels like part 2 to this song so it's strange to hear it in isolation.

Call Home (Buy Grapes)
Man, awesome song. Love the tape sound, like the whole recording is about to implode and it basically does at the end. the drum machine sounds awesome, unusual 3/4 kinda beat, simple enough but the phaser effect keeps it dynamic. The acoustic guitar vamp is really satisfying (foxtrot- great ear to match the hammer-ons with those in jungle heat, that was total coincidence on my part!) and the higher pulsing sort of sound is a perfect counterpoint. Lastly the vocal performance is fantastic, strong, direct, earnest and emotional. Love the melody and again don't really know any lyrics. Overall the song is relatively simple but each element is balanced perfectly.
This is how I hope/imagine Song for Jerome and In Photographs would have sounded if they were recorded.

Forest Gospel
tbh, I picked this for the shock of the intro, which on its own accounts for my predominant impression of Hollindagain. I was going to pair it with Working so those noise blasts would lead into this one, but working was picked already.
I haven't been in a place to really absorb danse/hollindagain era lately so I'm not sure I can do justice to this. Gotta mention that moment I and I'm sure every ac fan has experienced in this song where you think avey is repeatedly dropping n-bombs in that middle verse.
The most interesting thing about the performance is how they move from slow/quiet to fast/loud, it's very organic and instinctual. Like the (de/)crescendos aren't linear, they sort of follow a pace more like a heart rate shifting up and down. The drums are thrilling, among the most violent sounds in ac's discog. in contrast is the eerie stillness of the outro ahhhhs which is my favourite bit at the moment.
Subdued outros were a bit of a theme putting these songs together, aside from call home, so I think that's something I find the band does well.

Coral Realization
I've waxed lyrical about Tangerine Reef before, I love it. I think it has some of the band's finest instrumental tracks and Coral Realization is one of them. I think someone way back described this song as ac's version of doom metal, which I totally see with the colossus-like bass notes. I love that the "melody" is that constant rising and falling synth harmonizer thing, feels scary and alien. This song is simply a feast of textures that I find very satisfying.
On the song's meaning - foxtrot your read is fair, the realisation being "it's too late". for me though I like to look at it being from the coral's point of view. On a macro timescale, the corals have evolved from simpler forms of life, established themselves, multiplied and become more complex. The coral now exists as a vast living network, and so the "realisation" is in this sense meaning "actualisation". The sounds of the song express the coral's inner working mechanisms, a sort of hum of consciousness, if you can accept consciousness-without-brain (which I do).

DR aw one for J
Another textural treat. Fun story, when Eucalyptus was coming out there was an official listening party in melbourne at some random bar. I have no idea how it got organised but I went and met ca user enn eye (at the time knives). We had fun, they had some of those eucalyptus jigsaws. When they played the album though there was no fanfare and it was barely loud enough to hear over the din of this little bar - as we know now, the songs on Eucalyptus are pretty spacious and dynamic. So we chatted and caught bits of the album, but the only song I could hear clearly was DR Aw One for J, because it's a nice clear sustained drone tone that rang out nicely over the ambience of the room.
Later, when the album came out I was pleased to discover this song is just as beautiful up close. So warm and comforting, the lyrical part is simple and sweet. It's a nice track to bask in, even though it's so short.

[nothingmastered]

Cemeteries - Gorgeous. I love all the sonics of this song. The synth chord splashes make me think of ripples in a placid swamp. The outro has a weirdly busy chord pattern but it works so well somehow, it sends me into this pleasant reverie with the sprinkling of synths and guitar floating around it. I love these songs Dave writes that move in a linear progression

Preakness - I don't come back around to this song too much so I was interested to hear them play it at the Reset show in Seattle. Sadly there were some sound issues at that show where there was this low frequency feedback over nearly the whole song, so it's nice to hear it so clear like this. I love this instrumental and how minimal it was. It has a bit of an issue that I have with other Tomboy material where I feel like Panda is singing a sequence of notes rather than an immediate melody that gels together. This song has some great parts though and I'll probably drop into this and Tomboy more and see if the songs solidify in my mind more.

The Softest Voice - This song is a a magic spell that transports your consciousness to a eternally placid meadow gently caressed by a soft breeze. When I just surrender myself to this song I feel like a new person on the other side of it. I've heard it so many times and it's still just as potent

Afterburner - Late album gem right here. Tomboy is a bit of a beast for me to get through, and focusing on this track helped me appreciate it a lot more. I do love the album though and this is definitely one of the most intense cuts, I'll be returning to this project more in the near future

Bees - Early favorite and like Softest Voice it takes me somewhere else if I let myself get immersed. I've wound up with a bit of reverse demoitis listening to the early boot, with the super obscured vocals. It's funny that this track ended up with the loudest and most upfront vocals on Feels. But they knocked it out of the park with the sonic landscape painting idea. Its a triumph of a production that reveals new brush strokes each listen.

[madameghostly]

this week there's a lot of "whoa i never paid much attention to this song before but i'm glad i did now" songs so to save time i will be giving a gold star to all such songs

CEMETERIES: maybe i should give down there another listen, because this is great. avey sounds so tired here, you can really hear the pain in his voice. great atmosphere of course, and i love the contrast between the brooding first half and the almost hopeful-sounding second half. probably not knocking laughing hieroglyphic out of the number one spot for my favorite down there tracks, but it's a close second.

THE PREAKNESS: what a hidden gem! this is panda on his A game, creating beauty with simplicity. the lyrics are evocative - who knew racehorses could be so relatable? - and i can't not mention the high note he hits after the keep-it-ups. my soul ascends. even the crosswords ep version that everyone agrees is massively inferior is still pretty good lmao. great song, though it kinda makes me wanna listen to new town burnout for some reason

THE SOFTEST VOICE: A-tier sung tong, easily. i've always appreciated having this nice little breather between wcwar and winters love... which makes it even funnier that i never looked up the lyrics until this week. dark stuff! not quite on the same level as doggy, but very similar vibes. in fact, now that i think about it, if you told me this song was secretly a campfire songs outtake, i'd probably believe you. very relaxing and lovely

AFTERBURNER: the first time i listened to tomboy, this was the standout track for me, and now that i get a good excuse to listen to it again, i have to say that's probably still the case. it's not that much of a puzzle to me - i know i'm a sucker for house music, especially when it comes from unexpected places. not that it was a complete and total shock to me that panda could whip out such a dance floor filler, but you know what i mean. a wonderful ballad to keeping it weird that never fails to get my head bobbing

BEES: this is a song i could never take too seriously on my first few (dozen?) listens of feels, but one day it just... clicked. the autoharp, the insane rambling about bees, the uk parliament sounds, it all made sense. you're right, avey, i should take my time. great song. still can't believe they slapped a trance beat over it for the painting with tour and it still somehow worked

JUNGLE HEAT: this is one i've never heard before because i've never listened to animal crack box before and... it's alright, i guess. a nice bridge between hollindagain and campfire songs but i don't feel like i was missing out on much by not hearing it until now, which is weird because i usually love the particular style of experimental guitar they were toying with back then. i guess them sounding like they barely know how to play is a bridge too far for me

CALL HOME (BUY GRAPES): another hidden gem from the shoe sponsorship ep! i don't know how he recorded this, but the extremely lo-fi production (or lack thereof) kinda works in this song's favor when you single it out. really nice little nugget of neo-psychedelia that wouldn't sound too out of place on an early james ferraro tape, and really simple yet insightful lyrics (if genius is to be trusted). plus the hocketing on the subtle background vocals almost gives me proto-7s vibes

FOREST GOSPEL: this has always been the standout track from hollindagain for me. the explosive energy of the first 30 seconds is, dare i say, unmatched by any other moment in the entire AC discography, but the rest of the track is no slouch either - the crescendo of the "POW! all you need is a nick" part deserves a special mention - until you get to the outro, which almost seems to say "don't worry, those scary guys banging on the drums can't hurt you now" as it eases you into there's an arrow. very cathartic and, like i said a year and a half ago, scratches my brain in just the right way.

CORAL REALIZATION: haven't listened to tangerine reef all the way through in a while, so i don't remember how well this one works in the context of the whole album, but by itself it's pretty good. very anxiety-inducing, like the coral just realized it's getting fucked over by changing climates. i guess that's why they called it that lol

DR AW ONE FOR J: again, haven't listened to eucalyptus all the way through in a while, so i don't remember how well this one works in the context of the whole album, but by itself it's pretty good. very ominous lyrics. i don't know what that droning instrument is but i'm super into it, and the jaw harp at the beginning is very silly. i like it

[Stan]

Great post. Prompted me to actually listen to this week's.

[Night Park]

williswire picks

Cemeteries
Gorgeous, melancholy track I hadn’t much noticed until Brian named it his favorite Down There track in a recent interview. The collage of found sounds and downpitched vocal samples give this one a dreamy feel. Dave really nailed the “depression swamp” vibe here – one of his better understated tracks, on the same tier as Working.

Preakness (2011 version)
My favorite track from the Tomboy era and one of Panda’s best songs. Simple arrangement but masterful composition, building to a euphoric climax before drifting away in a tearjerker outro. The lyrics are classic panda – homespun skater koans, words of encouragement and self-searching. The descending synth line in the song’s latter half is so heartbreaking and good. I much prefer this version to the driving, carnivalesque production on the redux.

The Softest Voice
An S-Tier classic. Serene and strange. The light and pretty melodies are balanced nicely with subtle darkness (dave’s buzzing, foreboding hums in the mysterious intro). The sound design and atmosphere (the chimes, the stuttering woodblock(?) at 4:30) are immersive. Like autumn colors reflected undulating on the surface of a pond.

Afterburner
Chugs along hypnotically. The muddy mix and flat, stately melody do no favors for this song, which lacks dynamics and ultimately goes nowhere. Similar to Slow Motion and Alsatian Darn but inferior to both those songs.

Bees
Totally unique and transfixing. Sunlight flickering through summer leaves in slow motion. The loose strumming and piano runs give this song a tranquil watercolor smear. What other band could make a song like this?


roopn picks

Jungle Heat
Not one I listen to often. A patient, hushed song that reminds me of Young Prayer and (less so) Campfire Songs. Feels more like a vignette than a finished track.

Call Home (Buy Grapes)
The Keep EP is fantastic and this song is easily overshadowed by Preakness and Country Report. Feels very stoned, intimate and alone. As someone else mentioned, the hissing lo-fi production, galloping drums and phasing vocals wouldn’t feel out of place on Down There Intriguing but inessential song

Forest Gospel
Feral, delirious and frantic. This song feels improvised and the wild blown-out drums remind me of seeing Lightning Bolt perform at Pitchfork in 2011. Definitely did a double-take thinking Avey was singing the n-word lmao

Coral Realization
Abrasive and sludgy. There isn’t much to this one and I don’t have much to say about it

DR aw one for J
Jaw harp intro recalls Lion in a Coma. A saw wave sketch that feels like a palette-cleanser intermission

[Fovrodi]

madameghostly wrote:

DR AW ONE FOR J: again, haven't listened to eucalyptus all the way through in a while, so i don't remember how well this one works in the context of the whole album, but by itself it's pretty good. very ominous lyrics. i don't know what that droning instrument is but i'm super into it, and the jaw harp at the beginning is very silly. i like it

It's a mournful one for sure. Been actually meaning to dig up anything I can on tracks that go in rotation here

wrote:

DR aw one For J

Sort of a spiritual hymn for me, like a prayer. My friend Dylan Rieder and my aunt passed away suddenly last year. So DR is Dylan Rieder’s initials and J is Jackie’s initial.

https://web.archive.org/web/20171102102 ... avey-tare/

[dansemanatee]

Night Park wrote:

Feels very stoned, intimate and alone.

That's a really good way to describe avey's music lol. Favorite way to listen to it as well ofc

[glenbeige]

Finally some time to sit down with this batch, it's been a crazy week. Thankfully willswire's selection of wonderful, relaxing tunes is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Cemeteries First time hearing this one and it's been an instant hit for me. Maybe the most downright tranquil Avey track I've ever heard. Loving all the textures on this one - the warbled synths, the pitched down vocal samples, and especially that guitar that comes in near the end. This definitely has me excited to dig further Down There.

The Preakness That this track was released twice but only as a b-side/rarity has always given me a weird aversion to it that wasn't really softened until 9:30 Club last month. And while I definitely prefer the sludgier 2015 version, like most other Tomboy demos the clarity of the mix here really brings the strength of the composition front and center - to me this is one of the most dynamic tunes Panda Bear has written. Love the vocal escalation going into the chorus. Can you imagine what a Buoys-era version of this would sound like?

The Softest Voice Don't have a lot to say about this one. A very pleasant tune with some interesting layers but probably my least favorite Tong. Which is of course relative because the vibe this song lays down is still magnificent. Also this song has constant buffering issues for me on streaming so I mostly just associate it with toggling my wifi on and off in frustration before just skipping to Winters Love.

Afterburner Jesus what a song. For more than a decade I found Tomboy to be a near impenetrable album - the one-two punch of Friendship Bracelet->Afterburner ended up being the key that swung this one wide open for me a couple months back. From that initial pulse of watery percussion and even more watery guitar this one just grows and grows and revs and revs...and when that kick comes in at ~2:42, sheesh! For lack of any better words, this one just has an edgy, downright sexy energy that usually isn't present in Panda Bear's work (although I'm starting to get the sense we could see this vibe return some on Sinister Grift.)

Bees In what is becoming a recurring talking point in my posts on this thread, Feels was one of the last albums I dug into (for context, my trajectory as a fan was like two songs each from SJ and MPP as a tween, fast forward five years and rinsed the fuck out of PBVSGR at release, fast forward four years and rinsed the fuck out of Buoys at release, then Time Skiffs caught my attention, hit 5 dates on that tour and only then did I circle back to everything else.) As a result, I don't have the reverence for songs like Purple Bottle or Banshee Beat that seems to be shared by most of the fanbase - instead Bees is easily my favorite track from this era. The harp sample alone is so tactile and raises the hair on the back of my neck every time. Also love the bit of context Avey has provided about this one lyrically - the "swarms of feelings" metaphor is so strong. To provide a bit more context nobody asked for, I just went through a breakup with a long-term partner and on a certain afternoon a couple of weeks prior I could really just feel that sense of doubt and resignation wash over me and I knew the time had come. To me this song represents that feeling so perfectly - sonically, lyrically, vibrationally. Such a special one

And don't get me started on the extreme stomach-churning catharsis of trance Bees

Thanks again willswire, really great picks. Back soon for roopn but it might be a buzzer beater

[rohcti]

Jungle Heat - beautiful, simple. I think I might've heard this once before, was nice to hear it again

Call Home (Buy Grapes) - definitely more forgettable than the songs around it, but I think that has more to do with how good the other songs are. still a nice song

Forest Gospel - incredible, absolutely essential on Hollindagain. Great pick

Coral Realization - I love it. Sounds like some apocalyptic shit is going on.

DR Aw One for J - beautiful, droney piece. Feels pretty different from the other songs on the album. Not much to say that hasn't already been said better

[williswire]

i am very pleased to read these wonderful reactions

[foxtrot]

roopn wrote:

Forest Gospel
the (de/)crescendos aren't linear, they sort of follow a pace more like a heart rate shifting up and down.

I like this idea a lot.

roopn wrote:

Coral Realization
On the song's meaning - foxtrot your read is fair, the realisation being "it's too late". for me though I like to look at it being from the coral's point of view. On a macro timescale, the corals have evolved from simpler forms of life, established themselves, multiplied and become more complex. The coral now exists as a vast living network, and so the "realisation" is in this sense meaning "actualisation". The sounds of the song express the coral's inner working mechanisms, a sort of hum of consciousness, if you can accept consciousness-without-brain (which I do).

I dig this interpretation. Possibly not the track on TR I would most easily associate with that feeling but next time I give TR a spin I definitely want to keep this in mind throughout. Love the idea of feeling the coral's consciousness hum.

roopn wrote:

DR aw one for J
Another textural treat. Fun story, when Eucalyptus was coming out there was an official listening party in melbourne at some random bar. I have no idea how it got organised but I went and met ca user enn eye (at the time knives). We had fun, they had some of those eucalyptus jigsaws. When they played the album though there was no fanfare and it was barely loud enough to hear over the din of this little bar - as we know now, the songs on Eucalyptus are pretty spacious and dynamic. So we chatted and caught bits of the album, but the only song I could hear clearly was DR Aw One for J, because it's a nice clear sustained drone tone that rang out nicely over the ambience of the room.
Later, when the album came out I was pleased to discover this song is just as beautiful up close. So warm and comforting, the lyrical part is simple and sweet. It's a nice track to bask in, even though it's so short.

Cool story. Quite a unique set of conditions for a track to stand out to you!

nothingmastered wrote:

Preakness
It has a bit of an issue that I have with other Tomboy material where I feel like Panda is singing a sequence of notes rather than an immediate melody that gels together.

Wow, I feel very differently. Tomboy is almost his most melodically rich/songy collection for me.

madameghostly wrote:

THE PREAKNESS
i can't not mention the high note he hits after the keep-it-ups. my soul ascends.

One Noah's all time great moments.

Night Park wrote:

Afterburner
The muddy mix and flat, stately melody do no favors for this song, which lacks dynamics and ultimately goes nowhere.

Hard disagree here! The melody is majestic and powerful and fucking awesome!

glenbeige wrote:

Cemeteries First time hearing this one

glenbeige wrote:

The PreaknessCan you imagine what a Buoys-era version of this would sound like?

I'm a bit of Buoys basher. I think a Buoys-era version would have totally sucked the life out of it. Minimal Tomboy production is much more resonant and weighty for me.

glenbeige wrote:

Afterburner
when that kick comes in at ~2:42, sheesh! For lack of any better words, this one just has an edgy, downright sexy energy that usually isn't present in Panda Bear's work (although I'm starting to get the sense we could see this vibe return some on Sinister Grift.)

Fucking love that moment! You're spot on. Fingers crossed SG has some of this energy.

[Dusty]

Cemeteries: pretty great song. Very ghostly. One of the great examples of aveys compositional skill in that he is able to ground us in the melody during the “and I’m torn” part with just that deep, rubbery guitar while the rest of the song disintegrates Round it

Preakness: brilliant. See your hopes become my hopes

The softest voice: the moment sung tongs becomes a transcendent work. Sorry leaf house and WCWAR, you’re good, but you’re no softest voice

Afterburner: akira sample kicks ass. Love the beat and driving energy to it

Bees: brain massage

Jungle Heat: it’s cute

Call home: I hate this fucking song

Forest gospel: hilarious and terrifying, crazy crazy crazy

Coral realization: not my favorite off of T reef but a good instrumental. Gets a bit grating but not bad

Draw one for j: kinda feel the same about this as I do coral realization, one of many many tracks on eucalyptus that could have been cut but works a little better in a vacuum/as the closing track for a playlist

[dansemanatee]

Dusty wrote:

Call home: I hate this fucking song

Lol, last night I started to write a reply about how coming back to this one in particular this week has made me realizing how amazing it is. I kinda get why it’s overshadowed by the rest of keep, everyone else’s tracks on here are really great too and the recording doesn’t sound nearly as good as the other songs, but it’s might be my favorite. The guitar puts me in a trance and the percussive vocals in the beginning and the end of the song are so cool. The quality is kinda shit and on a good day it adds to the charm and on a not so good day it’s a bit distracting, would have been cool to see this get a better quality recording with maybe some more refined vocals I guess.

[Stan]

Thanks, williswire and roopn for this week's picks (and foxtrot). Edit: roopn, I'll do yours later, need to get on with some jobs!

Cemeteries

It's hard for me to appreciate this as anything other than an interlude in the flow of the album. I like the breathing space and different palette in amongst the squelchy, squonky bass and pitch-shifted vocals elsewhere on the record but it's never really made an emotional impression beyond that respite. Listening out of context, there's a bit more going on texturally that I've not consciously picked up on before. I like the No More Runnin-style dubby percussion and wispy vocals. It feels quite like a lullaby, not much to the central melody but I like how it moves into a slightly different space in the second half, the background ambience and drones and 'piano' are comforting. Has this changed my opinion? Not a great deal but at least I'm not now aware it's in two halves rather than just a few minutes of pleasant sonic mulch.

Preakness (Keep Cassette)

For some reason, this song doesn't do much for me any more and I'm surprised. It's got that stately, hymnal quality which was all over Tomboy and I appreciate the chunky blocks of harmony and chord changes, I just don't find it emotionally engaging. It feels too staid, too precise. At the time, I caned Tomboy and would have put it up with my favourite albums ever but perhaps I overplayed it during a difficult time in my life. Person Pitch reminds me of being in China in my 20s and the constant sense of possibility. Tomboy reminds me of coming back to England, turning 30 and the challenges of starting a new career. I've barely listened to it over the past decade and when I do, it sounds flat compared to Person Pitch and Young Prayer which both still burst with life. Perhaps it's those circumstantial associations more than anything else but I find this song regrettably drab.

The Softest Voice

It took a long long time for this to grow on me, it seemed uneventful and lacking in melody after Leaf House and WCWAR both crammed a hundred different hooks and flourishes and weirdo production trills into three minutes. This always seemed to take the opposite approach, draw out a couple of simple motifs for six or several minutes, the plucked guitar arpeggios get quite wearing. I used to skip it pretty often. Now, there's a lot I love about it, particularly the vocals and strange watery/wooden percussion and the various spooky/comforting mouth sounds. Lame reference but there's some very ASMR elements here. If I listen to it more in the vein of Visiting Friends, I can appreciate it more. I don't think it's a great melody but it feels bursting with subtle ideas and life, something which I pine for.

Afterburner

In hindsight, this heralded the initial stages of early-onset demoitis. I listened to the boots of Bullseye a lot. It's such a yearning, plaintive, cathartic melody and it will probably the song I was most looking forward to on Tomboy. As per Preakness post above, this really fit my mood at the time. It's an unsettling mix of head down introspection but also expressively frustrated and sad, a release of complex emotion, solace through song. To that end, the album version falls a little flatter. The melody is remarkable but the voice is a little thin, lacks the body and thrust of his earlier live performances. That said, I absolutely adore the overdubbed harmonies when the melody lifts off and then they kick in at 'I say...'. There's something about the moment which feels so powerfully grounding. He absolutely lets rip with the 'I don't buy it' and it feels so open and vulnerable and then the 'I say...sure that there's a more truer way (?)' is the sound of him melodically finding his way back to steadier ground. The thick harmonies which soar alongside are like a guiding strength. It just feels so powerful and assertive. It's one of my favourite moments in all of his songwriting.

Bees

As with The Softest Voice, this was always one of my least favourites on Feels. I didn't like the auto harp very much and I found the song pretty aimless. Now, I would eat an entire apiary if it meant they would write songs like this again. It sounds so much fresher to me than it did fifteen years ago. Those haunting backing vocals (Deak?) and the little plucked guitar figures and piano splashes create this amazing space. It's so tender and alive. Oh, we were so so spoiled with Feels. It's such a strange little song but one awash with unstudied confidence and drive, brilliance flowing straight through them.

[glenbeige]

Didn't have enough to make a whole seperate comment but loving everyone's insights here, notably Stan's deep dive on these tunes - glad Bees is getting a new lease for you! Now onto roopn's selections

Jungle Heat Enjoying this one for what it is. Admittedly difficult for me to think of it as much more than a curiosity but obviously tunes like this were essential to the creation of Sung Tongs which has grown into one of my favorite works from this group. Not a guitar player and having a hard time figuring out how to describe it but really enjoy that little downward run around 1:51, evokes flamenco in its own way. Only real question mark for me is Avey's bizarre, vaguely "eastern" accent on this one lol. Thankfully the backup vocals are gorgeous.

Call Home (Buy Grapes) Just scrolled past this Keep + Animal Collective EP on bandcamp recently and was wondering what the deal was. I'm of two minds about this song - I like the structure and ideas but the execution is severely lacking. The crunch on the percussion is poorly deployed (can't tell how much of that is intentional lol) and kind of fucks up the groove on this one for me. Ditto for that detuned synth. Aaand the effect on the vocals isn't doing much for me either. Overall you can probably point to tunes like this as being important in the development of songs further down the line (like, elements of this tune remind me a lot of 7s side B IMO,) but I'm going to be a bit more reductive and say this is pretty bad for something with the AC seal of approval on it.

Forest Gospel Unfortunately another one that just isn't doing it for me. But I'm more than willing to concede that comes down to my own preference for Animal Collective operating in a more traditional and melodic lane. I'm sure this would have been sick to be in the room for but as it stands now it just sounds kind of goofy and noodly. In a strange way I feel like you can draw a through line from songs like this to the songwriting on Painting With, but at least for me this is divorced of any of the sonics that made that record interesting.

Coral Realization As somebody who really doesn't enjoy Danse Manatee or Hollindagain too much I absolutely adore Tangerine Reef. I think it's probably as close as this group has gotten to returning to that old noisy sound, except they're doing so after learning 10+ years of new tricks, notably all the crazy synth tones on PW which this song strongly evokes. Definitely not my favorite piece from the record and it's also not nearly as engaging without the visuals but I still find it to be a stirring piece of drone and I just think Tangerine Reef is so slept on.

DR Aw One for J The drone continues right into this next one...well actually there's a few seconds of random jawharp(?) that I could have really done without. I hate to sound like such a hater after doing these last couple tunes but this is one of the weaker bits on Eucalyptus for me. Besides the droning synth nothing much is going on and as soon as the song feels like it getting going it just unceremoniously fades out. But I do love that synth, and it can't just be me...is anyone else hearing 1st section of Defeat?

Thanks roopn! While these weren't all hits for me I appreciate being pulled out of my AC comfort zone to examine some of these older and more esoteric tunes. Week 3 here we come!!!

[roopn]

Thanks for everyone's thoughts so far, it's been really interesting! I'm most surprised by how many people find call home to be a miss. I guess I'm really drawn in by ac in lo-fi mode... Even though I panned forest gospel

Williswire I'm getting to yours, just been mid-week busy. Have been listening and loving it, the sequence is fantastic