Collected Animals

More like 6s.

what the fuck this album is blowing my mind. singles were tonally all over the place which is a really cool introduction to the record because he's doing some really interesting stuff here. Sweepers...wow. Definitely like a modern Visiting Friends in the best way possible. Avey just doesn't disappoint.

this feels like a real collage/culmination of the music Avey has made throughout his life.

Cloud stop definitely has some forlorn Spirit They've Gone energy

Sweepers Grin and other moments remind me of music from ODDSAC

I still haven't really listened to it properly, busy day, hospital visits and shit, not in the mood but I quite enjoyed my first listen. Bog and Grin definitely the highlights for me. More ambient take on the Mothlight era sound. Neurons and the last track sounded interesting, kind of awkward, so they'll go either way once I've got the broad strokes painted in my mind. 1 & 3 are still as I initially felt, slightly irritating catchy melodies. 2 sounded quite good, evoked Eucalyptus which I don't especially like but this is probably a grower.

Just finished my first go, liked invisible darlings a lot more this time around. Bog probably still my favorite.

I have some pretty vivid life associations with every other Avey album, excited to see what sticks with this one.

CSRS giving me some deeply forlorn lavender town vibes on first listen..

The last section of Cloud Stop is definitely my favorite moment in the song, but also the first listen was a little distracting cause I kept hearing that lyric as "Winsloooow" and thinking about the video where Michael Winslow does sound effects with them on stage.

Love it -- Wasn't sure what to think going in because Hey Bog was transcendent but I just did not like the Musical at all. Really happy that I at least really like every other song. Lips at Night is another real standout, kind of sounds like Sweet Trip. Interesting flow to the album too. Got a real Disc One thing going on with tracks 1-3 vs 4-7—very bright and breezy onto much murkier sounds.

Really addicted to Neurons right now. Really tasty soundscape. It's one of the more "fun" tracks but there's also something pretty soothing about it. The big pounding drum that comes in during the chorus(?) almost gives it an MPP feel.

The first 3 tracks are all catchy and sweet but definitely not as rewarding with relistens as the last 4 are.

I think ID is my fav, but it might be Bog instead if i hadn't worn out the single

Gotta be the most successfully bizarre AC record since SJ. The songwriting is underwhelming but everything else is so cool. Last three songs feel genuinely experimental. The textures on neurons, the sourness of cloud stop. The squelchy bassline in Hey Bog sounds straight out of Syro

I kind of like the musical, but it’s another one of those later Avey songs that feels wayyyyyy too on the nose. Every time one of those songs comes out and the first lyrics are that candid style he has sometimes, I die inside. This album would be a lot stronger with a great song in its spot

I was not expecting the album to be this out there based on 2/3 of the singles. Very much enjoying it but its also sort of puzzling in a maybe good way

Also I need the lyrics so bad

Yeah I was also thinking of SJ just from the sheer variety of moods and styles. It's like a much more polite and subdued SJ. Just finished a second listen of the entire thing, I finally realized what AC song Invisible Darlings reminds me of, and it's Seal Eyeing. It's like a jaunty Seal Eyeing. There's this swirling, flute like synth line that they both have similar versions of. Quick early ranking for fun:

1 Neurons
2 Invisible
3 Lips
4 Cloud
5 Hey Bog
6 Sweeper's
7 Musical

Sweeper's Grin is cool but it goes on a little too long imo. I do love the sequencing on this album tho, starting with the sweetest and most good natured little tune and then ending on something as confused and desolate as Cloud works super well. Kinda deepens the impact of both.

What about Sleep Cycle?

really love this record. it is oozing with classic avey goodness. I definitely get covid lockdown vibes from this.


enjoyed invisible more so in the context of the record. lips takes the best from Euc and Cows. those horns on Neurons - so much going on and I'm loving it. sweepers surprised me in the best way - haven't heard that kind of track from AC in so long. it's good to be swallowed by music.

clouds sounds like a bad psychedelic trip that you got something good out of in the end. will be polarizing for sure.

and hey bog just gets better each time.

The last section of Cloud Stop is definitely my favorite moment in the song, but also the first listen was a little distracting cause I kept hearing that lyric as "Winsloooow" and thinking about the video where Michael Winslow does sound effects with them on stage.

I had this same reaction. Maybe it is about Michael Winslow shit...

Early takes are probably worthless but yeah this is a great album. The diversity is really cool for an Avey solo. Cows and Euc had their own diversity too but idk, this feels more unpredictable and mysterious maybe.

Darlings and Musical do feel almsot out of place now. But maybe it'll all click eventually.

Loving the longer winded trancey guitar songs. The recent PB shows have something similar going on. Darker, jammier sound that takes me back to ODDSAC and Glasslands, which is a trajectory I always wished they had pursued.

I see the record as 3 distinct sections.

Tracks 1-3: Jaunty 2010s era Avey
Tracks 4-5: Longer winded trancey guitar
Tracks 6-7: Broadcast/Radiohead abrasive pop?

You're right this is kinda oddsac/glasslandsy

And i feel like the Radiohead comparison is us having limited shared vocab. But sure fuck it, avey entering Radiohead era. New Lana del Rey actually fr does sound like Thom Yorke chords.

I'm kinda thinking of OPN for Clouds at least. But it's got like notes of Death Raga or down there synths a lil.. oddsacy. This is darker avey to me at least than we've had in a bit. Conference of Birds hints at this

Yeah Radiohead is a very lazy comparison. Using it as a placeholder

This is a lil more... Industrial? Than I used to from Avey. Or last two maybe. Like record starts out with semi standard Avey flanger/reverb/"wet" production but ends in a different place for last few. Hey Bog is sound of leaving the Bog

I mean he's been doing really electronic live sets for a bit right? Kind of a return to down there in sense but maybe more textural? Idk, it feels like he's trying to pull that stuff in but maybe hasn't quite gotten there yet.

i dont mean electronic vs acoustic, i mean wet, swampy sound vibes vs like, more distorted or drier sounds like I'm hearing on the last 3 tracks

2nd listen. Jesus Christ sweepers is good

Getting me super hyped for soul cap

I only listened two times so far, but I quite like 7s. I didn't expect such a heavy closer though, damn. Neurons is also an instant favorite for me, too. Kinda reminds me of the newest palm album (nicks and grazes, highly recommended). I'm not 100% sure but I think he might have sampled and pitched down a gentle giant song at the end of cloud:
https://youtu.be/-KoeVWNZbuo
Happens at around the 12:40 mark.

i don't that that's what that is, but as a massive gentle giant fan it's always a pleasure whenever i hear anyone mention them!

“Cloud Stop Rest Start” as a phrase is insanely similar to “roadblock bus stop” phonetically. I wonder if that was a conscious choice?

noticed this too!

Hellomark wrote:

Need official lyrics for this album so bad.

all the lyrics are on apple music for me.

can someone share these on the forum pls? ty

Sweeper's Grin is such a Mothlight song

neurons idk that synth tone is so cool but the whispery vocals and tropical bubble guitar are not matching its energy at all i don't really buy it. like i get how it could sound like a new direction but if you just take away that synth tone it would slot in perfectly with everything preceding it

Just gave it the first full listen and this might become my favorite solo Avey record. Surprised how many people here don't like the Musical. I think the back half from Hey Bog on though will end up being my favorite. Surprised by a lot of the sounds. I don't think They've really done anything like Cloud Stop before. The main melodic progression right from the start has some cool layering of sounds with some kind of weird digital oscillator on top doing some kind of filter sweep on each note that I really dig.

I need a few more listens, but this is a pleasant surprise. I think Avey's solo records are the most hit or miss for me, but this one might end up being my favorite.

Also the vocal layering in Cloud stop around 2:15 is great. Even when its not Avey and Panda together I love stacked vocal lines like that. I've been hoping for them to do a song like Taste again but I'm not sure if they ever will. This little chunk of the song is great though.

Invisible darlings and musical kind of have that happy uplifting feeling similar to tipped in hugs. And cloud stop is in the same territory of dog says goodbye.
Hey bog is my favorite and kind of wish the album had more of that moody sound tbh.
Sweepers is cool but wish it built up to something a little more.
Also, I wish this album was longer, it feels more like an EP to me.
But I’m glad avey seems to be in a good place and is trying to spread some positivity out in the world.

neurons idk that synth tone is so cool but the whispery vocals and tropical bubble guitar are not matching its energy at all i don't really buy it. like i get how it could sound like a new direction but if you just take away that synth tone it would slot in perfectly with everything preceding it

Honestly, yeah - Neurons is still my favorite but I've been thinking it fits in more with the bubblegum sound of the first 3 tracks. Not as moody as the tracks surrounding it.

Doubters get ready for Cloud to win you over

Yeah it's one of my favorites. Just not sure about the "soldier" part. I feel like the last half of 7s is really going to rip live

Favorite moment on the album is maybe whenever the big chorus for Neurons ends and the "horn" sounds and original beat creep back in. Especially the second time it happens and it gets really chaotic. Such a cool song.

Obsessed with how ugly Cloud Stop is. It scratches an itch, kinda like aphex Ventolin. The acoustic electro arrangement on Lips kind of gives me call home buy grapes vibes

I had super low expectations based on all three singles, and now after two listens I love everything, I can’t believe how good the non single tracks are and they make the singles a lot better alongside

really enjoying everyone's reactions so far, all sounds pretty promising. Haven't listened yet, might later today or might wait for my lp to get here in a couple of days. pretty excited for avey to crack me open like an egg again, it's been a while.

I stayed away from the singles, so my dive today was into the deep-end. This is a strangely un-even one from Avey. Not quite sure how to feel about it. I fell for Cows immediately. Maybe this one will grow on me?

despite the dissonant shit going on in Cloud Stop, the vocal melody is one of the strongest on the album

Hey wait I figured "the tenors" were some like Carpenters esque or 50s pop group but they're some like recent and ongoing embarrassing christian choir group or sumn huh.

Oh well album still 10/10

^me too, that's weird as hell

really enjoying everyone's reactions so far, all sounds pretty promising. Haven't listened yet, might later today or might wait for my lp to get here in a couple of days. pretty excited for avey to crack me open like an egg again, it's been a while.

Imagine having such willpower