Collected Animals

So I've finally listened to the album enough times to where I think I can give some thoughts and opinions on it. I don't know how to do the spoiler thing so sorry...

There was a lot of nervousness leading up to this record. From personal anxieties, and as a fan of Animal Collective, I knew this album was going to be a huge moment in my life and their careers. After a quick hit of some Tangerine Dream, I knew it was time to begin the journey…

1. As soon as I pressed play, I was immediately filled with joy, and a grand smile covered my entire face. Soul Capturer’s groovy guitar strums and hypnotic drums make me feel like I’m marching into a grand psychedelic ceremony. The beautiful harmonizing and dancey instrumentation gives the vibe of a modern indie anthem. One that could possibly be used in a film, like Arcade Fire with “Where The Wild Things Are.” Such a strong opener, and once Avey started doing that “eeeerrrrraaaarrrreeeerrrr” I knew I was in for a wild ride. During that moment I stared at the cover art and it appeared as if the colorful tiles were the Soul Capturer casting a spell. Reminiscent of a Kamek from Mario, or Wizzrobe from Zelda, or even a Black Mage from Final Fantasy.

2. The transition between Soul Capturer to Genies Open is one of the greatest transitions in their discography. I physically and mentally felt as if my soul was captured and sent into the woods of a medieval era to be put on a spiritual trial. The nautical, cartoony atmosphere of this song perfectly encapsulates their ability to imitate a childlike sense of innocence. I also love how the melody almost reminisced of a moment earlier in their career when they made indie synth-pop music. A moment of better days and carefree joy. The way Avey and Noah’s voices imitated waves in a sea absolutely blew me away. It made me want to believe in the Sea of Light. However, the last line slaps me in the face with a sense that the Sea of Light is just a mirage and there is much more to endure ahead.

3. Broke Zodiac is a fun track that simply just makes me want to groove. Even though it is foreshadowed by the destructive force that is Defeat, I enjoy the uplifting instrumentals showing the character in this journey is trying to stay strong and keep their head up. Avey and Noah yet again show how well they can harmonize together. I love the bounciness of the drums and how the hip-hop drum break compliments Noah’s rap-inspired lyrics amidst an album of renaissance sounds. This song is just a straight-up jam that made me wish I had a friend to sing this with.

4. For me, it seems like Magicians From Baltimore is a slow grower. I am enjoying it a lot more on my 5th listen. However, I still do find some of Avey’s line delivery a little bit awkward. Besides that, I enjoy how the sounds, the emptiness, the scorching guitar, all exemplify the feelings of being misplaced in a town you grew up in, but no longer recognize. Although I am not from Baltimore, I heavily resonate with the statement of wanting to grow and get away from the city that no longer serves you or makes you feel welcome. A definitive powerful track that will grow over time and be a staple in their career.  I also just wanted to quickly note how amazing Deakin’s vocals replicate heat waves on the Magnolia. Lots of onomatopoeia (idk if that’s the correct word) in this album and I am loving it!

5. There’s not much more I can say about Defeat that hasn’t already been said. This song is not only a climax within this album, but Animal Collective's career as a whole. I’ll just briefly go over some moments I really enjoyed. I love how the beginning almost sounds like a binaural ambiance with twilight stars twinkling through Avey’s somber notes. I felt as if I died, and my sad spirit was flying over a decaying world. Almost as if I was about to witness a horrible moment in Moby Dick or Noah’s Ark. The build-up to the second part has some vocal samples that give me goosebumps every time I hear it. It heavily reminds me of a Pogo song, like an angel or a fairy godmother calling out to wake up after being swallowed by Monstro. Avey always does an amazing job of writing lyrics that speak to younger audiences going through tough times. It’s hard to see the light when you’re coming of age. Being depressed, out of it, not in the moment can really feel like the end of the world. When will things get better? Why isn’t it now? Defeat…

6. Gem & I is such a beautiful track. You can take the lyrics any way with this one. I love how Noah keeps his wording so vague. You can look at this as a commentary on the band. However, I love to view this as a commentary on my relationship with my partner. As long as I have them by my side and we can see the sun rise another day, maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem. This is the one. And maybe it has been now all along.

7. I’m not sure if Deakin was inspired by Frozen with this track, but it feels like a more grounded, adult version of that song and I just think that’s kind of cool lol. Anyway, this song makes me cry every time I listen to it. Deakin has such an amazing range and strong storytelling abilities. The wintery instrumentation with Deakin’s warm vocals makes me feel like I’m being hugged by a huge heated blanket after waking up from a frozen enchantment. This track is just straight-up beautiful, a great bittersweet wake-up call. I love how these 2 tracks act as a response to Defeat. Noah and Josh appear as mystical guides heading you toward the light after being torn apart by your innermost demons.

8. ACAB struck me as odd the first time I heard it. Narratively, I believe this song may be the Soul Capturer’s spell wearing off. You are beginning to wake up and realize the spell is broken. I doubt this is supposed to be a fun track, lyrically. With the song's repetitiveness, Avey’s “Grim Grinning Ghosts” rhythm, and Geo’s Scooby Doo bat-like samples, this song feels like you’re on a theme park ride that has broken down and you can now see past all bullshit. All the neon lights, fried foods, drugs, sex, and money. Things that keep you hypnotized and stuck in a low vibrational trance. I also believe this just from the track straight up being titled ACAB. It’s been awhile since AC has been straight up political like this. Calling this song a fun reminder of the journey just feels off and uncanny.

9. I’m not sure if Kings Walk is supposed to be Avey’s final response. However, hearing Avey, Deakin, and Panda singing all together illustrates that they are all in this together. They are the preachers and leaders of the modern-day world. They are here to deliver the divine message. I do not find this song to be AC self-parody. It is very evident that this album is meant to be taken very seriously from its theming and its messages. It seems with this final song the boys are taking their stance and realizing they are in a very powerful position, as musicians and influencers on society.

CRITICISM: Although I love this record, I do have a slight criticism. The replayability on this record is very low. I hear many others mention the same thing and it has nothing to do with age. On a normal day, commuting to work, playing songs for friends, or doing whatever, there are only about 6 songs that can be replayed. And although that is 6 out of 9 songs, once you factor in the length of one certain song, you have about 33 minutes of repayable songs out of a 65-minute album, which is about 50% replayability. Compared to Time Skiffs, which is 47 minutes, and is fully fine for casual listening, that is significantly less music to replay. I do think this album is a masterpiece, however, that is just something that slightly bums me out.

man genie’s open is such a companion to moby dick for me

PolarBear wrote:

CRITICISM: Although I love this record, I do have a slight criticism. The replayability on this record is very low. I hear many others mention the same thing and it has nothing to do with age. On a normal day, commuting to work, playing songs for friends, or doing whatever, there are only about 6 songs that can be replayed. And although that is 6 out of 9 songs, once you factor in the length of one certain song, you have about 33 minutes of repayable songs out of a 65-minute album, which is about 50% replayability. Compared to Time Skiffs, which is 47 minutes, and is fully fine for casual listening, that is significantly less music to replay. I do think this album is a masterpiece, however, that is just something that slightly bums me out.

As far as your criticism goes I think Defeat is a journey that slowly reveals more of itself with subsequent listens. Definitely replayable.

A (18:45)
1. Prester John
2. Magicians from Baltimore
3. Broke Zodiac

B (21:58)
4. Defeat

C (17:39)
5. Car Keys
6. Genie's Open
7. King's Walk

D (20:01)
8. We Go Back
9. Dragon Slayer
10. Strung with Everything
11. Royal & Desire

E (15:47)
12. Cherokee
13. Gem & I
14. Passerby

F (17:05)
15. Walker
16. All the Clubs are Broken
17. Stride Rite
18. Soul Capturer

Some favorite moments on the record: the key/chord change in “Soul” right before “ooh don’t tempt me,” the bassoon in the first few minutes of “Genie’s” that sounds like a weird broken synth and the overall funhouse mirror vibe of that section, Geo’s dreamy hurdy gurdy washes in the bridge parts of “Broke,” the otherworldly first 38 seconds of “Magicians,” the super blown-out drums and bass at 2:06 and elsewhere in the first half of “Magicians,” “douse the sheets/they’ll turn to ash,” the sax and everything swelling at 12:49 and 13:06 in “Defeat,” Panda goat boy at 1:24 in “Gem,” Deak’s soft lilting vox at the very end of “Stride,” Geo’s ocarina/whistle sounds in “Stride,” the delay on the last word of mostly every line in “Clubs” that rings/distorts into the next line, the way Avey sings “is” after “this old wererererld” in “Kings.”

how old AV sounds in his voice on the "one day friend, we'll meet again" line

just wanted to share this sequence fucking rules, fov idk how you do it man. gotta ask though: is this an evolution of your Isn't it Time for Skiffs? sequence from 9/5?

Spoiler: show

1. Prester John
2. We Go Back
3. Dragon Slayer
4. Strung with Everything
5. Royal & Desire
6. Cherokee
7. Car Keys
8. Passerby
9. Walker
10. Genie's Open
11. King's Walk
12. Magicians from Baltimore
13. All the Clubs are Broken
14. Stride Right
15. Defeat
16. Gem & I
17. Soul Capturer
18. Broke Zodiac

Curious to hear about your process for putting these together

OMG FOV.

That's...perfect. I played that album "in my head" just now and it flowed really well in my brain.

Alcohol wrote:

Some favorite moments on the record: the key/chord change in “Soul” right before “ooh don’t tempt me,” the bassoon in the first few minutes of “Genie’s” that sounds like a weird broken synth and the overall funhouse mirror vibe of that section, Geo’s dreamy hurdy gurdy washes in the bridge parts of “Broke,” the otherworldly first 38 seconds of “Magicians,” the super blown-out drums and bass at 2:06 and elsewhere in the first half of “Magicians,” “douse the sheets/they’ll turn to ash,” the sax and everything swelling at 12:49 and 13:06 in “Defeat,” Panda goat boy at 1:24 in “Gem,” Deak’s soft lilting vox at the very end of “Stride,” Geo’s ocarina/whistle sounds in “Stride,” the delay on the last word of mostly every line in “Clubs” that rings/distorts into the next line, the way Avey sings “is” after “this old wererererld” in “Kings.”

Wow, thank you, everything here is (lol goatboy) and...

When Panda's drums kick into gear at the beginning of Soul

Question to non-boot listeners, do time skiffs and IIN feel particularly distinct from each other?

Question to non-boot listeners, do time skiffs and IIN feel particularly distinct from each other?

I feel like knowing all the songs from the live shows has meant for me that all the song from the two albums are really inseparable as one big family of songs. I know many will agree with that but I've also read some thoughts differentiating the two albums, so curious what people think. Does it just come down to production?

roopn wrote:

Question to non-boot listeners, do time skiffs and IIN feel particularly distinct from each other?

They do feel distinct to me - but I think it's just because of the production, and the generally moodier tone on IIN. I can't really imagine the two tracklists being converged into one big project - but I also can't imagine the albums totally separately. They balance each other very well.

The gurdy doing work in Defeat pt 3. The finest song they mightve made yet. Sax + synth + vocals, the water... they tried their hardest for it to sound as it deserves to sound. Just gotta be grateful. Feels orchestral much like its infancy in that box in new orleans. Same song.. but its weathered and older now.

roopn wrote:

Question to non-boot listeners, do time skiffs and IIN feel particularly distinct from each other?

I would say they do feel like distinct companion albums. the mixing and flows of the albums are different. Skiffs is so breezy and spring feeling and now is so much more low end-y and autumnal feeling. Like they don’t just feel like the same album with one recorded remote, one recorded in a room. More like two very different flavors following the same base structure of their instrumentation. Like a chili cook off. Skiffs is Cincinnati Skyline chili (in a very positive way) and Now is your grandmas thick as molasses ages old recipe.

r_o_s_s wrote:

They do feel distinct to me - but I think it's just because of the production, and the generally moodier tone on IIN. I can't really imagine the two tracklists being converged into one big project - but I also can't imagine the albums totally separately. They balance each other very well.

This. They feel distinct but it is also clear that they are of the same era, with IIN being a bit more meditative in its pacing/mood.

I feel like my opinion of this album is staring to solidify, which boils down to: Genie's through Defeat is one of the best runs of their whole career. The rest are basically just perfect studio representations of songs that were never really my favorite from this era.to begin with. Will probably be day dreaming about an Elevado produced Dragon Slayer and Cherokee for the rest of my days..

Will probably be day dreaming about an Elevado produced Dragon Slayer and Cherokee for the rest of my days..

Genies is my big disappointment on this I think. It kinda lands a bit like studio Cherokee... fine but lacking energy. I find myself wanting to skip it more often than not. It's a little jarring with how much more lively BZ is right after it

Funnily enough Genies has probably become my favourite. It feels like THE era defining track to me.