The boys (or animals) of Animal Collective {thanks, AP}

Animal Collective, a four-piece band from Baltimore County now based in New York City, releases its new album on Jan. 20 (with a 2xLP vinyl that was released yesterday). The album’s title, Merriweather Post Pavilion, may seem familiar, especially to readers of b, as it is taken from the outdoor concert venue in Columbia, MD.

The album’s Wikipedia page features the downloadable coupon card included with the vinyl that delves deeper behind the album’s title:

Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor music venue in a place called Symphony Woods in Columbia, Maryland. It was designed by Frank Gehry in the 1960’s, and they’ve been having concerts there from 1967 up through today. We used to go to shows there while growing up and have fond memories of times spent on the lawn. For most of the time we’ve been playing together, both in Animal collective and the years before, we’ve tried to make music that would be deserving of an amazing outdoor listening experience. As both a name and a place, Merriweather Post Pavilion represents this for us.

Interestingly enough, Animal Collective is already very established in terms of playing live, as many compare the band’s fans to followers of the Grateful Dead. No matter the intentions, the band seems to have accomplished its goals with Pavilion. I’ve listened to the new album six or seven times so far and, although it is immensely enjoyable in the comforts of my bedroom, I wish I were experiencing its countless layers of sound outside.

First, a heads-up to those unfamiliar with Animal Collective: There’s no getting around the fact that they make weird, challenging headphones music. That same Wikipedia page lists the record’s genre as Neo-Psychedelia, whatever that is. The group is unique to say the least — the members perform under the aliases Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deakin (Josh Dibb) and Geologist (Brian Weitz). The band uses a wide range of instruments and manipulates many of them electronically to create a tidal wave of sound that engulfs the listener. There are times when listening to Pavilion that I felt like I was struggling to stay afloat under its tweaks of knobs, bending of notes and just plain unidentifiable sounds. But, keep fighting and there are truly mesmerizing pieces of music, whether it’s the joyous, anti-materialism chorus of “My Girls” or the wistful piano at the beginning of “No More Runnin’.”

There is so much sound packed into Pavilion’s 55 minutes that it’s nearly impossible to measure just how strong of an album it is this soon. But, my first handful of listens indicate Animal Collective’s latest is worthy of the praise its receiving from critics and fans alike. Listeners who are turned off by songs lacking traditional verse-chorus-bridge-chorus song structures should probably avoid this album, while others who are intrigued by the musical avant garde will undoubtedly at least be interested in forming an opinion on the quartet’s latest.

The influential (and at times hyperbolic) webzine Pitchfork Media gave the record a 9.6/10 rating while Spin magazine gave it four stars out of five. Even as a goof, The Fader magazine posted a quick, glowing blurb about the record with the title “The Best Album of the Two Weeks We Weren’t at Work.” Time will tell how Pavilion will age as ’09 chugs along, but, if you want an album to chew on (and chew and chew and chew), then this might be it.

If you’re still unsure then I suggest listening to “Brother Sport,” the album’s final track (featured below this entry in live form on YouTube). It’s the album’s most exuberant track and an appropriate closer. After tackling such a daunting record, it only seems right to let loose and “open up your, open up your, open up your throat.”

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