My first thought when I finished listening to Coming to Centipede Hz was that I wish I had taken a few more days to expand upon the brief entry I posted for Merriweather Post Pavilion. Where that album found Animal Collective opening up and exploring new avenues born out of circumstance (guitarist Deakin took a leave of absence), Centipede Hz feels like an awkward attempt to fold Deakin back into a mix that was built for the opposite purpose.  Continue reading “Animal Collective: Centipede Hz (2012)”

If I had a college “experimental” phase it was about a decade or so after graduating from college and involved (surprise) music as opposed to anything more prurient and, you know…fun.  Tired of the monotony of metal and hanging out with a bunch of friends who were younger than me I started to dip a toe into the pool of indie rock and pop, or as I liked to call it (and still do) “Pitchfork Music.”  Things like Blonde Redhead, Kasabian, Smoosh, Grizzly Bear, Dirty projectors….and yes, Animal Collective.  If there was any album that was constantly raised on a pedastal as the be all, end all of independent pop music, it was their 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion.  So of course I had to buy it…  Continue reading “Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)”