Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Animal Collective

Sung Tongs (2004)
Fat Cat Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Jesse
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on February 4th 2005

While this could be considered their fifth album, Animal Collective seems to have retained the same folk/pop experimentalism that they founded their career on back in 2000. Or so the other reviews say. To tell you the truth, this is the first Animal Collective release I’ve heard, and I feel like I’ve been wasting years of my life not listening to this group. Sung Tongs is twelve songs full of jangly, poppy acoustic melodies with auxiliary percussion galore. While I like to compare the guitars to wind chimes, others might overlook that and go straight on to comparisons to Simon And Garfunkel (but you know, a Simon And Garfunkel on crazy drugz).

Lyrically, this band seems to be full of nonsense. The opener of the record “Leaf House” ends with a chanting of “kitties” whilst the group meows in the background. While the rest of the album is almost indecipherable, you’ll find yourself not caring because Avey Tare and Panda Bear’s vocals are that melodically soothing. Melody in vocals is pursued even further when they hit a pentatonic scale in “Leaf House,” or the multiple barbershop quartet-esque “College,” where they sing in unison the one simple line “You don’t have to go to college,” a line that’s so simple in nature, yet powerful and makes me feel guilty for listening to it while I’m walking through the hallways of the 623 S. Michigan Building. To be honest, I’m pretty sure half of the lyrics are just the names of different animals. I’m pretty darn sure I just heard them shouting, “katydid” on “We Tigers.”

What really makes this album is the experimentalism present in the song structure form. Layers of different vocal melodies and different types of percussion give it an almost world beat feel, while the layered wind-chime acoustic guitar puts me at ease and reminds me of lying out in my old backyard, painted emerald but soaking in the sun. And when it comes down to it, that’s what this is. This is an album to listen to while sitting in the sun and soaking up its warm loving rays. Flawless, gorgeous, and top runner for album of 2004.

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Anonymous (September 15, 2005)

i basically would like to do this album.

its fantabulous.

)*^$LAY-LEAH*^$@

benz (June 26, 2005)

This album is really fucking brilliant. I didn't get it at first, but eventually I caught on.

-benz

Anonymous (February 7, 2005)

I already have an account for that name fuckhead. How many fucking times do I have to tell you? My goddamn password doesn't work. Also, the site won't let me register. I think Adam may have banned my IP in the past for some spamming I did in a Drive-Thru thread, and now any attempt to log in automatically fails.

-Chinatown

theundergroundscene (February 7, 2005)

dear chinatown

just make an account for that name

idiot

everytimeiwin (February 7, 2005)

dont get to see them untill april/may :( gonna be loads of hot scenester bitches there i'm guessing

anywayyysss.. amazing music

yellowtrash (February 6, 2005)

They have a sweet music vidoe here:
http://www.fat-cat.co.uk/amcollective_large.mov

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

soemone re view the new man man

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

simon and garfunkel were on drugs.

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

one of my friends was really excited about this record coming out but then was super disappointed in the actual record.

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

2004's best
and i'm not just saying that.

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

Some fuckface keeps on posting stuff under my name. I hate this record. I'm getting a new username first thing tomorrow morning.

-Chinatown

greg0rb (February 5, 2005)

Chinatown, you are thoroughly confusing me with your contradictory comments. Also, I must check out this cd, since I am into folk and i am a freak.
-Greg

Anonymous (February 5, 2005)

This album rules.

-Chinatown

hey_sailor (February 4, 2005)

Wow, kind of a surprise to see this on here, however, this album is amazing. I was lucky enough to see them a few months back here in NC and they blew me away.

Imposs1ble (February 4, 2005)

I gave this thing a chance but it is most definitely for those who are "scene as fuck."