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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

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.



People who liked this also liked:
Maritime - We, The VehiclesThe Decemberists - PicaresqueAFI - The Art Of DrowningCougars - Pillow TalkAntony and the Johnsons - I Am a Bird NowWeezer - PinkertonWeezer - The Blue AlbumTiger Army - III: Ghost Tigers RiseThe Weakerthans - Reconstruction SiteThe Clash - The Clash



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    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 15, 2005 at 11:20 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i basically would like to do this album.

    its fantabulous.

    )*^$LAY-LEAH*^$@

    Posted by benz on 2005-06-26 01:44:43
    My Score:

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

    -benz

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 7, 2005 at 10:43 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    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

    Posted by theundergroundscene on 2005-02-07 15:53:32
    My Score:

    dear chinatown

    just make an account for that name

    idiot

    Posted by everytimeiwin on 2005-02-07 00:34:05
    My Score:

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

    anywayyysss.. amazing music

    Posted by yellowtrash on 2005-02-06 18:21:57
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 8:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    soemone re view the new man man

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 5:29 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    simon and garfunkel were on drugs.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 3:47 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 1:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 12:03 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    -Chinatown

    Posted by greg0rb on 2005-02-05 12:01:20
    My Score:

    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

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 2:45 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    This album rules.

    -Chinatown

    Posted by hey_sailor on 2005-02-04 20:15:15
    My Score:

    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.

    Posted by Imposs1ble on 2005-02-04 20:06:28
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 7:49 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    damn, you kids must be in some serious debt going to colombia

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 3:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    good if youre into freak-folk...otherwise this is pretty stupid

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 8:49 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I ordered this cd from amazon.com last week and I can't wait to get it.

    Also, "Here Comes the Indian" is very experimental and strange. I don't knw that i'd recommend it, but it's another Animal Collective cd worth checking out.

    Posted by MarkieStabone on 2005-02-04 07:52:30
    My Score:

    folkpopexperimentalismnews.org

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 1:53 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    heil them, and fuck bright eyes

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 1:38 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I am attending the Columbia also.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 12:48 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Score is for the cd.

    -Chinatown

    Posted by Archangel on 2005-02-04 00:46:52
    My Score:

    Good review, but I don't think I'll be looking into this.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 12:20 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    i love this band. They are touring soon, and i must see them.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 12:19 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    props to a good review... could you just do positive reviews because they are just so much better. Just ignore albums you don't like, or something, because your writing sucks when you write a negative review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 4, 2005 at 12:17 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Unadulterated crap. To suggest this album possesses any merit is to be in a state of total denial.

    -Chinatown

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