Since Animal Collective busted onto the scene back in 2000, the indie music world has seen no shortage of bands trying to make the AC shtick work for them. Avant-garde rockers who refuse to be categorized and flaunt their love of instrumental cacophony, the sometimes three-piece have made a career out of experimentation, gathering plenty of fanatics along the way. And with the soon-to-be-released Merriweather Post Pavilion, the Baltimore-based trio has somehow managed to live up to the hype. While the 11-song collection flirts with everything from swirling psychedelic synth (“Summertime Clothes”) to African rhythms (“Lion in a Coma”) to gleeful circus pop (“Brother Sport”), the result remains cohesive. It’s a delightful sonic mish-mosh that deserves to be picked apart, studied, and stored away for future generations to treasure.
Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion