With their last album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collective proved they had just a little bit of 'normal' in them. Everything in their collection leading up to Merriweather was thick, atmospheric psychedelia loaded with the sounds of the universe. While the stuff was certainly innovative, it wasn't the most tuneful, the kind of music you have to try hard to enjoy.
But with Merriweather, they integrated just a hint of accessibility into their sound. Tracks like "My Girls" and "Summertime Clothes" are perfectly hummable, music you don't have to listen to when you're either alone curled up in your room or under the influence of drugs.
It's been nine months since the release of that album, and the band is back with Fall Be Kind, a 5-track EP that, at 27 minutes in length, seems more like a complete album. While the whole EP is quite good, the centerpiece and masterpiece is "What Would I Want? Sky," a 7-minute aural joy-ride.
I can't even begin to explain how much I love this song. It's the most hummable, enjoyable, and simply fun Animal Collective song ever released. The song is broken down into two distinct pieces, with the first half built on a percussive, mesmerizing beat. These first few minutes retain the signature Animal Collective style present on their previous releases. There's the call and response vocals, endless array of synths, and weird effects the band always sprinkles in.
But the cosmic shift happens 3 minutes in, where the track morphs into a Beach Boys' style singalong, pitting Panda Bear's floating melodies against a sample of the Grateful Dead's "Unbroken Chain." It meshes beautifully. I might sound crazy, but this is an Animal Collective song you can blast in the car with the windows down. Yes, with the windows down; people at red lights won't glare at you like you're trying to channel the UFO from Close Encounters.
10/10
