Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavillion"

In art there are buried treasures. In this context, not literally, but the creations that may be appreciated by some, but passed over by most until a later date. With little public airplay, it’s likely that Animal Collective has been overlooked by most people. Even before its official Jan 6th release, the band’s eighth album Merriweather Post Pavillion has been receiving high praise from critics alike, and has become 2009’s treasure waiting to be heard.

The Baltimore based band consists of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deakin (Josh Dibbs), and Geologist (Brian Weltz), but as a collective, there is no formal band lineup, instead they choose to define themselves. Before their popular album Sung Tongs (2004), the band’s previous work had been critiqued as scattered and diverging. With Merriweather Post Pavillion, the band has created their most cohesive album, a concept of noise and emotion that flows connected.

It’s difficult to describe the group’s sound. Each song is a different combination of tribal noises, voices, and rhythms blended with an indescribable assortment of styles, or for you musicologists—it’s avant-garde. Lyrics are simple, like when Avey Tare sings “I really want to do just what my body wants to/ I really want to do just what my body needs to,” yet emotions and sounds are abruptly shortened and filled with futuristic-nerd synthesizers. The song “Summertime Clothes,” sounds like a blending of Beach Boys and Daft Punk, a flashback to beach parties with a contemporary sound.

This scattered simplicity is typical of Animal Collective’s past work, but Merriweather Post Pavillion’s is the band’s best balance of these simple noises that bubble underneath the water, later surfacing animated and vivid. Until you discover the album, one man’s treasure, is another man’s loss.

If you enjoyed this review, take a look at these:

Review of Vieux Farka Toure's album "Fondo"

Review of Fischerspooner's album "Entertainment"

Review of Discovery self-titled debut

To Be a Beekeeper In The Himalayas

One Woman, One Violin, One Youtube Video, and One SFCritic (Thank You Eminem). Ever heard of Anni Rossi? Her voice is reminiscent of Regina Spektor. Her style is an even simpler Bon Iver. Rossi was most recently supporting The Ting Tings.

Speeding on Techno

E is not just a happy rave party drug. It's also a letter, and a dangerous substance for ravers while driving. The perps portrayed in the picture to the right were caught speeding at 100MPH on Market St. while listening to Benni Benassi. When asked why they were pulled over, the driver responded, "In the name of love." Officer Wang asked suspect Dick Leckman (Centered holding Elmo), to step out of the car, at which point Wang noticed that Leckman was overly friendly.

Elmo was not hurt this time Obama, but can we wait for a next time? Driving while listening techno is like drinking and driving, without the drinking, but the same likelihood of speeding because that FREAKIN' bass is driving the car.

Yo! Where the Real Will Smith At?

Before Will Smith launched his nice guy, Independence Man, Jada hubby career--he actually had street credit. It's true, SFCritic knew him back in the day, and helped shoot his first music video. I couldn't resist, check it out:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

No Bush-shit to Complain About: What's Next?

My pops always told me it's easier to write a negative review than a positive. With Bush out of office, that leaves a big void for popular artists and critics' rants. Equally interesting, as mentioned on Fluxblog, is the chronicle of now post-Bush critiques (mainly WTF lines) by musicians. These songs in the Obama-rama age (a current period of bright and jubilant illumination)seem antiquated. Bands like Dead Prez, The Coup, P.O.S., and other like minded political artists need to search for new material. P.O.S. might not agree, as he re-released his song, "Savion Glover," on his new album, Never Better. Maybe you can just say Obama heard P.O.S's complaints and answered them by shutting down Guantanamo? Either way, SFCritic is happy to embrace the change in music culture.

Take a listen to P.O.S. "Savion Glover."

Everyday Another One Bites The Dust

Everyday I'm hustlin, and everyday a new white kid subscribes to "hip hop" and gets down with LFO. Ok, so as SFCritic, I'm regularly skimming through blogs, and well--I came upon Lykke Li's rendition of Rick Ross' "Hustlin." Granted, there are some cool folksy remixes of hip hop songs, such as the classic entitled by Phish/Dave Matthews Band (who #$#@ knows) of "Gin 'n Juice," but this isn't one of them. The problem, like Plaxico Burress, is the song is either a success or a shot in leg eventually ending your career. Not to say Lykke's performance is a season ending injury, but it definitely was foul.

The video has the apparent "I'm a white kid trying to be cool" problems:

1. She's singing Rick Ross.
2. She's hustling with a cashmere sweater, beads, and black tights.
3. Is this a house party? What's with the black light and red light? How many gangstas does it take to set up a black light?
4. Her dance steps are worse than Fat Joe's "Lean Back."
5. She learned call and response techniques at camp. Check out at 2:20 "More Cars!" "More hoes!" *Wait, let me just look down here and check the lyric box.

For shit's and giggles, take a look at the video below, and if you still want more, which you should because Lykke is talented, and isn't rapping in the other video.


Lykke Li: Gangsta Rick Rossin' It

Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 - "Hustlin'" from Drew Innis on Vimeo.

Lykee Li and Bon Iver