SJ vs. MPP ... the battle begins

For anyone who comes across this blog, but who doesn't have any interest in animal collective or my ongoing addiction to their work I apologize for what must seem annoying and repetative. However as this is the most important thing musically going on in my life at the moment I feel like I really want to share my thoughts ... so with that

This post is in response to the following comment that was left on my board by ... Billius S. Billpun III on his thoughts on MPP ... "I'm totally loving how well layered this album is. And it's distinct sound throughout. But I feel like they lost some originality as I feel like the album starts to turn into the Flaming Lips (which probably explains the nice pfork rating..but you never know with those bastards). I feel like their more perhaps "mature" sound they achieved on MPP is not worth the sacrifice of the faux mathmetal cascade of Cuckoo Cuckoo they crafted on SJ. In other words, I need something more fucked up and forward moving to keep me going."

First off I agree with your observations that the album being well layered and how the album seems more "mature". I would add that I think there are substantial and important layers throughout Strawberry Jam as well. But that on SJ there was a heavier influence on vocals and the song structures being concise. Furthermore the pfork observation that MPP is AC's pop album breakthrough is completely false. SJ was that album for them. And its because of this "faux mathmetal cascade". From the little I know about Animal Collective though I would say that MPP is a return to their previous influences into the exploration of different soundscapes via electronic instrument, whereas on SJ maybe they veered off their usual path by focusing more on the vocals and rhythm of their craft.

An interesting comparision dawned on me yesterday as well. As anybody who knows me can probably guess I can always find the radiohead comparison in any situation ... this one is no different. So my thought here is that Strawberry Jam is The Bends. Both albums were the band's refinement of their style from previous album(s) which led to multiple "singles". Its hard for me to consider AC songs off of SJ singles because 1. No radio station I ever listened to played anything 2. I didn't start listening to the album until a year after its release so I feel like I don't "know" what it was like when these songs were first being listened to by fans.

But regardless. The bends was basically an album full of singles. SJ is the same thing in my opinion. That would make Merriweather Post Pavillion the OK Computer equivelant. Is anyone else totally fucking digging this comparison? Think about the things that Radiohead did on OK computer and what AC is doing on MPP. Eerily fucking similar ... more layers, more experimental, less concise, and not an album full of radio friendly singles ... and ... and this is probably the biggest point of contention ... the stand out songs on MPP are better songs than anything off of SJ ... just because they go further and extend the AC sound even deeper ... Is Karma Police a better song than Fake Plastic Trees ? Is Paranoid Android a better song than My Iron Lung ? I would say yes in both cases. I think the same comparisons can be made between SJ and MPP ... Peacebone vs My Girls, Brothersport Vs. Reverend Green, Taste vs Fireworks ... I'm not sure I agree as fully as I do about the Bends vs OK Computer ...

But I think the point remains that there is a similar evolution of sound in the two cases. Personally I'm really hoping this turns the next AC album into Kid A part deux ... so lets all praise Tony for his astute observations ... if we believe we can achieve ... haha lame.