Merriweather Post Pavilion

iTunes Review

Since 2000, Animal Collective has combined far-flung elements — Beach Boys-influenced vocals, ambient textures, bursts of noise, folky singalongs, psychedelic explorations — into a unique sound that is both experimental and melody loving. Merriweather Post Pavilion, their ninth full-length, is a breakthrough. The group — Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), and Brian Weitz (Geologist) — have created their poppiest work yet, and it sounds great. In the mid-‘80s, Sonic Youth started to shape their overtone-filled textures into potent songs, and on Merriweather, Animal Collective pulls off a similar coup. The desire for familial domesticity never sounded as ecstatic as it does on “My Girls.” (And who knew a line like “I just want four walls and adobe slats for my girls” could be so catchy?) “Also Frightened” evokes ‘60s psych filtered through the band’s 21st-century sensibility, while “Bluish” is a mellow slice of phase-shifted bliss etched with details that play off the lead vocal in winsome ways. On the closer, “Brother Sport,” the group layers vocals and percussion with delirious glee: it’s a great send-off for a joyful album.