MySpace Trawl – Animal Collective

MySpace Trawl is the feature where we attempt to educate you about music that is doing something a little bit more different and exciting then the run of the mill toss that gets played on radio and TV. We attempt to discover the acts that are totally spanking new or ones that just need a bit more exposure. 

This week we trek over to America to serve something up that isn’t country or hip hop. Because we all know that is what Americans only listen to. If we can describe their music, we’d have to say that Animal Collective dip into the confusing-sounding style of psych-folk and noise-rock. Yes it sounds confusing, but it's fun. And we like that.

The Baltimore four-piece strikes us instantly as a bit crazy when we look at their names. Probably taking the name of their band a little bit too literally, Animal Collective's members include Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin and Geologist. For the more delusional readers out there, we would like to point out that a giant panda bear does not play with the band. It is in fact a real person just having a bit of fun. So there is no need for any animal protesters to get all pissed off and start complaining. 

With such experimental sounds going on it really is hard for us to compare Animal Collective to anything we have heard before. The vocal style is often sung in a raw and twisted way that does however have an inviting feel to it. Whilst it’s not scary, it’s more fun and childlike which makes you want to listen for longer then the record lasts. 

Even Animal Collective's recording methods are a bit off-the-wall, which almost seems like an anti-stance against making a record in a big studio environment. The Campfire Songs album was recorded live in 2001 on a screened-in porch somewhere in Maryland. The record was completed in one take and all five songs were played straight through. This was done as an attempt to make a record as warm and inviting as a campfire, the band recorded their performance straight to minidisc, with one recorder outside to grab the ambient sound of the environment. Field recordings of the surrounding area were also added.

Even listening to a small sample of their songs, it is apparent to us that these guys want to have a fun time. Not the most conventional-sounding of bands, they leak with energy and feelgood sounds, even if it is slightly unconventional. Thankfully, there is a live track up on the old MySpace to demonstrate this. People, taken from an EP of the same name, lets us hear first hand that this band can pull off an effective live show with some almost jaunty-sounding vocals.   

An American tour is soon to start in support of their tasty-sounding new album Strawberry Jam. So for anyone who’s interested, have a listen and get yourself down to one of their shows. We promise it isn’t one to be missed. 

Read more: 

Animal Collective MySpace Page