ANIMAL COLLECTIVE LEAK! ANIMAL COLLECTIVE LEAK! MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION IS HERE!Sorry, didn't mean to go all "fan boy" on you. As many of you probably already know, the new AC album leaked via a vinyl rip (I think the bit rate is 160 kbps) Christmas day. Even with all of the build up around this album's release, it still delivers. It definitely builds off of the sound of the Panda Bear album, and features more vocals from him than any previous album (which seems to be a good recipe, as their last album to use this much from him was Sung Tongs, their best album). Additionally, Avery Tare sounds downright smooth, epsecially giving how jarring his vocals can normally be. Tare and Panda Bear now seem to be working in some sort of strange harmony, rather than acting as counterparts to each other. Following the transition started with Strawberry Jam, the album is mostly electronic. Noise, and freak folk tendancies have basically vanished as psychedelic, ambient, trance-pop sounds dominate the album (or even house, as evidenced by the 4/4 wallop found in the second half of "In the Flowers"). As seen with the Water Curses EP, the last release by them, this album is also poppier (for them at least). Despite the softening of their sound, this album can't be seen as an attempt to pander to wider audiences - rather it is proof positive of a veteran band who has dedicated themselves to constantly evolving and growing better. It will be hard for 2009 to produce an album better than this. "In the Flowers", "My Girls", and "Brother Sport" are currently my favorite tracks, but every song has its appeal.
Download: http://rapidshare.com/files/178863974/MPP_.zip.html
Here is the track listing courtesy of Animal Collective's website:
