BLC-Anigif

today

8:30 a.m. Audubon Society Field Trip See Event Description

read >

9 a.m. Arcata Farmers' Market Arcata Plaza

read >

9:30 a.m. Discovery Walk: Unknown Waterfront See Event Description

read >

9:30 a.m. Manila Dunes Restoration Manila Community Center

read >

10 a.m. Manila Dunes Guided Walk Manila Community Center

read >

10 a.m. Library Book Sale Humboldt County Library

read >

10 a.m. Dia de los Muertos and Mexican Folk Art Sale Private Eureka home

read >

10 a.m. Final Arcata Farmer's Market Arcata Farmers' Market (off the plaza)

read >

11 a.m. Donlin Foreman Dance Workshop Dell'Arte

read >

2 p.m. Humboldt Coastal Nature Center Draft Trails Plan Walk Stamps House

read >

5 p.m. Bati Zado and Show Redwood Raks World Dance Studio

read >

6 p.m. The Tumbleweeds Chapala Cafe

read >

6 p.m. Ali Chaudhary (jazz duo) Libation

read >

6:30 p.m. Not Evil, Just Wrong Humboldt Area Foundation

read >

7 p.m. Guitar Stan (country) Old Town Coffee & Chocolates

read >

8 p.m. Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona Arkley Center for the Performing Arts

read >

8 p.m. Stones in His Pockets Arcata Playhouse

read >

8 p.m. A Christmas Carol North Coast Repertory Theater

read >

8 p.m. Donna Landry Swing Dance Moose Lodge

read >

8 p.m. North Coast Wind Ensemble Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU

read >

8:30 p.m. The Last Minute Men (international) Cafe Mokka

read >

9 p.m. Ian McFeron Band (folk rock) Six Rivers Brewery

read >

9 p.m. The Michael Paul Band WAVE @ blue lake casino

read >

9 p.m. The Generatorz (classic rock) Central Station Cocktail Lounge

read >

9 p.m. Taxi Bear River Casino

read >

9 p.m. VJ Itchie Fingaz Pearl Lounge

read >

9 p.m. Jack Ruby Presents + Blue Street + Acufunkture (DIY rock) Jambalaya

read >

9 p.m. 2nd Annual Scorpio Bash The Red Fox Tavern

read >

10 p.m. Music by DJ Sidelines

read >

10 p.m. DJ Icy Hot Aunty Mo's Lounge

read >

10 p.m. Jemimah Puddleduck (rock) Humboldt Brews

read >

10 p.m. White Manna + Midday Veil + The King Salmon Duo (rock) Jambalaya

read >

11 p.m. Radio Moscow (psychadelic blues) + Mosquito Bandito (one-man surf/garage) The Alibi Lounge and Restaurant

read >

previous columns

Jan. 29, 2009

Blood Bank/More of the Past

By Bon Iver and Vetiver

read >
Jan. 22, 2009

Magnum/Side Iron

"Mission Accomplished," Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Alibi

read >
Jan. 15, 2009

Cryland

By Don Cavalli. Everloving, Inc.

read >
Add to deliciousAdd to DiggAdd to FacebookAdd to FurlAdd to redditAdd to YahooAdd to NewsvineAdd to Spurl
  • 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' 'Merriweather Post Pavilion'
<em>Merriweather Post Pavilion</em>

Merriweather Post Pavilion

By Animal Collective. Domino.

By Julianna Boggs

Seeing how much Animal Collective's last album, Strawberry Jam, blew, I have to admit I was nervous. There was a lot of discussion, as there always is about an upcoming release. Will it take the next step? Will it be in the right direction? If so there's a sigh of relief, but if not we call it a "retread" and it must be shunned along with their entire back-catalog as if we never liked them at all, a painful and embarrassing fate for artist and fan alike. Merriweather Post Pavilion, however, has turned that argument on end. Solidly owning up to the archetypal Animal Collective sound without lapsing into repetition, the only thing this album's blowing are minds. A "retread" you ask? Nay, say I.

While their past seven releases have been typified by layers and intricacies considered challenging or esoteric, Merriweather emerges clear and refined, friendly without succumbing to simplicity. The lyrics are neither vapid nor overtly complex, but casually contemplative of what it is to be growing up and a little freaked out. Fueled by the boyish concern for his role as a father, the track "My Girls" finds iconic frontman Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) rocking apologetically over the complications of the material world and his familial responsibility. "Is it much to admit I need / A solid soul and the blood I bleed / With a little girl, and by my spouse / I only want a proper house."

As the lyrics pan from one side to the other, waves of reverb lope and swirl from all directions, and at this point it's apparent that a professional is at work. That man is Athens-based engineer Ben Allen.

The in-house engineer for all things DJ Dangermouse, Allen has had years of experience translating the complex goals of artists such as Gnarls Barkley and Puff Daddy into full-bodied, pop-pumping hits. The goal for Merriweather? Lagoon. Though you can sense something of an underwater effect in the first track, the theme becomes increasingly clear as the sound of bubbles and dripping water are manipulated and repeated throughout as bass lines, highlights and ambient-layered background noise, so subtle the theme is mostly registered subconsciously. What's obvious however, is Allen's ability to create a clean, listener-friendly (dare we say "radio-friendly") album without mitigating the crucial complexity of the "Animal Collective sound."

Easily the best recorded of the groups' discography, Merriweather has already proved itself a peacekeeper among the divide of rabid critics: Arty enough to be a step forward, familiar enough to continue in the tradition of their much-loved sound, and clean enough to gain a few new fans along the way.

comments

No comments for this entry

post a comment

what's happening

november 2009

SuMoTuWeThFrSa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30