Animal Collective’s eighth studio album, Merriweather Post-Pavillion, debuted in the Billboard Top 20 and was massively hyped even before leaks began to surface online a couple of months ago. While I personally enjoy AC’s experiments with atmosphere and expansiveness, there’s still plenty of oddness here to buffer the trio from unconditional praise and universal appeal. For every moment of elation, there are enough droning synths and washed-out vocals to damper an otherwise euphoric pop experience. As on past releases, dub, trance and Afro-pop figure into Merriweather Post-Pavillion’s spaced-out mixture of synths and rhythmic clatter. If MPP lacks anything, it’s the rough and tumble charm that defined AC’s earlier output. As the infectious beats of My Girls and the jolting harmonies of Brothersport demonstrate, Animal Collective are crossing over. And depending on your outlook (and elitism), there’s never been a better time to give them your ears.

Published in Volume 63, Number 21 of The Uniter (February 26, 2009)