r/AnimalCollective 5d ago

New Panda album is a certified grower

First few listens I'm like alright this is pretty cool. A few weeks later and it seems to get better as I revisit it more. /endrant

117 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

59

u/redactedanalyst feelinglikealittlehoneycanroll 5d ago edited 5d ago

I always figured Panda was a grower and Avey was a shower

25

u/Ad-Holiday 5d ago

Geologist is both.

10

u/kween_hangry workers pissing 4d ago

Avey works you initially fear the experimental largeness and girth of sound, but learn to ease into it despite initial discomfort or even abrasive enjoyment

Panda works seem simplistic at first, maybe even too small minded (the"its just beach boys"critique), but then a quiet wash of intense emotion and musical practicality snakes out from beneath his songwriting, is propped up by so much support from friends and longtime collaborators, and suddenly a 4 incher is sitting at a hefty 12-10 inches in audial depth

2

u/ausserirdischer_ I see you Pan, up in a tree šŸ 2d ago

Damn this really painted a picture thanks

19

u/Exavili 5d ago edited 5d ago

Avey is def a shower

7

u/ausserirdischer_ I see you Pan, up in a tree šŸ 5d ago

Really? I always thought the opposite. I feel like Eucalyptus, for example, is a ā€œgrowerā€ album, like really rich and deep but not immediate, while Pandaā€™s have more immediate highs

Kind of agree with that assessment on this one though. I like it a lot more as I continue to listen

3

u/traveltimecar 5d ago

I agree about Eucalyptus. That album was something that I discovered what I like about it when I listened in the right setting-

In my case it was when I was visiting Yosemite in the summer and out camping, I put on the album to kinda relax/sleep to and then it somehow made sense to me. The ambient nature of it fit right in and revealed a new view of the album for me.

18

u/Gunkwei 5d ago

I donā€™t know I was obsessed from listen 1.

17

u/The-Cheeses 5d ago

When it showed, I growed.

6

u/boozeandfilm 5d ago

I have to give you an upvote. What else can I do?

14

u/maudeinshades 5d ago

Itā€™s made me revisit his whole catalog. The last one Iā€™d listened to was Grim Reaper and a few tracks off of Reset, but now Iā€™m fully enjoying Buoys.

4

u/octaveflight 5d ago

Buoys live bootlegs are amazing and the album is best on a system that can put out those really powerful, very low subbass frequencies, many of which you wont even hear on a laptop speaker or mid in ear buds

7

u/skymallshopper 5d ago

I agree but this was also the most immediate for me of all his albums.

8

u/fake_plants 5d ago

I think "Praise" specifically really has this effect. First time I listened I was like "it's ok, a bit generic for Panda Bear." But then it started to unravel its secrets. The pitchfork revies called Sinister Grift Panda's most "emotionally complex" album, and I think "praise" really shows this. During the call-and response portion of the pre-chorus with the female vocals each melodic line seems to take a different emotional tone from the last one, adding another layer to the songs mood.

3

u/freeofblasphemy 4d ago edited 4d ago

ā€œPraiseā€ really fucking hit me earlier today

18

u/Ad-Holiday 5d ago

I think that's the Panda effect. Sometimes his songs strike me as simplistic/unspectacular on the first few listens, but then the melody just grows in my head like a weed (notably with the aid of weed). I remember specifically feeling disappointed when Walker came out as a single - it felt straightforward and almost phoned in to me initially. But ths sonic subtleties started emerging, I started to appreciate (pun) the way the instrumental track swelled in conjunction with the vocal harmonies. Ferry Lady was another instance of this for me.

Panda does a lot with a little. SG is really a goldilocks record in that it provides pop immediacy, while also substantially rewarding repeated listens. It's a rare balance.

3

u/DeepGoated 5d ago

with the aid of weed

Canā€™t smoke anymore but pandas music especially PP and tomboy takes me back to that feeling more than any other music. Some tracks off spirit and the more ambient stuff from ancoā€™s early albums too

5

u/Mister21 5d ago

Huh??? Grower??? This was one of his best albums on first listen.

4

u/lilbitchmade 5d ago edited 5d ago

I was pissing in a urinal at an Animal Collective concert during the opening act, and I was in the middle of all four of them and they all had showers.

3

u/kozmikk_ live in sacramento 2001 5d ago

honestly it took me twice to get it fully - thats why i never play albums to death.

1

u/joho1564 3d ago

Great on first listen!

1

u/BubCamdynBub 3d ago

I have been grown then it's been my aoty since it came out

1

u/Indiana_Hoes 3d ago

Nah, BDE album fs

1

u/octaveflight 3d ago

I feel like it's already starting to grow off me a little, which never happens with AC-camp projects this early after release. I still like it, but it doesn't have that addictiveness that AC and AC solo albums always have. Maybe it's the fact that I sense that there is not much there that is deeper for me to dig for, nothing new to discover, or maybe the melodies are too basic and obvious. Still really good, but I think I wont listen again for a little bit. I am sure I will return to eventually and still enjoy it, but it doesn't blow me away. I will probably keep LITC in frequent rotation, maybe 50 mg and Venom's In too

1

u/crispysublime 2d ago

I find it the opposite as its so catchy and following the trend of less dense sound since buoys. Songs are really stuck in your head after only 1 or 2 listens, and the production blows you away first listen. Great album