Centipede Hz
(2012)
why you'll love it: The full band returns to the sound that got them recognized.
why you'll hate it: Mostly boring songs, despite sounding so "weird"
why you'll love it: The full band returns to the sound that got them recognized.
why you'll hate it: Mostly boring songs, despite sounding so "weird"
If you look for music on the internet, chances are high that you've come across Animal Collective. If not the songs themselves, jokes and hyperbole about the the cult following and impact the group has had on the indie music community. The psychedelic "freak-folk" outfit is the go-to reference when somebody wants to make a hipster joke. This is one of those cases where the hype and backlash are both way off. Animal Collective is simply a band with a unique style that leads them to create songs that sometimes feel like nothing else, or sometimes crash and burn terribly.
I always feel like I have to hold my nose before jumping into an Animal Collective album. Not just to keep out all of the incessant hype and negativity from the outside world; but to push through all the effects and noise and get to what the songs really are. When I first started listening to this band, I thought they were were a big waste of time. Slowly, the psychedelic veil lifted away to reveal a classic humble 60's pop core. Once I was able to grasp the hook, all the extraneous layers felt less like sludge and more like tasty icing.
When Animal Collective announced Centipede Hz earlier this year, I found myself for the first time really anticipating one of their releases. I've cracked their code, and this new album promised to be less Merrweather Post Pavilion (their 2009 mainstream breakout album) and more Strawberry Jam (my favorite of theirs, from 2007). An early taste of "Today's Supernatural" sent my expectations through the roof. That is one of the best AC songs I have ever heard. I literally went slack jawed when I first heard it.
It's always a shame when the single is the best song on an album.
Maybe it's because I'm seeing things form the inside now, but I don't find most of Centipede Hz all that crazy, or catchy; instead predictable and weak. "Rosie oh" sucks all of the energy built up in the first two songs. "Pulleys" is another shrug of a song that goes in circles. Pretty much, the entire middle of this album is a slump, beginning with "Wide Eyed" and not waking back up until the second best song on the album, "Monkey Riches".
I feel a bit burned by the promise of a totally insane album, and instead getting tepid melodies with a whole lot of "wacky" effects thrown on top. I'd be happier if the album went in one direction or the other, instead of wallowing in the middle. "Applesauce" is a great example of how they do a pop song well. I love the swirling rhythm of the chorus, and the general childish wonder the song exudes. Some other songs worth mentioning are "Mercury Man" (with its super-fast sequenced backing beat) and, "Amanita" (which, as far as closers go… not so great. Especially compared to songs like "Turn Into Something" and "Brother Sport").
Honestly, there isn't much more going on here, as much as their crazy sound effects and reputation would lead you to believe. It turns out Centipede Hz is just another Animal Collective album that I only like 6 or 7 songs off of. After so many years of just having songs I like of theirs on my iPod, not full albums, I was forced to remember - "oh right, they have… like - a dozen songs on every album, and i NEVER enjoy most of them."
