Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind EP
February 5, 2010
After releasing their highly praised Merriweather Post Pavilion last January, most of us expected Animal Collective to ride their “Best of 2009” nominations and coast into next year at least. No one would blame them, either. But I suppose that would make them a different type of band than they are. Despite being on tour in support of the full length LP this year, they haven’t stopped blending those electronic psych-jungle sounds and tribal beats into melted pop sensations, resulting in some live favorites. They turned those twenty-seven minutes of new material into a new EP, titled Fall Be Kind. Produced by Ben Allen, recorded at Sweet Tea Recording Studio and Mission Sound, and fast tracked to release before the year’s end it is a play on the phrase “fall behind.”
“Graze” gently and hypnotically opens the five-song EP, entrancing listeners with the group’s sound until about the 3:15 mark, where it gets cuckoo, exhibiting their eclecticism and knack for abrupt shifts in melody and rhythm in a single track. The song establishes that the EP isn’t simply a continuation of the Merriweather album; Fall Be Kind is its own entity to be reckoned with, not just a collection of B-side throwaways. “What Would I Want? Sky” was perhaps the most anticipated track from this collection purely because it includes the first-ever licensed Grateful Dead sample. The song does not disappoint. Deadheads might appreciate AnCo’s use of “Unbroken Chain” and the song’s neo-jam band style. The second half of the song sounds like its own mix of pop and R&B using the sample as an intersection. Other highlight “On a Highway” evokes a sublime road trip that every Generation Y college student fantasizes about.
If Fall Be Kind is a sign of Animal Collective’s commitment to their newer-found electronic elements, then fans can stay nostalgic of pre-Merriweather days. Breaking into a new realm of success, this EP showcases the group’s talent in constructing new ways of accessibility to accommodate all audiences. It will be interesting to see AnCo’s next foray in surprising the masses with their tendency to constantly experiment with their ever-evolving signature sound. This EP is hardly a labor of love, yet it’s still a very real, competitive release, which means they could be established as a staple band of this generation. Check out these five tracks to hold you off in anticipation of what their next full length will sonically shock you with.
Tags: 2009, Animal Collective, Electronic Music, Fall Be Kind, Generation Y, Grateful Dead, Hipsters, Indie, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Music
