In-depth So You Think You Know… Animal Collective
From lesser-known side-projects to jellyfish documentaries: we delve deep into the adventureland of Animal Collective.
Once upon a time, four kids met at High School in Baltimore. It turned out they all shared a love for psychedelic music. Fast forward to the year 2000, and Animal Collective was born in a flurry of head torches, furry bamboo eating alter-egos, and lashings of strawberry jam.
These days we know Animal Collective as just that; a collective. It’s no overstatement to call ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ one of the most influential records of the noughties, just as ‘Campfire Songs’ - recorded in the freezing cold outside on a porch in November - equally holds up as a wildly inventive album, created by the most formidable psychedelic band of the century. Animal Collective have a huge back-catalogue of releases stretching right back to the millennium, but that’s only the beginning. Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Deakin and Geologist have dabbled in everything from vegan shoes to pirate radio and American Congress.
With Panda Bear’s fifth solo record ‘Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper’ out today (12th January), we delve deep into the adventure-land of Animal Collective, visiting previous bands, lesser-known side-projects, even and a token jellyfish documentary along the way.
Records, etc at
Animal Collective - Time Skiffs (Vinyl LP - black)
Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef (Vinyl LP)
Animal Collective - Sung Tongs.. (Vinyl LP - black)
Animal Collective - Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished (Vinyl LP - green)
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Vinyl LP - purple)
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Vinyl LP)
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Animal Collective - Isn’t It Now
3 Stars
As their longest album to date, it’s hard to shift any accusations of self-indulgence.
27th September 2023, 7:50am
Animal Collective announce new album ‘Isn’t It Now?’
The band have also shared the record’s first single, ‘Soul Capturer’.
26th July 2023, 4:43pm
Animal Collective share 22-minute epic, ‘Defeat’
The experimental quartet have released a mammoth new single celebrating resilience and hope against the odds.
27th June 2023, 3:28pm
Animal Collective score A24 film The Inspection
Big Joanie, Girlpool, and Michelle are also among the names announced.
7th November 2022, 12:00am
With Bob Vylan, St Vincent, girl in red, Lizzy McAlpine and more.