Animal Collective - Grass

  by Jamie Rowland

published: 29 / 8 / 2005

Label: Fat Cat Records
Format: CDS

intro

Multi-layered new single from "freak folk" act Animal Collective, who prove to be "the aural equivalent of a crowded room"

The term "freak folk" suits no one better than the Animal Collective, a band who’s style varies from gentle folk, as heard on their ‘Prospect Hummer’ EP with Vashti Bunyan, to the wild, thumping weirdness of their latest single, ‘Grass’. Taken from the forthcoming album, ‘Feels’, ‘Grass’ sounds like Mr. Bungle playing Bob Dylan; there is definitely a folk song somewhere in there, but it’s heavily disguised by the thumping rhythm, crashing piano-work and wild, sometimes shrieking, vocals. This song is so dense, it’s hard to know which part to listen to, but it doesn’t really matter, because every bit of it sounds great. ‘Must Be Treeman’ is a collection of weird voice samples and electronic drones looped over and over, and it’s understandable that it was used as a B-side, as it has no real charm or hook to keep the listener interested. The second B-side on this single, ‘Fickle Cycle’, is a different matter entirely. Like the A-side, this song is a complicated composition, starting out as a kind of twisted hoedown and then winding down to a slow, psychedelic break before powering back up into a crashing, sweeping, sing-a-long ending. I was not surprised to learn that this track is a “live favourite”. The Animal Collective’s multi-layered songs create what I can only describe as the aural equivalent of a crowded room, but one you’d be very happy to get stuck in the middle of.

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