A to B

When listening to a couple of Animal Collective records (right now: Young Prayer and Project Hummer) its virtually impossible to be impressed by the breadth of their vision and how each successive record has a distinct and seemingly separate, uh, vibe to it. While there are certain reoccurring touchstones (the oceanic guitars, childlike vocals, nu-hippy sentiment), they’ve managed to become a very different band from Here Comes the Indian to Sung Tongs – and that’s only in the period of two years. They’ve radically changed from perverting psychedelic electro to completely flipping pop on its ear. For example, taking a look at the aforementioned discs, they’re vastly different. One could make the claim that, yeah well, there are different players on each. But that’s not the point. What is impressive is the success they have in filing cohesive statements of timeless beauty (Project Hummer) to desperation and sadness (Young Prayer). Perhaps it’s the abstraction of the music that allows this quick change operation to exist so convincingly. Nonetheless, it’s daft how morphable a group of seemingly acid-damaged Marylandites can be.

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So, yeah, that’s cool and all, but where does Robert Pollard, Guided By Voices’ thought leader, come into play here? The guy’s written the same (or similar) song maybe 2,000, 3,000 times? Why does an artist’s development get so much play by critics? I popped in From A Compound Eye last night, not really that impressed with previous listens in the car and on headphones. My stereo was empty, my fiancé’s earplugs were in, and so I jumped at the opportunity. Aside from being an incredible lyricist in the non-sequitur manner (of which, MF Doom has made a career on and continues to get (sometimes undeserved) accolades for), this boozebag writes some of the most righteous rock and roll available to ears. That is not meant to be ironic in the least – this is the stuff of myth, the stuff that will save your soul. Every record has no less than six songs that are triumphant and eternal in the best Who/Cheap Trick/Van Halen/any band that ever rocked an arena type of way. And never mind that FACE is maybe one of the better records I’ve heard this year. Sometimes it’s fun to check out the sights, but in the end, your ass has to find a familiar barstool.