Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (2xLP)

From the first listen to their ninth studio album, it's clear that Animal Collective have arrived at a special place. Formed in Baltimore in 1999, the experimental band created "Merriweather Post Pavilion", a universal album that is as much a resting place along the way as it is a place to unwind. Since their inception, Avey Tare (aka David Porter), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Josh Dibb (who is absent this time around) and Geologist (Brian Weitz) have operated from various continents. Now they've reached a point where their internal logic fits perfectly on the big screen. Entranced by the possibilities of their sound, Panda Bear and Avey Tare sing with a newfound clarity. Who needs choruses when you can find your own answers in the kaleidoscopic high of these tracks? "Merriweather Post Pavilion" echoes everything the band has recorded to date. The shouts and screams now signal a peaceful euphoria that defines this wide-eyed record.