There are really only a handful of bands that are making new music that I would consider ‘amazing’.  These are the bands that when someone tells you they haven’t heard of them your eyes widen and you stutter as you say, “oh shit man, you’ve got to hear this!”  These are the bands that should have been playing on Natalie Portman’s headphones in Garden State.  These are the bands that are often absent from popular radio but make the crowd at a mid-level music festival tent spill into the food vendors.

These are bands like Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, Bon Iver, and of course Animal Collective.  And let me start off by saying that I think the soon to be released Fall Be Kind EP is my favorite Animal Collective release to date.

You may have already heard the best song on the EP, which has been making the rounds on the ‘net and indie radio, What Would I Want? Sky.  The first time I heard it I knew it was AC, but let’s be honest, it could have been Moby.  Not saying that is a bad thing – Moby has some rad tunes.  But I wouldn’t be surprised if Moby is scratching his head somewhere thinking, “Ohh NOW the kids think its cool!”

I’ll admit that I didn’t fully understand or like Animal Collective when I first heard them. I think that is a big part of their charm, and also an indication that they are far ahead of their time.  However, since then many similar sounding bands have made their way through my headphones.  But no one thus far has gotten close to Animal Collective within this genre I feel they made up themselves.

To say they are leaders in experimental synth pop is an understatement.  If they are members of the Senior class, the closest bands to their level of ‘goodness’ are Freshman, maybe incoming Sophomores at best.

And with a band that is ahead of its time, being extremely unique makes a lot of sense.  Especially within a genre that you could play for your parents and have them say, “This sounds like a bunch of noise.”  How can upcoming bands possibly try to mimic a formula that seems to be completely anti-formulaic.

Which brings up another reason I love this band.  I can’t possibly imagine the mental state that could produce such bizarre, yet perfect creativity.  Just imagine for a second that you are a member of Animal Collective at the moment the band sat down to write the new EP.

Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky

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Animal Collective – For Reverend Green

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You can pick up Fall Be Kind on iTunes.  And if you are like, “what the F is an Animal Collective?”  You should probably start with Strawberry Jam on iTunes.