Though still months away from its release, Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion (January 20th via Domino) is causing a great deal of excitement amongst fans. If I am proof enough, we are so eager for any news or soundbites from the forthcoming album that may emerge in the months leading up to group’s seventh proper release that when something does come, it stops us right in our tracks. Well, at least that’s what happened when we came across the latest example. Though bootleg snippets from many of Merriweather’s songs can be found on the internet these days, today, for your listening pleasure, we present you with the album version off the record’s closer, “Brother Sport”, found on the trusty web via Stereogum.
The song, quite frankly, kicks ass. It is heavy on samples, as is most of the group’s recent work, but still maintains an organic feel. The cheery tune evokes the Beach Boys whilst simultaneously utilizing tribal drumming and melodica. It is an onslaught of sonic sun that would make even Brain Wilson smile a big one. But, don’t just take it from me . . .
Update: Gold old Mr. Web Sheriff is at again, though we can’t really blame him since it his job. So unless you want to go the more unethical route, this live NPR version of the song (courtesy GvB) will have to suffice for the time being.
Animal Collective will embark on a short international tour, which even includes some stops here on our own soil, before (after and during) the release of the new album which bears the same name as the Columbia, MD venue.
Animal Collective 2009 Tour Dates:
01/12 – London, England @ KOKO
01/13 – Glasgow, Scotland @ School Of Arts
01/14 – Manchester, England @ Club Academy
01/15 – Brighton, England @ Concorde 2
01/16 – Paris, France @ Bataclan
01/17 – Leuven, Belgium @ Stuk
01/18 – Berlin, Germany @ Postbahnhof
01/20 – New York, NY @ Grand Ballroom
01/22 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
01/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda
