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Animal Collective

Strawberry Jam  Hear it Now

RS: 3of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2007

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The sixth album by this neocommunalist, neopsychedelic quartet improves on 2005's Feels, flashing more shards of tune to lure the coeds with the Coleman PerfectFlow InstaStart Lanterns over to their adamantly unkempt campfire. The welcoming “Peacebone,” the energetic “Chores” and the elated “Cuckoo Cuckoo” might get a young leisure consumer to risk conversion at one of the grotty neoprimitivist orgies their shows are bruited to be. Then again, the ninety seconds of weirded-up solo organ ostinato that then underlies or swallows three minutes of incomprehensible singing on “Winter Wonder Land” might inspire the same normal to stay home and watch Seinfeld reruns. It depends on how he or she felt about the six-minute centerpiece, “For Reverend Green,” where the listener strains to hear frontman Avey Tare rave, “I think it's all right to feel human now.” Great, really. But didn't we know that already?

ROBERT CHRISTGAU

(Posted: Sep 4, 2007)

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Review 1 of 15

radiowen writes:

5of 5 Stars


This is a fantastic, original album that finds beauty in small things. I feel like Christgau not only shirks on giving the album a fair take, he doesn't even show any understanding of it. His final bit of argumentative genius relates to the lyric "It's alright to feel human." Thankfully, the lyric is actually "It's alright to feel inhuman." If you're gonna give an album a fair shake, at least listen closely enough to quote a simple line.

Feb 26, 2008 23:22:44

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Review 2 of 15

twggyy writes:

5of 5 Stars


Animal Collective is one of my favorite bands.After the first time I listened to this album I only liked two or three songs. I listened a couple of more times and now I love the entire thing. I do agree with the other guy who said this rolling stone reviewer is too old and just not the right person to listen to this. I like old music, but I think that he believes that saying he likes kid rock makes him seem young and cool. This album is amazing, but animal collective is a sound that takes some work to get into. I would think that a reviewer for a big mag like RS would have that ability, but he seems surface oriented.

Feb 10, 2008 07:58:56

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Review 3 of 15

mcleanrockcity writes:

4of 5 Stars


Christgau is one of the best music journalists to have ever graced the field. If you disagree with him take it up with your ears, not his ability.

Nov 10, 2007 20:52:07

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Review 4 of 15

catdog writes:

5of 5 Stars


retarded. the fact that this band (probably the best around currently) is even rated lower than turds like kid rock is bad enough, but he had to throw in the lame white bread humor too, boring.
rolling stone is irrelevant anyway, but reviews like this just reinforce how unreliable/godawful it is. another magazine for people who dont care about music, written by people who also dont care about music. cool.

Oct 26, 2007 12:01:35

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Review 5 of 15

Indie writes:

4of 5 Stars


Animal Collective is one of the most innovative acts around. Yes, they're not very accessible, but the pop music world needs originality like theirs, otherwise many music fans will likely become tired of typical genre music. "Strawberry Jam" is one of the group's most consistent and joyful collections of songs. Please, give it a chance. They have created some beautiful melodies.

Oct 23, 2007 06:39:42

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Review 6 of 15

Rafael28 writes:

2of 5 Stars


"future of music"?! yea right!
this album will be forgotten, along with animals collectives other work

this album is ambitious but it completely falls on its ass, the songwriting is also very flimsy



2/5 just for trying to sound "original"

Oct 21, 2007 02:17:45

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Review 7 of 15

waldodio writes:

2of 5 Stars


Wow is this album annoying. Listening to it is like an itch in the middle of your back you can't reach. After a few minutes it starts to drive you batty. I guess it deserves a couple of stars simply for it's originality, but it's an originality that I hope doesn't catch on. If this is one of the best albums of the year as another poster proposed, then it's a really bad year.

Oct 16, 2007 08:20:15

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Review 8 of 15

ShawnRC writes:

5of 5 Stars


No surprise that the graying and ever-more-conservative Rolling Stone would hand off this record to the 65-year-old Christgau, and that he would totally miss the point. Once again, RS blows off one of the best record of a year, and cements the magainzne's position as THE source for aging Boomers who think they know what's good in music, but are really just interested in the latest drap rehash by artists who have "earned" the magazine's respect by being old.

Oct 12, 2007 06:57:10

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