Tynan's Anger

SONGS OF THE DECADE #59

[For more info, read the Ground Rules of The Song of The Decade List]

Animal Collective - Lion in a Coma (2009)



"My Girls" took off because it was "transcendent," even if it was slow, and turgid, and not really anything at all resembling the pop masterpiece it was hyped to be. "Lion in a Coma" is the real highlight of Animal Collective's best album to date, featuring the kind of wild energy and variety that a freak folk band still in the Brooklyn underground should have. It's fun, fruital, and energetic, and the only time I've listened to Animal Collective and gone "Yes," not "Yes, but..."

I don't hate Animal Collective in the same way I don't hate Pavement—the state of affairs in the music industry that has led Animal Collective to become vastly overrated doesn't dismiss that their music is pretty good. What I'll say instead is that if Nirvana die-hards can consider "Lithium" and "Drain You" better songs than "Teen Spirit," and if Clash die-hards can consider "Clampdown" and "Death or Glory" better than "London Calling," that we can at least treat Animal Collective's "magnum opus" the same way. Of course, that would actually require actually devotedly listening to music (which means with no people around), being able to come up with individual opinions on it, and actually caring. Up until this year, I thought that's what Animal Collective fans were supposed to be the ones to do. At least the band in question is game for pulling the slack.

Labels: 2000s, animal collective, lion in a coma, lists, pop music, songs of the decade