Product Review

Half a decade in and Animal Collective still seem to have a grade-A supply of unfettered pop. The lucky bastards. Literally bursting at the seams with infuriatingly catchy hooks, the now four-piece Animal Collective are capable of conjuring an epic chorus or towering build-up from a seemingly scant palate, then molding it into compositions that would engage readers of Smash Hits and Mojo alike. Opening with 'Did You See the Words', Animal Collective take the non-Waco bollocks of the Polyphonic Spree, lace through some psychedelic swerves then bring to boil with a 20-foot tall, balls-to-the-wall chorus. Ouch. Elsewhere, 'The Purple Bottle' is high-speed glam-folk, 'Banshee Beat' is a quivering waterlogged composition laid out bare, whilst 'Turn Into Something' is a sugar-rush of high-octane pop. Animal magic. 2 LP set features 9 total tracks. Fat Cat. 2005.