Animal Collective - Here Comes The Indian (2003)

Here Comes the Indian is a hodgepodge. This record was crafted before Animal Collective realised how to expertly merge experimental sounds with a pop sensibility. The sole thing keeping this mishmash of noises together is the drum beat, otherwise it’s just a collection of textures.

Avey’s and Panda’s vocal capabilities are wasted on this album. In the middle of “Hey Light” the band resorts to intermittently hand clapping backed by complete silence. We understand fellas, you’re on acid and you’re REALLY soaring.

“Infant Dressing Table” squanders 2 minutes with muted insect sounds. Stretching a texture for 8 minutes might be considered audacious at MoMA, but to listen to is actually just tedious. The song is salvaged somewhat, by vocal howls that long for something (someone?).

“Panic” is muddled and disorientating. Sounds drift in and dissipate over aimless humming. “Two Sails on a Sound” continues with the check-out-this-flow-and-texture-of-noises-that-can’t-be-dismissed-as-trivial inconsequentiality. Is this album actually cerebral? Am I fool? I could just be part of a minority of individuals who do not salivate at the opportunity to listen to squawks and buzzes for 45 minutes.

The 2nd last track, “Slippi”, sounds like the band just woke up, as though they realised they accidentally left the recording equipment on for the past half hour and decided to write a song. Finally, "Too Soon" takes a stab at a tangible listening experience and proves quite delightful.

The artwork is eye-popping, a personal favourite actually. As a record, Here Comes the Indian still proves worth a listen, if only to see where Animal Collective came from, if only to listen with a quizzical expression at the AC incarnation pre-Sung Tongs, pre-perfection.

49
(50 - SM)
Combined Rating = 49.5