Panda Bear (otherwise known as Noah Lennox, from Animal Collective “fame”) has a new album, Person Pitch, which was released off of Paw Tracks on March 20th. There was much hesitation prior to getting my hands on it, because it was only over the past year or so that I acquired a taste to the sounds of Animal Collective (what can I say? I’m a late bloomer), but everytime I would attempt to hear a track or two of Lennox’s solo music, I was left indifferent. Quickly after the release of Person Pitch, there was much circulation of outstanding reviews among music blogs. Even…Pitchfork? Damn, if Pitchfork rates it with 0.6 points short of being a perfect ten, there is no doubt in my mind that the staff must have simultaneously lost control of their bowel movements whilst listening, right? Um…maybe. Nevertheless, as an Animal Collective fan, it was my duty to figure out what all the hype was about.

After giving it a listen-through twice or thrice, it was no wonder why people have been shitting themselves over this album. Did I soil my Levi’s, though? Not a chance.

The atmosphere is moreso in essence of Animal Collective than Panda’s 2004/2005 release, Young Prayer, and then some. As mentioned by virtually everyone who has heard this record already, there is an uncanny Beach Boys similarity, even from the first track, “Comfy in Nautica.” You anticipate the build-up of the song with the rhythmic stomping and vocals, and as Lennox utters his words, he does it in such a way that he could possibly be mistaken for high school student reciting their alma mater. “Be True to Your School,” anyone?

Person Pitch’s stand out track, “Bros,” is a twelve and a half minute composition that certainly does not feel like twelve and a half minutes were taken away from you. After listening to almost any song over ten minutes makes me want to gouge my eyes out. In this case, however, a lot of elements were thrown into the mix that makes “Bros” an untypical but genuine pop song: guitar (ala Pete Townshend circa ‘65 - ‘68ish, think “Happy Jack”), looping of echo-y, harmonized vocals and jangly instruments, and a whole lot of surprises! What more could you ask for? “A shorter song,” you say? Well, wouldn’t you know, there is a radio edit of the song that cuts it right in half. It is available somewhere on the Interweb, for those who are like me and start twitching after the ten-minute mark.

I could go on about each track if I wanted to, but that would just be redundant. Each one has its own sound, which keeps the record fresh and capricious, yet there is consistency. The continuous reverberating, layered vocals are ethereal and dreamy, while the instrumentation is whimsical yet coordinated, much like what Brian Wilson was dabbling with, as he tickled the ivories while comfortably resting his feet in a giant sandbox.

If you haven’t had the chance to hear Person Pitch yet, please do, but I would suggest having a second pair of underwear in hand, just in case. You’ll thank me afterwards.

Mp3: Comfy In Nautica
Buy: Person Pitch

Written by: Sara on April 8th, 2007 | Filed under Music Reviews