Album Review: Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
The original 2009 CD and digital releases (the ones traded on blogs like My Old Kentucky Blog and Gorilla vs. Bear in the spring of 2009) had a specific loudness signature. They were loud, yes (the "Loudness War" was in full swing), but they retained dynamic headroom. Modern "hi-res" streams (24-bit FLAC on Tidal or Apple Music Lossless) are technically superior, but they often sound different—EQ adjustments, different compression ratios, or flat transfers from different master tapes. Modern "hi-res" streams (24-bit FLAC on Tidal or
Prior to 2009, Animal Collective—consisting of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb)—was primarily known for a chaotic, acoustic-driven brand of freak-folk. Records like Sung Tongs (2004) and Feels (2005) relied heavily on screaming vocals, campfire acoustic guitars, and organic percussion. but they often sound different—EQ adjustments