| What the Kids Like: Panda Bear (real name, Noah Lennox) (Sept 24) |
| Written by Kevin Miller |
| Wednesday, 24 September 2008 11:00 |
But when you listen to albums like Pet Sounds and SMiLE (yes, SMiLE was actually released), you realize that the Beach Boys have some of the best melodies, vocal harmonies, and psychedelic-pop instrumentation around. That is, until Panda Bear released Person Pitch.
Panda Bear, real name Noah Lennox, is a member of one of my favorite bands, and one of the best bands out today, Animal Collective. Animal Collective is an experimental band; their sound is different on each record. Sometimes it's folky, sometimes it's noisy. Panda Bear's solo work isn't a total departure, but it does stay on track -- it's mostly psychedelic pop, acid folk, whatever you want to call it. It's chock full of vocal harmonies, wall-of-sound-type instrumental loops, and the best Brian Wilson impersonation I've ever heard.
What this album sounds like is Panda Bear in his room, sampling songs and making music that seems to repeat forever, while turning the reverb all the way up on his vocal track. Yes, the music is repetitious, almost to the point of it being obnoxious to people who aren't fans. That's what makes this such a phenomenal album; knowing that one person could produce such beautiful, melodic music. He moved to Portugal a few years ago, and it really seems to have had an impact on his sound.
The opening track, "Comfy In Nautica", really sets the tone for the album. It opens with looped handclaps and "ah's" (some say it's the word "try" said to sound like "ah's", and either way it's awesome), layered underneath reverb drenched vocals, creating a trippy, hypnotizing repetition perfect for an early morning drive in the countryside with the sunrise directly in front of you, like something out of a movie.
The centerpiece of the album, a twelve minute long "Bros", really is one of the best songs created in a long time. This is pop at its finest. This song makes anything the Beach Boys have done seem irrelevant. This song is twelve minutes of repetitious loops, sound effects, melody, vocal harmony, all evolving throughout the song. Then, it changes to the strumming of an acoustic guitar and some effects --reverb, echo and delay-- on the vocal track. The way Lennox layers his voice in this song is astounding; it's like aural sex. When the song is over, you are left thinking that twelve minutes is too short; the song needs to be longer, perhaps a week, maybe a month.
Then there's the song "Take Pills". It starts out slowly, with what sounds like field recordings of who knows what, and a tambourine. The vocals are really slow to start, but as the song progresses, there is a sudden change in mood. Suddenly, Lennox busts out the acoustic guitar and the vocals pick up the pace. He kicks it up a notch, seemingly. Apparently he was on anti-depressants after the death of his father, and it's clear that the song is about that era in his life:
Surely there is
no substitute
for company.
My mom's ripping
off her hands
one flake at a time.
All her children left the house
and left her all alone
but just like she'd tell me
things get better
just wait
and you'll see.
Take one day at a time
everything else you can leave behind.
Only on thing at a time
anything more really hurts your mind
I don't want for us to
take pills
anymore.
Not that it's bad,
I don't want for us to take pills
because we're stronger
and we don't need them.
Sure, it's not the best poetry ever, but it doesn't need to be. The melody, the rhythm, the way the song progresses and changes tempo is what is really important. The mood shifts and makes for a really great song filled with great effects and musicianship.
Person Pitch was on plenty of Best Of... lists in 2007, and rightfully so. He crafted an amazing album, utilizing vocal harmonies and looping samples better than almost anyone has ever done before. Panda Bear is extremely talented, as made evident by his work in Animal Collective, and he pushes that talent a step further with Person Pitch. So seriously go buy it. Yes, pay for it. With real money. I don't often tell someone to buy an album. I usually say "get it", which is my way of saying "download it". But this time, I am telling you: Buy it. If you need to buy it online (which you will), do it. You won't regret it.
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