Monday, February 7, 2011

Immortal Technique vs. Animal Collective

So, this was never going to be a fair fight. When I was first checking out Animal Collective, I found a bunch of stuff that sounded like manatees mating or something and thought: “Who chose this one?” Sure enough, my counter-culture, fight-the-man brother. Then I tried out Immortal Technique (aka Felipe Andres Coronel) and thought: “what about this?” ah – my “let’s shake things up” sister-in-law, Brooke. Fantastic match-up – which one do I want to piss off first?

Let’s start with Immortal Technique. I asked Eric – “how can I write this review without sounding too old, white, and cranky?” And he said: “Maybe you should start with that disclaimer.” So – there it is – I’m white, pushing 40, and have a 2-year old daughter. I am not Felipe Coronel’s target audience. That being said, I truly admire him. He’s probably the smartest rapper I’ve ever heard – I genuinely like the song “Harlem Renaissance” in which he superimposed a lecture by an old dry professor on the flowering of culture in the 1920s in Harlem to the current economic realities of gentrification which are forcing blacks out of the neighborhood today. He’s incredibly literate – he slams Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, the whole gamut. But – I tire of the songs quickly, and my mom-ears cringe at the sheer volume of f-bombs and other expletives. I don’t consider myself to be terribly PC, but here are 3 lines that made me cringe:

- “the movement was still fucked up like Parkinsons”

- “frustrating like watching a porno on 56K” (though really, really funny)

- “marry a Muslim girl and fuck her five times a day, right after we shower and pray.” (hmmm)

Basically, I respect his work, but I feel like a poser when listening to it – kind of like when I try out the Baltimore street slang that I learned from watching the drug trade on “The Wire.” It just doesn’t work. My dear sister-in-law may be hip enough to pull this off, but sadly, I am not.


After I took the time to actually find the right album from Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion, I found that I liked it much better than the manatee love songs that I’d heard before. It’s very ambient, lyrical, accessible – much more like my taste in music. Some songs, like “Summertime Clothes” had a retro, almost Beatles-like quality to them. A few songs seemed to go on too long, but the instrumentation was interesting and the vocal quality was good. There were a couple of songs – like “Bluish”, that seemed to take on an almost Beach-boys sound, which I didn’t care for, but overall, it was an interesting band. The lyrics aren’t profound – I mean, they’re no Weakerthans or anything – but I enjoyed listening to them.

Animal Collective moves forward. Sorry Brooke – you’re just too hip for me.

23 comments:

  1. Why do girls hate the Beach Boys? It just makes no sense. They're so dreamy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't hate the Beach Boys, Andrew. But way to generalize.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I thought everyone under 60 hated the Beach Boys. Mos' def.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahhh Sarah, you're such an easy mark.

    Eric, it sounds like you've been watching The Wire.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I didn't love the Beach Boys till I was 35. I plan on hating them again when I turn 43. Who knows what my tastes will be when I turn 60?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anne, YOU NO HAVE HIP SISTER only HIP BROTHER

    ReplyDelete
  7. the beach boys suuuuuuck. the fact that some are defending them sheds some light on why the Weakerthans were booted out so early. (I'm good at grudges, aren't I?)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hold on a second Ann--this is going to blow your mind: I like the Beachboys and The Weakerthans.

    We're talking about Pet Sounds Era Beachboys, right? Not Kokomo era Beachboys...

    And I assume we're talking Left and Leaving era Weakerthans...?

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's funny the Beach Boys came up in this way...Back in the day, I was at the record store in Dearborn, MI owned by Windy and Carl, the husband and wife minimalist music duo whose music i've never listened to...Anyhoo, Windy was complaining to a customer that Carl kept going on about how much he loved the Beach Boys...Windy agreed that they we're, in fact, good and that she like them, but that she didn't care for their harmonies...I remember being surprised by her assessment...that's like saying I like Hendrix, but I can't stand the guitar playing...For the record, I think Pet Sounds is nearly flawless in every regard...the harmonies, the arrangements, the use of percussion, even the lyrics are wonderfully simple and non-poetic/metaphorical...but what do I know, I have balls...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome tale, Andy. Did you make that story up last night or have you been working on it for a while?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Sarah...You always know the right thing to say...That's one of the seven signs that someone is a true friend...Hindsight is 20/20 they say, and my story, while true, is clearly retarded...Thanks for calling me on it...

    ReplyDelete
  12. When I think of the Beach Boys, I think of "Little Deuce Coop," Annette Funicello movies, and 30 year old Luke Perry playing a high school kid. I'm not sure I can get past that, Andrew.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I must admit that I'm not familiar with the entire oeuvre of the beach boys' work, but frankly, I don't think I'll bother.

    Andrew, after Weakterthans were shot down over whats-his-face and Lady Gaga was chosen (let alone Lady Gaga was let into the death match) nothing surprises me anymore.

    oh - and my name is spelled with an e - Anne. Sorry - it's one of those little things that bugs me.

    ReplyDelete
  14. First Eric needs an "s" on the end of his last name; now, you claim you need an "e". You people are strict.

    -andre

    ReplyDelete
  15. Andre, you may have my s.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5COHP3KZuq4

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just to clarify, this LaGrand used to think that the Beach Boys sucked too until I realized........they sometimes ruled.

    ReplyDelete
  17. meh - i still say that the suckitude outweighs any potential merits. plus - why is everybody talking about the beach boys? isn't anyone going to say anything about the 2 bands that were actually reviewed?

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love Animal Collective. Seriously, this album is the contemporary Pet Sounds. These guys are totally the modern day Beachboys.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sarah, I can vouch for the truth of Andrew W's story...Windy likes the Beach Boys but doesn't like their harmonies, it's true...I believe I was there, if memory serves me correctly...She was also complaining about how BO-ring space rock had become...Whatevs...Anyhoo, I think it's funny that this year we try to have a "contemporary" MDM with music from the last 5 years, and pretty much the longest post yet has been a great big argument over the friggin' Beach Boys...Who are wonderful BTW, as long as Brian Wilson is involved. I agree that Pet Sounds is a masterpiece...Some of it is just so melancholy...Not something people usually associate with the Beach Boys sound...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Andrew - you're insufferable. When is your birthday? I want to get you a "best of the beachboys" album, along with a Hawaiian shirt and an "over the hill" beer mug.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think Andy W. posted that as Eric Smith. You know how I know? Normally Eric doesn't use all those ellipses. Nice try though, Andy. Hardy har.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ann, I've moved on. If you want me, I'll be over on the Janelle Monae post, talking about Joni Mitchell.

    ReplyDelete