Animal Collective - Ballet Slippers (Album Review)

 

Animal Collective - Ballet Slippers

(2019)

My copy: 2019 3LP set with etching on side F.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of their most commercially popular album, Animal Collective released this live compilation that chronicles the Merriweather Post Pavilion tour from 2009. Ballet Slippers is an expansive work weighing in at just over an hour and a half of material spanning two and a half vinyl discs. Tackling a live album that draws from a variety of different shows can be a daunting task for mixing, and Ballet Slippers does take some hits in the production department, but it is mostly well put together. 

Some tracks are played near exactly how they appear on their studio renditions (“In The Flowers,” “Summertime Clothes,” “My Girls,” etc.) and often are worse off for it. Animal Collective takes good measure to ensure the tones and atmospheres provided by the lush instrumentation on their albums are painstakingly recreated for their live performances, but the band truly shines when they expand the songs into foreign territory, tantalizing fans with new and exciting sounds. The energy is present on the songs that are played straight, but often nothing is added to prevent me from just pulling up the studio renditions. “In The Flowers” for example is well performed but due to the lack of bass in the mix, what is normally an explosive and visceral chorus instead is rather limp and unimaginative on Ballet Slippers.

Fortunately, Ballet Slippers does feature its share of experiments and improved psychedelic jams. “Who Could Win A Rabbit” is expanded from a two minute freak-folk punch into a slower, more rhythmically interesting expanse of synthesizers. “Bleed” from the Fall Be Kind EP is beautifully sung with echoed vocal harmonies that wrap the audience in a tender hug. Mostly new jam sections lead into the well known songs, as is the case with the opening of “Guys Eyes” which builds tension and marches steadily before dropping into the core of the song. 

“Banshee Beat” opts for a much more intimate approach as the drum beat that normally picks up part way through is cut, so as to shift focus to Avey Tare’s immaculate vocal performance, turning the song into more of a transcendental ballad than it is on its home album. “Lion In A Coma” and “No More Runnin’” are the most boring tracks from Merriweather Post Pavilion and they are unfortunately featured on this record over standouts like “Taste” or “Bluish.” “My Girls” and “Daily Routine” are included and are very well reproduced and even extended though nothing of substantial note is added. 

The track that caught most fans' eyes was the mammoth 20 minute rendition of “Fireworks” from Strawberry Jam that is combined with melodies from “Lablakely Dress” from the early and more obscure Danse Manatee. Roughly halfway through “Fireworks” Animal Collective break off into an extended and vibrant kraut-rock instrumental that features twinkled piano samples and warbled digital sounds. This wonderful combo of “Lablakely Dress” and “Fireworks” truly steals the spotlight away from the Merriweather Post Pavilion tracks which are meant to be the crux. 

Everything comes full circle as Ballet Slippers closes with the tribal chant of “Brother Sport” that features a primal juxtaposition in its call and response between vocal shrieks and synth beeps. The enjoyment you take from the live versions that replicate the studio albums closely depends entirely on how much you already like the song in question. The tracks that experiment and improvise are the truly impressive and worthwhile examples; and fans looking for more of this should instead check out Animal Collective’s other more creative live album from 2015 (Live At 9:30).