Animal Collective - Animal Crack Box (Album Review)

 

Animal Collective - Animal Crack Box

(2009)


My copy: 2009 box set by Catsup Plate.


Standing as a holy grail of sorts for diehard Animal Collective fans, the Animal Crack Box is a vinyl-only collection of rare live recordings and demos from the band's early years, limited to a single pressing in an edition of 1,000. The recordings are mostly lo-fi MiniDisc captures of live shows or practice space rehearsals, and yet exciting moments are strewn all across this 3LP expanse. 

The first LP focuses on noisy and chaotic tracks from the Danse Manatee and Hollinndagain eras, featuring early performances with Geologist. The recordings are crude and barebones, but the vibrating textures of “Jimmy Raven (The Living Toys)” create a hypnotic momentum along with compelling falsetto howls. The bass drone of Danse Manatee’s “Ahhh Good Country” balances out the pulsating alien waves of pseudo melody, with drums that stumble and crash about before building impressively. “Iko Ovo” is a rare demo that moves from a schizophrenic pow-wow with pitch-shifting vocals to a crescendo of snappy drum rolls.

The B-side chronicles the “Pumpkin” trilogy, with only “Pumpkin Gets A Snakebite” formally appearing on Hollinndagain. The addition of Geologist is welcome for his contribution of ethereal melodies that poke their way between warped vocal transmissions and distorted, bleeding guitar experiments - this is probably the least accessible portion of the record, if not their whole discography simply for its primal qualities and harsh recording.

The second LP collects acoustic tracks from the Campfire Songs era as well as a track from Panda Bear’s Young Prayer and other rarities. “Jungle Heat” through to “De Soto De Sun” might be the most convincing argument for seeking out this collection, as the layered, intimate guitar/vocal harmonies are the perfect counterbalance to the preceding noise demonstrations. “Hey Friend” boasts beautiful harmonies and clever percussive guitar tones while “De Soto De Sun” is wonderfully executed (and even features Avey sneaking in a birthday wish to his sister Abby). 

“Oh Sweet” is the first song on the record to feature Deakin, likely contributing the throbbing effect-laden guitar that swings around Avey’s vocal drones and background cacophonies. “Young Prayer #2” is an emotional song, and Panda Bear’s vocal chops are on full display in this touching live rendition, being ironically followed by Avey’s raunchy and bipolar “Do The Nurse.” 

The E-side houses some of their earliest live sets with the full band lineup, with their evolution being apparent on “Ice Cream Factory” which uses synth sounds and yearning chord progressions that harken to Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, though the lyrics are bolder and more profane than any other Animal Collective song (“...Go get fucked up”). “Hey Light” and “Two Sails” appear from Ark (Here Comes The Indian) with the latter extending into some of their most effective dark ambient work. 

The final batch of songs are all from the Sung Tongs era, which is the biggest reason for this collection being so coveted. The planned Sung Tongs track “Covered In Frogs” has a lovely version on this set, using repetition, and psychedelic vocal layering to melt into a bath of warm acoustic sounds. “Don’t Believe The Pilot” is also a fun rarity for its syncopated guitar mesh and growled vocal moments. “Who Could Win A Rabbit” and “Mouth Wooed Her” are a touch sloppy, but lovingly performed while “We Tigers” is so utterly destroyed with distortion that it is nigh unrecognizable. 

And so the Animal Crack Box begs the question: is it really worth it? Considering the expense required to snatch one of these up second hand, it depends on how much you like Animal Collective or weird, lo-fi psych demos. There are truly amazing moments stashed away on this collection, like hidden gems, but some tracks will test your patience. The Animal Crack Box ultimately is a great piece that grants a unique look into the early days of one of the most prolific modern psych bands - whether you find their approach to be the result of pretension or bravery, it is impossible to ignore their charming, innocent and fresh take on melody and layering.

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