Animal Collective is a rock band that loves to shred their true music skin. Sure, sometimes it's been a soaring success, most notably 2009's masterpiece "Merriweather Post Pavillion", or the grotesquely colorful and loveable "Strawberry Jam". "Centipede Hz" is an album that's more electronic and more wild, however, painfully difficult to get through. It's an album that a lot of fans will pretend to like. I love the tracks "Applesauce", or "Today's Supernatural", but 2 out of 11 tracks is pretty disappointing. I'm sure the guys will have something different int heir next record, but Centipede Hz is a failed experiment.

5/10… Expand

I'd like to preface this review by saying that the only Animal Collective albums I've heard prior to this are Strawberry Jam & Merriwhether Post-Pavillion. I'd say overall this sounds more like Strawberry Jam than MPP in that it's overall very dense, chaotic & hyper while also having a great knack for hooks & melody. Case in point: lead single Today's Supernatural. All these traits are especially prevalent in this track, combining an odd yet catchy groove with that irresistible "c'mon LELELELELELELET GO!!!" refrain that ends more & more scream-y as the song progresses. Opening track Moonjock starts out with a one-chord guitar riff but it's enough to hook you in, taking you through a bunch of different sections that, while slightly changing mood, still flow together very well. Similar compliments can be given to fourth track Applesauce. Problems seem to come up later in the album though, which expose its main flaw. If you've seen any negative criticism of this album then you know exactly where I'm going with this. It seems like here they've gone out of their way to add "weirdness" to the songs by adding little effects & a lot of thickness. Now in theory this isn't a bad thing. It worked very well on Strawberry Jam in doses. Here though, it isn't in doses. It's just poured on, seemingly to make the songs feel more "experimental" sounding. Take the third track Rosie Oh for example. There's some very good songwriting here between the guitar riff & vocal melody. Unfortunately they feel the need to put a bunch of unnecessary dissonant drones & a repeating sound effect that almost sounds like a mix between a laser & a drill in the mix that kills any mood the first 10 seconds was setting. It's just obnoxious distraction in an otherwise great song. Not only does that trend continue multiple times throughout the album, but in some cases we don't even get the benefit of the songwriting being all that memorable. Fortunately though, sometimes a good balance is reached, like in Father Time, which makes interesting yet sparse use of a sample of a group of children saying "yeah" combined with a simple yet hooky synth line. My point is that if they stuck to the Rosie Oh formula then they would've just repeated that sample every 2 seconds for no discernible reason. Also while there's an abundance of sound effects & noises in New Town Burnout, it's put much lower in the mix than everything else to create an interesting little sound collage background, even if they sadly become louder & louder as the song progresses throughout its 6-minute run. And this recurring problem is projected to a much higher degree in Monkey Riches, which is the biggest offender of this on the whole album. I love the instrumentation & melodies, especially in the chorus, but again the obnoxious overproduction nearly kills it for me altogether. And that break in the middle that just plays all these effects together at once with nothing backing it... SO ANNOYING! This continues into Mercury Man, where I can barely even make out the vocals anymore. The ending of the album isn't very satisfying either. Previous closers like Derek & Brother Sport brought things down to a somber note to gently land the album in for the end. This is just another uninteresting song that just... ends... I guess. Honestly I kinda lose interest after track 8 Monkey Riches, no matter how much I try. One more problem, even though this might be nitpicking: there's way too many seamless transitions between tracks. Now once or twice I'd understand; it creates a cool effect. But here they use that technique on practically every track, and as a result they at times become hard to tell apart.

Overall, while Centipede Hz does certainly have its flaws, it's still Animal Collective, and they're still great at creating very eclectic, experimental & hooky songs. They just need to learn when to stop piling on the effects... Score: 74/100… Expand

This is one of the first albums that I have been unbelievably excited for and then upon listening to it for a few weeks, took it out of my music library. I am not sure if the return of deakin screwed things up or they just were not sure where to go after MPP. It is just... not that great. The beats are more annoying than catchy and overall the album is just crowded and loud while still managing to be bland. I would rank this waaaay below MPP, SJ, Feels and ST. It was just completely uninspired. Perhaps deakin needs to be kicked to the curb or perhaps AC needs to take a good long look at where they are going.… Expand

I think Animal Collective`s new album has old sound like their first 6 albums with a few electronic stuff. They previously said about the return to the initial sounding... Centipede Hz appeal to me but don`t amazes as much as Merriweather Post Pavilion did. MPP has incredibly fresh sound not only for whole music industry as also for AC themselves))) For this moment I`m thinking that Centipede Hz their third best album after MMP & Strawberry Jam.… Expand

This is hands down the best record of the year and definitely the best AC record ever made. Don't get me wrong, I love all of their music. I am just as much in love with Spirit and Danse as I am with Strawberry Jam and MPP. But this record is on another level. It takes the best elements from their music and combines them into one giant masterpiece. I have a genuine love for the songs on this record and I could go the rest of my life without listening to anything else. Long live Animal Collective.… Expand

I haven't listened to MPP, so I cannot compare to what was hallmarked as their greatest album to date. Saying that, this album was very bold & out there, using a range of elements which give this album a very powerful drive. However at times it feel a little bit untidy, but nevertheless the experimentation is well played.

I just love this album, and it truly deserves much more praise than it has been given. Worse reviewed than Strawberry Jam? This album crushes Strawberry Jam. This would be up with my 3 personal favorite AC albums (MPP, Feels, and this). It takes the best aspects of their wilder material and adds the crisp production of MPP, resulting in a completely unique sonic experience. This year was treading water for me until this album and Shields came out - this is possibly my favorite of the year.… Expand

Beckoning back the Strawberry Jam-era of the band more so than Merriweather Post Pavilion does, Centipede Hz proves a difficult listen at first, but there is as many ideas here at play as Merriweather. The LP's promo 'Today's Supernatural' is a tornado of reverbed guitars and pounding drum beats, accompanied by Avey Tare's shouts and wails. The song segues into the somewhat poppy 'Rosie Oh', and then into the crazy, wonderful and colourful 'Applesauce'. The latter half of the album takes a quieter tone than it's excited, jumpy other half, though it's not without it's moments, particularly the closer. Overall, Centipede Hz doesn't quite reach the dreamy, psychedelic heights of it's predecessor, but it's a damn sight close.… Expand

I love this album. It's playful, mad and fun. It makes me feel good, a certain kind of feeling in my belly. The only song that I don't like so much on the album is new town burnout, because it sounds a lot like the stuff panda bear does solo. Honeycomb should have replaced it.
I enjoy centipede hz more than MPP. It seems to me like it's the people that prefer MPP over everything else the group has done are the ones that are disappointed.… Expand

If you look at their back catalogue you'll know that their primary function is not to make pleasant sounding music, so that criticism doesn't carry much weight. That's what most reviewers are likely to invoke, however, which serves as the unfortunate litmus betraying unfamiliarity with the group. The magic the collective holds lies not in producing music with mass appeal, but in their ability to embrace challenging sounds and combinations of sounds, an alchemy in which the individual listener also participates, and one in which animal collective and merry crew co-chart a course of mutual discovery--the final goal of which is nothing less than continually unfolding transformation.

In that respect MMP was something of a happy accident, garnering countless unanticipated accolades. This time around, however, Animal Collective have sacrificed some of the surface appeal of that record in favor of a richly-detailed, jostling boisterousness--I get the impression that they are a touring carnival act-- that lends itself most readily to the task of repeated listens.

Whether or not this record carries with it any ulterior meaning remains to be seen. One or two of the reviews I have read through this site have sussed something subsurface, but the mystery of its depths is far from plumbed.… Expand

Centipede Hz, by comparison, feels like someone throwing a burrito on your windshield: The songs hit with a jolt, instantly splaying all their ingredients before you.
7.4/10

I want to partially agree with indiekid on this. There is a LOT of unnecessary sounds enveloping this whole thing and when stripped away some of the songs aren't left with much. There are also a decent number of songs where the sound effects actually take away from the song. (Ex: 'Moonjock' with those horrible internet radio noises on the chorus and all over the song in general). My biggest gripe is the production/mastering. It is just awful. Compared to their previous sonic outings this thing sounds like it's in mono. Just totally flat and 2d sounding. Everything is all shoved together and instruments and tracks don't have space to really breathe. For instance, 'New Town Burnout' could have been IMMENSE given the right touch. Same thing with 'Father Time'. Finally, I'd like to say that it seems the lyrics to on this album are just sort of thrown together and most of them come off as contrived to me. I'm not buying it. What the hell is a 'honey can roll' anyway? or a 'bionic hee-haw'? It almost seems like this band has become a caricature of themselves. I hope they can pull it out and right this on the next one though.
Previous points withstanding, there are still a handful of decent tracks here, hence the 5 rating. Highlights: Moonjock (if you can get past the awful sounds), Today's Supernatural, Applesauce, Monkey Riches.… Expand

It seems from the first few moments of the ambitious opening track "Moonjack" that AC is on to something great and indescribable. Throughout the album, these sublime moments do occur again here and there, like with the song transitions that sound like an acid-laced radio-tuning session. At the same time, the album does run a bit too long, and there are some moments here that feel unnecessary. But is still a very good album, and occasionally a great one. Not as immediately likable as MWPP, Centipede Hz grows on you after repeated listening. Standout tracks include Moonjack, New Town Burnout, Monkey Riches… Expand

I love this band and even though their more experimental stuff can be hard to listen to, I still appreciate most of their music for its innovation and originality. With this album, you can strip away all the noises and gunk that soak the songs and find yourself with an unimpressive foundation. Most of the songs have somewhat interesting sonic ideas, but these ideas never go anywhere. The first song, moonjock, for instance starts off with a jolting beat that gets you excited to hear it and then the song just overwhelms itself with too many sounds that it becomes musical mush. its like wanting to have a smoothie and adding every fruit in existence into it and while it may seem good, when you're done making it you're just left with a smoothie that has too much in it and its not enjoyable at all. I think animal collective should go back to making strawberry banana smoothies.… Collapse

I'm glad these guys are still making music. Who sounds like AC? Centipede Hz is just as good if not better than MPP and Feels which were fantastic! Words of warning: the sound of your favorite song will be locked in your brain all day- though this might be construed as great to some people.

One of my favourite albums of the year. Animal Collective's last album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, created a lot of pressure for the band's follow up release and In my opinion they have delivered. Songs such as Today's Supernatural, Moonjock, Monkey Riches and Mercury Man stand out for me. It's a much more complicated album with many more effects used in songs than MPP, which can take away from a few songs that feel too dense or over-complicated. A great Album.… Expand

This a really cool record, definitely one of their best. Noisy like Here Comes the Indian, but poppy like Strawberry Jam. If Avey Tare's Down There had a baby with Strawberry Jam, it would be this album.

I'm disappointed by many of the user reviews and even some critical reviews of this album (Pitchfork's and AV Club's in particular). Granted, this is a dense and difficult album to get through, and by no means Animal Collective's best. That said, as a long-time fan, I think they did a brilliant job of combining the structured approach of their later albums with the harsh experimentalism of their earlier work. I won't deny that it took me three or four listen-throughs to fully grasp what the group was going for, and it is quite a modern departure from their traditionally organic sound. The final suite of three tracks (Mercury Man, Pulleys, and the amazing Amanita) is some of their best work to date. Do yourself a favor and ignore the reviews; give this album the effort it deserves!… Expand

I've been a fan of Animal Collective since the beginning, and I hate to say it, but this album was difficult to get through. Very disappointing. It's about 40% good, which I usually am fully on board with their entire albums. Let down.

A bit harder than their previous effort. Has more in common with Strawberry Jam than Merriweather Post Pavilion. Songs on here have a vaguely brazillian sound to them and a tad more aggressiveness. Its an interesting contrast to the rather soft, wet and wavey sound of Merriwather. It kind of fits Animal collective's tradition of changing their tone and sound with each new album while still retaining their basic style of thick sonic density. However, in the end, it just does not have the same effect on me emotionally that their last four albums had on me. In my opinion, Animal Collective peaked on their last album, but if this album is any indication, their descent into mediocrity will be a slow but still rather enjoyable one. Although, maybe in the future, when they try and reinvent themselves again on their next album, they will pull out another MPP and prove they have yet to hit their real peak.… Expand

Lot's of people hating on this album, but I was not disappointed. After MMP, I was glad to see AC take things in a much more experimental direction. Not as accessible, but I keep finding new things to appreciate after every listen.

Typically half-baked dribble from one of the most overrated bands of all-time. It's a real shame that this is the kind of alternatives hipster culture comes up with in reaction to the Katy Perry's out there, when there are so many talented bands that never get a fair shake from Pitchfork.

excellent album that is receiving negative reviews by folks without patience. this album certainly rewards those who are willing to really listen. these songs are incredibly dense and that seems to turns some people off for some reason. i personally love that i can listen to these songs a bunch of times and keep hearing new things. this album has a sonic aesthetic all its own and while you can certainly hear influences from more traditional genres and eras of music it is all filtered through Animal Collective's unique vision of sound. this album is tough and abrasive but in all the right ways and there are some true moments of beauty throughout.… Expand

First review after years of lurking. I love this album, and while I agree that it's not as immediately accessible as MPP, it is still a near masterpiece in my eyes. Give this thing more than one listen, chances are that you will come to appreciate it more.

LAZARE BERMAN, PIANIST DIES AT 74 74 74, HIS ORGANS SPLAYED OVER MY WINDSHIELD LIKE A MESSY BURRITO, THE BERMAN CONSPIRACY CONTINUES, WHAT HAS THIS WORLD BECOME, WE ARE LIVING IN THE BERMAN DAYs

There's no other band doing this, simply. Yet another near masterpiece from these guys, let it settle in, takes a while, but a beautiful piece . They are a rarity these days.

Wow, simply wow. Animal Collective continues to release the best music available on the market today. They've separated themselves from the pack and are definitively the best indie band out there today. I'm honestly surprised at the Pitchfork review I read for this album, because it seems to scorn everything that makes AnCo great. Don't believe me? Read the review. Anyway, Moonjock has to be the best opening track they've had. When I heard, "This is the new centipede" and the opening crashing cymbals I was preparing for my mind to be blown, and I was not disappointed.… Expand

7.4 out of 10 because listening to it was like a burrito on my windshield. Above all I thought their back-nature ethos could really use a step up and the result is like a splatter-jacked beach boys fantasia, it was jolty, splaying underwhelming ataraxia ataxia noise synth reverie oscillating burrito from taco time on my windshield. 7.4/10 would not pollinate

Theres a couple tracks that shouldnt have made it, Applesauce and Mercury Man weigh it down and make it a bit overwrought and difficult in a way that doesnt pay off. Other than that I think it sits intriguingly enough in their catalog. After the faultless, beautiful Fall Be Kind ep its a pinch disappointing but from any other band it would be brilliant. From AC its just 'very good'. Still, Moonjock, Today's, New Town, Monkey Riches and Amanita make it worth the price of admission. If they had just made that another e.p it woulda been the best ep of all time.… Expand

A pretty solid effort that never quite slows down enough.