Painting With
by Animal Collective
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Feb 19, 2016
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 103
  3. Negative: 7 out of 103
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  1. BrushedRed
    Feb 19, 2016
    5
    Love Animal Collective, but this album just wasn't worth all the hype it generated. I was excited after Floridada and Lying in the Grass, but it seems I found this album to be quite boring as a whole and it lacks a lot of range and dynamics, or personality for that matter. Seems like they threw in a lot of electronics I'm guessing for no reasons. Even though the songs are short they tendLove Animal Collective, but this album just wasn't worth all the hype it generated. I was excited after Floridada and Lying in the Grass, but it seems I found this album to be quite boring as a whole and it lacks a lot of range and dynamics, or personality for that matter. Seems like they threw in a lot of electronics I'm guessing for no reasons. Even though the songs are short they tend to meander around and overstay their welcome. I mean it was a nice experiment, but this just fell short of my expectations… Expand
  2. frienderman
    Jul 3, 2016
    6
    There's no denying that it's fun; it's the Animal Collective that we've all come to love dearly, and whose childlike personas have birthed such creativity and life into music that can't be replicated elsewhere. Why, then, does Panting With feel like it has a curfew to its immediate showcase of enjoyment?
  3. whitfieldtom
    Apr 21, 2016
    4
    I've loved everything else Animal Collective have done, but I cannot get into this album.

    There's some good moments (On Delay intro, Bagels in Kiev build, Golden Gal), but the song sounds are too similar and all seem to end up sounding like the same gloopy sickly detuned mess.
  4. sammay600
    Jan 30, 2023
    6
    Honestly Animal Collective is one of my all time favorite band but this is their worst album. Yes worse than Danse Manatee. While Danse Manatee has new interesting sounds which is what the bad is known for there is little new and interesting here. Its pretty by the numbers psych pop. There are moments of greatness on tracks like "Bagels In Kiev" and "Vertical" but they are few and farHonestly Animal Collective is one of my all time favorite band but this is their worst album. Yes worse than Danse Manatee. While Danse Manatee has new interesting sounds which is what the bad is known for there is little new and interesting here. Its pretty by the numbers psych pop. There are moments of greatness on tracks like "Bagels In Kiev" and "Vertical" but they are few and far between. I feel this album really suffers from the lack of live drums because when I saw this album performed live with live drums the songs were far more enjoyable.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Most Discussed Album of 2016
66
#66 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 36
  3. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Apr 28, 2016
    50
    Full of punch, the album still never quite reaches its destination.
    Read full review
  2. Under The Radar
    Mar 31, 2016
    30
    Painting With is by a distance the most annoying album you'll hear this year, and not just because it sounds exactly how those people imagine the band always has.
    Read full review
  3. Dusted Magazine
    Mar 2, 2016
    60
    The confident, relaxed, but still concise and appealing “Vertical” indicates that Animal Collective still have some life in them, and as much as some of Painting With can tend to grate, it’s still an improvement from the band’s last two albums; trying to write pop songs instead of dance records or noise jams suits them in their middle age.
    Read full review
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