Time Skiffs
by Animal Collective
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Feb 4, 2022
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 30
  3. Negative: 1 out of 30
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  1. ReubenIsAGod
    Feb 4, 2022
    8
    Good to see that Anco can still release really fun and enjoyable music! Hoping they continue to create stuff going forwards. This was a very pleasant surprise. Painting with was just everywhere, this is more focused and pleasant.
  2. bmkastelan
    Feb 4, 2022
    10
    An album that will please long time fans and bring in new ones. Accessible yet challenging in all the right ways. A buffet of everything the group has offered both as a band and in their solo works. Gorgeous and atmospheric.
  3. razzmatazz
    Feb 4, 2022
    10
    Good ol AC back in a mix of all their best sides imo! Started laughing from the first song being so catchy.
  4. Ryanedwardwolf
    Feb 4, 2022
    8
    Animal Collective is back with a more mellow, nostalgic trip through time this round, and their music sounds fresher and more intricate than it has in years!
  5. gobitoe
    Feb 8, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had never been into Animal Collective before this album, only having heard their most popular songs on Spotify. That said, I had no expectations going into this album since I had no frame of reference.

    The opener "Dragon Slayer", in my opinion was great. It had some great tempo change, melody, lyrics. My only regret is I wish the drum was more up-front in the mix.

    Following up, "Car Keys" really kept the up-tempo going on the record. I loved the instrumental, and the vocals were greatly mixed.

    "Prester John" Was great, but my first red flag on this album was "Strung with Everything". The track is great, but did it need to be 7 minutes long ? After the 3 mins mark, you've already heard everything the song has to offer and they just repeat the chorus over and over to the point where I just wanted to skip the track.

    "Walker" was kind of monotonous, but it was still decent regardless. It reminded me of a Beatles track with the same particular instrument used in it.....

    The last 4 tracks are what makes this album a 7 for me and not an 8 or a 9. "Cherokee" doesn't bring much to the table besides random noise over a drum track, and with a 7:50 run time, it gets boring very quickly, especially that the track before was not very up-beat.

    "Passer-by", once again, is very slow and doesn't bring much besides ambient noises over a drum track. "We go back" sounds like a B-side and isnt very interesting. And just to make it worse, the closing track is very slow paced and also sounds like the previous 3 tracks.    … Expand
  6. All_ButTrU4
    Feb 4, 2022
    7
    rarely do acts maintain their ability to be consistently enjoyable whilst pushing out a prolific discography. Animal collective doesn't hold back on this one which sounds like a return to ''merrie weather post pavilion'' heyday with a few shades of ''suntongs''. more gentle with the harmonies and no as lyrically vague as they tend to be.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Under The Radar
    Mar 16, 2022
    80
    Even within such historical constraints of tradition, the group manages to find new flavors to express, new combinations to offer. The collective’s preservation of our musical past continues to make time skiff and point the way to the future.
    Read full review
  2. Clash Music
    Feb 10, 2022
    80
    Whilst there is a real danger to being overly nostalgic, this album hits a happy medium.
    Read full review
  3. Beats Per Minute
    Feb 8, 2022
    80
    It’s a great American psychedelic record that retains an outsider perspective. And in that, a decade of ambitious exploration has finally paid off.
    Read full review
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