Animal Collective NY Times Vocab

So the New York Times profiled our dearly beloved Animal Collective the other day. As I read through trying to picture the imagery writer Jon Caramanica was creating with his words such as "bee-swarm synths," I was also struck with the thought that he had a thesaurus by his side while composing it. That or had the Dictionary application open on his Mac. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but I sure did after reading it. While it's rather easy to deduce what the words represent without knowing the exact dictionary definition, I thought it'd still to be rad to seek a few of them out. It's something I try to do with all words if they're not already a part of my everyday vocabulary. The dictionary is my favorite book.

Four words I picked, their definition and their usage in Caramanica's album/show review:

obfuscated

• render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible: "Chaos has long been one of this band’s strengths, but “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is Animal Collective’s least obfuscated album..."

propulsive

• the action of driving or pushing forward: "It’s propulsive and balanced, tenderly written and almost unrelentingly optimistic."

onanistic

• masturbation or coitus interruptus: "The group churned through most of “Merriweather Post Pavilion” in overly dutiful, sometimes onanistic fashion..."

morass

• an area of muddy or boggy ground: "The group churned through most of “Merriweather Post Pavilion” ... as if wading waist-deep through some gluey morass."

How will you use them in a sentence?

The situation he describes in his review is a bit disheartening and totally different from when I saw them live at the Roseland in 2007. Could it because they're actually playing material from the album their supporting on this go around rather than a set disproportionately heavy on brand new stuff as is usually their pattern? I totally get they're "not in a new place right now" and don't want to be forced to jump ahead to material for their next album yet. I'm actually kinda looking forward to knowing that I'll get to hear my fave Merriweather cuts. Could it just be that particular show Caramanica caught? I do hope so. And actually, I think that's it, especially after reading Brooklyn Vegan's take on a show the following night, a show that officially turned BV into a convert.

My fave part of the article is when he draws comparisons to TV on the Radio's output and Dear Science in particular towards the end. He concludes that both acts are still "willfully difficult" which couldn't be more on the mark in my opinion. I'll never forget the assertion that "Animal Collective are never a band I listened to for lyrics" in the Pitchfork review of Strawberry Jam. Even as AC continue to adopt more traditional song structures and lyrics with more accessible themes whose inspiration easier to dissect - all on top of increasingly audible vocals, the fact remains the group is still a long way from the greater population's listening tastes and it suits them fine. The songs aren't created in a way to be easily digestible and pop radio isn't going to be a destination built on compromise. Wouldn't it be awesome if they got there though? Hands up if you play Jonas Brothers' "Burning Up" right before "Leaf House" because the transition is kinda perfect? Okay, just me...

Animal Collective are in Portland May 25th. If I'm in town, I'll be there. Am considering my animal costume now...

Animal Collective Myspazz
Jonas Brothers Myspazz

.