Panda Blog

Gee Whiz, who would have thought that having a blog would take such effort? Fortuitously, I have dedicated scribe Andrew C. to push WRR onward. I'm on a road trip next week, but after that we'll try to have a bonanza of blogging. Enjoy...

Oh yeah, please feel free to leave any thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, death threats, etc in the comment section.

Panda Bear - Person Pitch

By Andrew C.

It’s not in my nature to be brief… just ask Editor Sean. Panda Bear, a member of the freak-out lunatics Animal Collective, has put together an album of such unique and bizarre beauty that I don’t want to spend another minute of your time setting expectations of what you’ll hear.

Maybe it’s a cheap cop-out — and I’m scared to classify something so densely populated. Hogwash. You’ll immediately hear some genres in Person Pitch, and figuring out how Paul Lennox arrived at such sounds is half the fun. On the first few notes of the album, “Comfy In Nautica” [I recommend clicking this link! Ed.] samples a choir, trains, and some jungle beasts’ growl, yet nothing seems Dr. Dimento or hokey about it. Hearing something so meticulously crafted often makes for a tedious listen, but Person Pitch has the rare ability to please your ears and challenge your ideas about what music can be in the era of studio software. Panda Bear’s weapons of choice are his turntable and voice, and when they’re utilized together, it makes for joyful noises that are hauntingly gorgeous. Panda Bear’s recent induction into fatherhood seems to have had a large impact on his songwriting, showcasing an effort to be stronger for his family (“Take Pills) and his ne’er to do friends (“Bros”).

Oy. So much for brevity. Seriously though, I don’t want to create high expectations, or tell you what to listen for, but I can tell you that Person Pitch is like no other album I’ve ever heard.

Starter Tracks: “Bros”, “Take Pills”, “Comfy In Nautica”, “Search For Delicious”
Best Listened With: headphones, darkness

PS- Listen for the DC Metro on “Take Pills”. Subway stalwarts won’t have a doubt in their brain.