Power Animal
People Songs


3.0
good

Review

by Kiran EMERITUS
April 10th, 2010 | 13 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Likable.

People Songs is the kind of record that combines conversation samples and string arrangements, ever muddling in the sort of low-key bedroom freak-folk experimenting you’d expect of a burgeoning Devandra Banhart.

Album centerpiece “Copernicus” is a slow-moving plod of acoustic strumming and xylophone tinkering that moves the sampling of various people repeating “Love is alive and well” forward, in what turns out to be a surprisingly powerful song, perhaps most aided by the bands show of restraint, avoiding the typical cymbal-crashing crescendo for a comparably low-key ending that plays the song out with tact over volume. Sadly, moments like it are few and far between (“Dear My Body..”, “Rabbit” and “Birds Have Worries Too” are all choice cuts) and as a whole People Songs is disappointingly boring and uninspired.



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user ratings (3)
2.8
good


Comments:Add a Comment 
Kiran
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


6134 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

ehhh

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


22503 Comments


Intro paragraph did my head in... Not because it was poorly written Kiran, but because the sound seems so "difficult" & "tough to define". I'm trying to imagine it & can't. I have a headache now!

Kiran
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


6134 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah, that's part of what annoys me about this. it feels so...try hard. like its meant to be something more than just normal (as far as the word stretches) freak folk/pop stuff, when it isnt.

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


22503 Comments


How can freak-folk even be mentioned with pop? Sort of defeats the purpose.

Kiran
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


6134 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah, this would be a great album if it were just the nice organic lo-fi pop (pop in the sense of melody and accessibility, you could probably lodge it under the bedroom pop umbrella) bits but then they throw in the freak-folk stuff and it doesnt make sense anymore because it rarely fits in with the actual songs. it becomes so needlessly challenging (and not even that challenging). trying to analyze this made my brain hurt.

Electric City
April 10th 2010


15756 Comments


How can freak-folk even be mentioned with pop? Sort of defeats the purpose.


animal collective?

Kiran
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


6134 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

who

AggravatedYeti
April 10th 2010


7683 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

god damn it you didn't even give me time to lliiisstteeeennnnn.



review kinda gives hint towards your conundrum, great as usual.



fuck me i can't pos anymore -- I'm not too sure about this whole staff thing

klap
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


12410 Comments


yeah wheres the neg button

AggravatedYeti
April 10th 2010


7683 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

so the album at points is pretty sweet but most times its a watered down In Case We Die meets Merriweather methinks.

Kiran
Emeritus
April 10th 2010


6134 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah wheres the neg button


no more negs, i can finally stop trying

Needsmoarbreakdowns
February 11th 2012


114 Comments


Saw them last night, they put on an awesome show! Have to listen to this!


Electric City
March 15th 2012


15756 Comments


the new EP is awesome. havent heard this



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