7s - Avey Tare: Review
Let's cover those early stumbles first. Invisible Darlings is the opening track and was also a late single but I think it's my least favorite song on the record. I thought it was okay at first but the more I listened I just think it's way too much. With all the noise coming off the echoey vocals and the effects and drums and keys it occasionally reaches a point of pure cacophony that doesn't do the refrains justice at all. I'm also a bit mixed on Lips At Night which does have an interesting instrumental full of unique vocalizations weaved into it. Some of the lyrics can be awkwardly grounded in contrast to the psychedelic instrumentation, specifically the bitcoin reference. I can still find it in myself to enjoy the song though.
The Musical and Hey Bog were released together and the latter is the big reason why I was so excited about this album. I still really enjoy the song and the way it continuously circles back to the infectious refrains and persistence of certain wonderful pieces of instrumentation throughout. Hey Bog was the B-side and to be honest I'm kind of surprised it showed up in its full 9-minute entirety on the album, taking up nearly a fourth of the entire runtime. The long ambient intro is fine at first but kind of goes on to long for something serving as an intro without much meaningful development. Thankfully, once the song properly gets started with the core hook is does a really good job of sticking with me. I really appreciate the rapid-fire was the refrains pour out one on top of another it's a great touch.
From the second half of Hey Bog all the way to the end of the album I don't really have much more to complain about. Sweeper's Gun comes next and is a full eight-and-a-half minutes which essentially makes these two songs the record's entire middle section. This one gets off to a stronger start right away with building percussion that reaches these distant tribal drums I really enjoy. I also love the way the song ends ostensibly on this loop repeated with heavier and heavier instrumental backing each time for a satisfying conclusion.
I also think the record closes on a solid note. Neurons starts with some of the harshest instrumentation on the record complete with an enjoyable arrangement of percussion alongside it. While I think the hook on the song does wear out its welcome a bit I love the post-chorus where Avey just shouts out "neurons" into space behind those triumphant horns and snappy drums. This is a good song even if it has a lot more to do with the sounds than the actual composition. Closing track Cloud Stop Rest Start is the most narratively involved on the album and while I'm not quite sure the content lives up to the ultra-serious presentation, I still find that presentation style extremely compelling. The high-impact keys and chaotic instrumental interpolations are saved for just the right moments.
This record is just a few tweaks away from being great, but to get to that point in the first place you still have to do a lot right. Even though I think it consistently fails to really go the extra mile with these songs to make them amazing, there's still so much here that I liked every single time I revisited the record. I think 7s firmly keeps the Animal Collective momentum going into 2023 and I'm excited for what any of the members have in store for us next. 7/10
For more Animal Collective read my review of Panda Bear & Sonic Boom's Reset here
