Though using the word “pop” in conjunction with a band like Animal Collective might rub people the wrong way, it’s a fitting description for Strawberry Jam. The band hasn’t dumbed down their experimental flair, but they have packaged their rowdy creativeness far more accessibly than before. The band’s signature sounds — restless polyrhythms, percussive shouts, deliberately repetitive instrumentation that lulls listeners before taking shocking left turns, and some of the most inspired use of vocal harmonies since the Beach Boys — are all still in full display on Strawberry Jam. They’re just showcased in a more coherent manner than Animal Collective have ever managed before.
This intoxicating marriage of pop accessibility and sonic innovation produces a wildly captivating batch of offspring without a black sheep among them. The flock is led by “Peacebone,” which opens with a cacophony of synths before settling into a bouncy bass line punctuated by the occasional vocal explosion. “Chores” gradually scales itself back from the gleeful guitars and flying vocal harmonies it opens with before putting itself back together as an entirely new entity. “For Reverend Green” employs a different approach, leaving the music largely untouched as Avey Tare’s voice slowly unhinges itself. By the time Panda Bear’s gorgeous “oohs” and “ahs” take “Fireworks” on its first tangent, it becomes clear that the band’s increasingly pop-focused songwriting highlights Animal Collective’s inventiveness instead of hindering it.
Even with its heightened accessibility, Strawberry Jam is still far too weird to net Animal Collective radio play on the likes of CJAY 92. Still, its magnificent fusion of pop hooks and musical experimentation should guarantee the band a healthy presence on many best-of-2007 lists.
