Lunch Date at the Merriweather Post Pavilion

I picked up the phone a few times this week to go get that afore mentioned lunch burrito with the Animal Collective at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. It must have been at least four separate occasions before I decided that I would be a man of my word.

Burritos it is.

I am assuming there was some catching up that we did for the first three tracks, but I was a bit more worried about the conversation of the people in line in front of us, whether or not I was going to go with the carnitas or the spicy pork, and wondering if I had enough punches on my card for a free one.

Around Summertime Clothes, I started to get back into it a little. The opening beats on that song seem to really grab my attention every time. Maybe there is going to be something here after all.

By the time Daily Routine starts I am tuning out again. This burrito could have been mixed a little better. That bite was all salsa and the last bite was all cheese. I hope its not all this way. Maybe I can rotate it a little and get a better mix.

Don't you sometimes wish you could "skip tracks" on first, second and third dates? Like the parts when the other person starts talking about past relationships or the "I'll go wherever, you decide" car rides or when they see someone they know and haven't seen in forever. Thats where I am at with Bluish

Doing a little self reflection now. Am I really all the things that are inside of me?

As I was finishing the burrito, I started to wonder why I was making such an effort. I remembered that "some other people said she was hot" and that "we had a good time once" but couldn't really figure out why either of those things mattered. I had a good time once at Boy Scout camp and only went because my friends said it would be cool, but I would never go back now.

Just then Brothersport came on. It kind of has an african tribal singing part going on at the first, kind of like the opening song on Lion King. I can get into this. Dang it. This is what happened last date. It ended with this song and made me want to do it again because I was thinking the whole thing would be this fun.

Once again I left feeling upbeat about the whole thing. Isn't this how abusive relationships start?

First Date at the Merriweather Post Pavillion

Two years ago I decided to go on a blind date with the Animal Collective. The date consisted of 2 hours with them in a small, crowded club/bar in the middle of a hot summer night. It might have been a Hot August Night, though I am not real sure. But you know what, it was a good first date. One where you are sort of anxious to hear their response when you do the ol' next day follow-up call.

Thats where the relationship started to get a little rocky. Feels didn't quite recreate the magic of the first date. "Maybe I'll try another," I optimistically thought. Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished was more of the same crappy second date. We just weren't clicking like we were the first night. Sung Tongs was my last attempt. I knew people who swore by it, kind of like that cheap chinese food place that everybody goes to when they need a quick, "I'm cool cause I like cool hole in the wall places and I hope it impresses you" date. But that was it. She wasn't into Chinese food.

Needless to say I took a pass on Strawberry Jam when it came out showered with fanfare and praise. Time passed and I rarely ventured back into the Animal Collective. We would say "hi" on the street, real cordial like, but I couldn't muster up the effort to make it work much more than that. But you know how sometimes you can see the same girl in a new setting, or hear someone talk about how great she is and all of the sudden there is a new attraction? Well Merriweather Post Pavillion has done just that. I am willing to do a mid-week, buy your own lunch, catch up on "old times" date with Animal Collective again.

Here is how it went.

There she is. I wanted to get here first. Can I believe the hype?

3:52 into track 1: Is this song a remix of something? Have I heard this story before?

4:40 into track 2: Is this a G rated DIY hip-hop song made on GarageBand?

0:40 into Summertime Clothes: This is kinda cool. Some syncopated synth. I do remember a little now why I was so into her that first night.

4:46 into track 5: This is turning into annoying background noise. Why is this album any different than another Animal Collective album?

1:00 into track 8: Powering through this now. Gotta get a refill on my soda. Some nice harmonies and all, but I think if she wore a little less eye make-up it would be to her benefit.

1:41 into the last song: Why is this any better or worse than our last three attempts at making it work? Someone please help me. I am floundering. I need a good excuse to leave. Wait. Maybe I'll stay. I am kind of digging this. Maybe I am starting to see why I liked her again.

I left with just enough to listen again.
Enough for a trip to that burrito place next time you are free, my treat.