If you like Animal Collective, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know you

Posted January 13th, 2009 by eric

I recently received a bit of press in my inbox with the following lead-in: “If you LIKE Animal Collective, you will LOVE Francois Virot.” Well, then I guess I will detest Francois Virot. Email deleted. Like Wilco and The Flaming Lips, there are just certain bands I have an illogical, knee-jerk reaction to. I am fully aware that my seething disgust for these bands is sometimes hard to justify, but I know what I like and what I don’t (the common thread being this weird hippie vibe that is anathema to me). Animal Collective is the latest band to drive me to mouth-foaming levels of sputtering abhorrence. My blood pressure goes up whenever I even read the band’s name. Hate doesn’t quite cover how I feel. It’s one of those things that makes me wonder if everyone who listens to them is bat-shit insane. But it’s not the first time this has happened, and it won’t be the last. At least I am not alone.

Here’s the song that sends me into orbit with my hands over my ears, shaking:

Tags: commentary · video

83 responses so far ↓

  • 1 TRTTT // May 14, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    Eric Greenwood = Certified Whiny Bitch of the Year! Thanks for your years of poor taste in music and ability to comprehend the differences between human beings.

  • 2 Jacob // Jun 5, 2009 at 4:32 am

    Just wondering what bands you listen to that are so much better?

  • 3 TyB // Jun 9, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    “I am fully aware that my seething disgust for these bands is sometimes hard to justify” Then why bother bitching about it?

  • 4 K // Jun 10, 2009 at 11:08 am

    Why bother bitching about it? Why not? It’s not like Eric went over to the Animal Collective fan page to bitch. It’s his blog and he can bitch if he wants to, right? Why complain about someone complaining?

  • 5 DigUppers // Jul 17, 2009 at 12:50 pm

    Just reading what their fans have to say in these comments. I totally agree with the name of this post and this post.

  • 6 Danny // Jul 25, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Basically, we all have our tastes in music.
    haha what gets to me though is mindless shit like T-Pain and Akon where they brag about sex, houses, money and other non-creative crap. And they make MILLIONS doing it! AHHHH!!!

  • 7 Jackie // Aug 12, 2009 at 12:04 am

    I actually love their album “Merriweather Post Pavillion.” Possibly because they ditched that bizarre folk-y sound.

  • 8 Brian // Aug 18, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    “If you like Animal Collective, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know you”… umm are you serious? Your saying if you met a person who liked animal collective you would not like the person for that reason? wtf? Anyways I understand that people don’t like certain kinds of music. But to HATE a band with a passion makes no sence at all. If you don’t understand why people would ever like a band, that most likely means you are close minded to other kinds of music, especially since these bands you think are horrible are receiving critical acclaim.

  • 9 Rita // Oct 11, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    i love animal collective, so i can’t sympathize. but i do agree with what Danny said about Akon and T-Pain. the song My Girls by Animal Collective does have a lot of meaning, songs about sex and drugs can get pretty old fast.. i suggest you go look up the lyrics to My Girls. you have a right to your opinion, but i believe there is so much worse music out there.

  • 10 noel // Oct 14, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    animal collective are psychedelic, Peacebone is acctually quite a great song if you understand what psychedelia is. And plus picking on ONE song by them is ridiculous! All of their songs have a unique atmosphere and emotion, not one song on Strawberry Jam sounds alike and Peacebone’s one of them. Animal Collective have something for everyone, but not everyone is open minded to MORE THAN ONE SONG.

  • 11 Kate // Oct 24, 2009 at 8:13 am

    music is art.
    artists like animal collective at least set their standards a little higher than almost every bit of music i’ve heard on the mainstream radio: they’re expressing unique ideas, they’re more original than alot of what’s out there, and they convey messages slightly more profound than “fuck bitches get money”

    don’t get me wrong, i love me some dirty hiphop with the fat bass and catchy tune (sometimes accompanied by lyrics i could give two shits about)

    but there are so many different ideas and sounds to explore in music, it makes me crazy to see people spending so much time talking about what they DON’T like.

    get over it because there are thousands of bands and artists waiting out there for you that you’ll love! find them and blog about them!

  • 12 Kelly // Nov 5, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    Are you one of those lazy psuedo bohemian people that use words they think are big to describe your hate for things and how your opinion is so superior to others? Go drink another expensive latte and bitch

  • 13 nick // Nov 6, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    i read this post, played the video, and minimized the window. thanks for providing music for me to get dressed to this morning, i loved it.

  • 14 CharlieeHazel // Nov 28, 2009 at 1:54 pm

    honestly, this song is in my top favorites from Animal Collective, along with My Girls, Brother Sport, Did you see the words, Grass, and The Purple Bottle. It’s amazing music that you can get absolutely lost in if you give it a chance, and the Animal Collective show that I went to recently was absolutely breathtaking 🙂

  • 15 RichardCRZ // Nov 29, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    This is actually one of my favorite songs by them!
    I dunno but bashing on them is ok with me because respect your opinion, but don’t make fun of the people who listen to them, you should stereotype

  • 16 Ryan // Dec 10, 2009 at 11:45 am

    dude peacebone is not one of their better songs. try my girls, daily routine, the bees or did you see the words

  • 17 Gopi // Dec 12, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    If you don’t like them, why talk badly about them? I happen to love them, and it’s just too bad you can’t appreciate their music.

  • 18 Ave // Dec 23, 2009 at 9:15 am

    Man, I totally agree with you. I love music, I love many kinds of, especially indie music, but….What are we talking about? Just becasue a few important magazines say this is the best..we think we love it….Come on….a little more of personality….This band is not bad, but it’s just medicore. Lets be serious and honest.

  • 19 Josh // Dec 27, 2009 at 12:57 pm

    This is all pointless, do you think avey tare is bitching at people on a blog about his music? NO, because he is doing what he loves, he doesnt give a shit about a bunch of opinions from wacktards on the net. Granted he is amazingly talented, but your all fighting over something that will never end.
    1. Not everyone will like animal collective
    2. Not everyone will hate animal collective
    3. so quit bitching like a bunch of middleschooler’s.

  • 20 suckmyfatcock // Dec 31, 2009 at 12:05 am

    itt: fanboys get mad at someones opinion.

    internet hipster dicks

  • 21 patrick w. // Dec 31, 2009 at 1:25 am

    i love the internet.

  • 22 Graham // Jan 3, 2010 at 11:13 pm

    dude, I love animal collective too!

  • 23 kfl // Jan 7, 2010 at 8:08 am

    i love how a discussion on animal collective became a thinly veiled hate fest on hip-hop.

    animal collective fans are racist.

  • 24 katie // Jan 23, 2010 at 12:16 am

    Passion…I can’t say it enough. They make music not to bring in the bucks but because they have passion. Music is an art form for the band. They do what they want and not what record cpy. tells them to produce. I have a feeling that you’re a radio kinda person, and thats great for you but I hate to say it….most of those “artist” on the radio don’t write there own music. The cpys do. You could, at the very least, respect there passion.

  • 25 Miguel // Jan 26, 2010 at 10:58 am

    I like this band a lot, i think they’re different and i like the way they express themselves through their music. I guess everyone has their own opinions though.

  • 26 joseph toomey // Feb 25, 2010 at 12:48 am

    smoke pot or take a hallucinogen then you will understand animal collective……truly they are brilliant…..its the style they go for….odd very transfixing i love alll of their music…peacebone is definately not the best to listen to…..but its the deranged and uncomfortably comfortable music to trip out to…its boss..

  • 27 joseph toomey // Feb 25, 2010 at 12:53 am

    and they are far from mediocre……..farrrrrrrr from it….they are dynamic and amazingly creative…songs are very different and are built in a very unique way…their lyrics and crazy style of singing….is none other than creative…a creativity to ears that do not look for the brilliance in a song.

  • 28 joseph toomey // Feb 25, 2010 at 2:28 pm

    to ear that cannot hear the brilliance of a song

  • 29 Abbers // Mar 18, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    Stop the hatin! Why do we feel that just because we don’t agree with an idea, don’t care for a certain song, or don’t understand someone that we need to hate them? That’s why this world is so fucked up. If you don’t like animal collective then that’s your choice, and if I do that’s ok too because we can’t change eachothers opinions. We can accept and appreciate them as individual thoughts and ideas, but what’s the point of boiling over (it’s not good for you’re blood pressure) and adding more hate to this world? Call me a hippie or whatever you please, but I believe we all have the power to build up, accept and love or wallow in hatred and get ourselves worked up about Nothing!!! Oh it’s so silly!

  • 30 Red Train // Mar 23, 2010 at 1:45 pm

    Wow, you must be a quite a creative person.

  • 31 Jay Barry // Mar 25, 2010 at 7:19 am

    I will say it loud and proud that I hate Animal Collective with every fiber of my being. I do not get it and yes, I do probably think less of anyone who ‘likes’ them.

  • 32 Lilax // Mar 25, 2010 at 6:04 pm

    I love Animal collective ,maybe its because im a littel bit crazy .Ok ,i am really crazy !

  • 33 Chuck // Apr 2, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    ya, the title of this made me lol literally. I as well just detest animal collective.. and I am all kinds of into the whole indie weird music thing.. just.. it’s not music.. like they chant.. or some shit.. with weak beats in the background.. what sucks is they’re from my neck of the woods.. baltimore. As the only bands from here are f’ing good charlotte and these crap cakes.. sigh.

  • 34 Jimi // Apr 11, 2010 at 9:42 pm

    This is one of my favorite bands i also like The Beatles which both of these bands seem to be infinately popular so i think i did a good job of making your ass look stupid also its great that most of the people on here think your a dumb ass as well

  • 35 Anonymous // May 2, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    all of you should get lives!

  • 36 Anonymous // May 22, 2010 at 10:31 am

    Jimi, a band’s popularity is a poor defense of whether or not the band is actually GOOD.

    I’m hit and miss with Animal Collective. I need to be in a certain mood to really enjoy them.

  • 37 delila // May 27, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    i f* love animal collective!
    listen to them almost evryday..
    😀

  • 38 Animal stuffer // Jun 4, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    Wow! drop dead

  • 39 Ian // Jun 12, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    Um i fucking love animal collective so FUCK YOU

  • 40 Anonymous // Jul 1, 2010 at 11:17 am

    i want to be best friends with everyone who loves animal collective like i do(:

  • 41 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    gotta hate what you dont understand.

  • 42 Anonymous // Aug 18, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    i don’t want to have to be high to enjoy any type of music. people tell me it’s an ‘acquired’ taste; meaning i have to TRY to like the music, meaning if i DO (for whatever reason) take to their music, my liking will be insincere. musical talent is easily recognized, these guys do not have it. their music really is rapture to the senses. trust me, i love other indie bands, such as the flaming lips, wilco, yo la tengo etc., because they actually try to play their instruments, and don’t just settle for a shitty drum beat with whiny, murky vocals scattered on top. being told i’m too dumb to understand ac just makes me realize that all their fans are too dumb to understand that their music TERRIBLE. people “enjoy” ac simply because of the immense indie cred that is attached to them. it’s a shame seeing people enjoy music for reasons other than the actual music itself.

  • 43 Anonymous // Aug 18, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    hahaha wow i posted that last post like a month too late, feel free to ignore it, my bad

  • 44 K // Aug 19, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    I love that there are 43 comments on this post and still counting, over a year later.

  • 45 ad // Sep 20, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    if overwrought hipster sites like pitchfork have the right to overhype shitty indie psych bands then i have the right to express my hatred for these bands and no one can tell me otherwise

  • 46 ashley // Sep 29, 2010 at 1:55 am

    i think it’s extremely annoying when people say you have to get high to enjoy any type of music. I LOVE animal collective and i dont get high to listen to them

  • 47 Anonymous // Oct 4, 2010 at 11:36 pm

    For some reason I find myself attracted to polarizing issues. The more I think about it the more I realize (MHO) that these polarizing issues normally arise from inconformity to the lowest common denominator theory (LCDt); where the issues that appease the masses are usually fake and are only looked favorably upon after years of social/cultural acceptance through mimicry. So, in my delusional logic the hate/love that AnCo seems to bring out is self-assuring to their brilliance.

  • 48 Anonymous // Oct 4, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    “where the issues that appease the masses are usually fake and” THE OTHER “are only looked favorably upon after years of social/cultural acceptance through mimicry”

  • 49 Rowan // Oct 20, 2010 at 12:06 pm

    Animal Collective is my favourite band. And I Am bat Shit Insaine. So good Observation. I LOVE YOU. but u still suck for hating on animal collective luv u

  • 50 Anonymous // Nov 21, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    Okay after the first 15 seconds of that video, I wanted to shoot a baby

  • 51 Niacin // Nov 25, 2010 at 7:15 am

    I actually love them and I haven’t liked anything for ages. Thank God some musicians actually care about the way their music sounds and don’t stick to dire ways of recording and music production. Their music is inspiring – it’s interesting. They’re not mediocre – they’re pretty exceptional (actually listen to the sounds they create). The song above is not a favourite of mine but that song does not represent their music. I hope you dislike them for their music though and not because many people like them. That would be a silly reason.

  • 52 Anonymous // Dec 4, 2010 at 10:49 pm

    Don’t forget to bring a towel.

  • 53 The anti-hipster of the Apocalypse // Dec 13, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks for helping me piss off all these trendy hipsters. The only reason this band is popular is because some pretentious dick in Williamsburg decided they were the shit, then the rest of the zombies followed. There is absolutely nothing aesthetically pleasing about this music unless you’ve manage to destroy your brain with enough Acid, Ketamine, 2-CI, MDMA, and every other hallucinogen known to man. God damn i hate how impressionable hipsters are. I’d rather listen to Anal Cunt cover “Indian Love Song” by Slim Whitman.

  • 54 The anti-hipster of the Apocalypse // Dec 13, 2010 at 3:23 pm

    oh wait, my bad, i meant “Indian Love Call”

  • 55 J. // Dec 16, 2010 at 4:19 am

    i loathe them as well, they’re a bunch of talentless indie fags, their music is just as pointless as their lives

  • 56 James // Dec 24, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    You are entitled to your opinion but it’s dumb.

  • 57 James // Dec 24, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    I like how the anti hipster guy talks about zombie followings. Animal collective is as far as you can get from a zombie following. If you want a zombie following go to pitchfork and check out what album got a 10. Kanye West. I listened to that shit and nearly puked.

  • 58 dicknail // Mar 10, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    i’d smash this fuckers face with a brick. seriously does anyone care? and to people saying “why complain about complainers?”…this is obviously just a vicious cycle that would’ve never started if this fucker didn’t start complaining in the first place. like seriously? because four people are making music, the feeling of hatred develops inside you? that’s fucking pathetic. shouldn’t you be getting mad at racial inequality or the fact that the holocaust happened? instead of music?

  • 59 dicknail // Mar 10, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    i would seriously have no probably smashing a brick in your face and stomping you to your death.

  • 60 dicknail // Mar 10, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    problem* ^^^

  • 61 dicknail // Mar 10, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    ps. i bet you’re white and have had everything in your life handed to you in a shiny candy bar wrapper

  • 62 poo // Mar 11, 2011 at 12:51 pm

    i don’t get why people like wilco, i really do not.

  • 63 Limbo // Mar 13, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Aww man where to begin. I typed in “Bands like animal collective” on google, and i have stumbled onto this. Merriweather Post Pavilion is one of my favorite albums because I think it is (among other things) beautiful. I too like The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and after reading your comment i am ashamed someone like you likes the same artists as me. You have picked peacebone to prove your point, it is a completely different style of Animal collective that is also not to my liking. But i have not made an impression to random people on the internet that i am a uneducated, under-aged, sociopath with a thesaurus. After all the comments i had to scroll through to get to this comment box i realize no one will have to harm you as you will be alone, or be just an angry idiot for the rest of your petty life. You will never be successful or respected in the music industry as your ignorance blinds your chance to find great music that falls under a cretin genre or similarity to a band you have “knee-jerk” reactions to, i have a similar reaction to ignorance as you can see.

    Good luck with whatever you call yourself.

  • 64 AChater! // Apr 12, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    Thank you! How can people even listen to that off rhythm, boring shit they call music?! Fuck them!

  • 65 Lol // Apr 22, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    Look at all these hipsters getting so defensive. This is so good it absolutely HAS to be fattening.

  • 66 Jacquelyn // May 27, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    I love the way you bitch about it but don’t say why. I would respect this post more if you actually explained why you hate them so much.

  • 67 Henry P // Jun 3, 2011 at 5:41 pm

    Hes just old as shit. It defies tradition in every way and some people just can’t handle that. Those who have advanced taste in music can hear the complex, intricate melodies and beats that are unlike anything before it. I know plenty of music listeners that just don’t get it so this post doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.

  • 68 Hah // Jun 17, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    Why complain about someone complaining about someone complaining? I mean, really.

  • 69 lulz // Jul 8, 2011 at 9:28 am

    I don’t really like new-wave hipster tunes I’m moar old skool hipster.

    But I don’t like AC that much say over something much cooler (I’d listen to the kills though which is super lame of me). Electronic music is like a fad of new age tea or whatever. The problem is it doesn’t have lasting appeal of depth but it depends what you listen to music for.

    Me well I listen to music because my life sucks and it’s the only way I can get through a grueling 8 hour day at work, if i don’t play that mix tape ill be depressed. AC doesn’t say anything to me about my life really sucking. Swoony music and elecrontic reverb sucks at relieving tension so fuck that.

    but if I was say at some party smashing beers and talking about the stealers and yoko ono then I’d be all. Where’s the funk whitey?

  • 70 Anonymous // Jul 29, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Like their music, hate their music… whatever is OK.

    But the whole “if you like them, I don’t like you” thing is incredibly pathetic. Get over it man… people have different tastes in music. That’s a good thing, because it results in people making a lot of different music. It would be terrible if everyone had the same taste in music.

    I definitely have music that I can’t stand. I think I used to kind of look down on people who liked the music I couldn’t stand, but think about that… it’s a pretty lame thing to do, judging people by such a small, inconsequential aspect of their personalities. Now, if I meet someone like that, I just talk about something other than music. There’s plenty to talk about.

    I don’t know… maybe the title of this post was a joke. But based on everything you wrote, it didn’t really seem like it. And that’s just so lame.

    I hope you get over it someday.

  • 71 mere // Sep 3, 2011 at 8:57 am

    try chocolate girl, or banshee beat.

  • 72 Willaim // Oct 24, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    haha what a bitch….

    “My blood pressure goes up whenever I even read the band’s name”

    haha im sorry that so many people do not have the same taste as you

  • 73 David // Nov 4, 2011 at 2:57 am

    Josh Dibbs of Animal Collective said something almost exactly the same about not liking people because of their taste in music. He may have ditched that attitude, as most do when they grow (just because you can’t hear doesn’t mean you’re an asshole), but the irony is delicious.

    I love Animal Collective, I think Wilco is overrated, and I don’t like any group because of the social scene surrounding the band. Fuck, I like the Dead, Stravinsky, Coltrane, Norman Blake, Doc Watson, Frank Zappa, and Neil Young as well. So what? Who cares? What a pointless, self-indulgent, negative blog post. Waste of cyberspace.

  • 74 fuck hating bitches // Dec 10, 2011 at 2:50 am

    this guy has no dick, same with apocalypse badass douchebag. this is one of the douchest articles ive ever read i dont know why its on the internet. animal collective is the bees knees.

  • 75 matt // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    alright. don’t make a post telling people you don’t like them because of their taste of music. that’s just straight up descrimination!

    also you picked a bad of a song to show that AC sucks. Peacebone is fuckin tight!

  • 76 serena // Mar 5, 2012 at 10:52 am

    shut up. i wonder how you can spend so much time on telling people what you hate. do you really think someone cares? go talk to yourself. shut the fuck up

  • 77 apple sauce // Apr 20, 2012 at 11:10 pm

    daz cool bro. I kind of don’t like how people comment on here supposedly in support of Animal Collective because it’s making (as some people in other comments mentioned) all AC fans look bad… I really like Animal Collective, they’re like my favorite band, but I understand that they’re certainly not for everyone. Just as some people like Justin Bieber, for whatever reason and I strongly dislike his music. I don’t think any of the members of the band would say anything if they read this.

  • 78 Emma // Jul 29, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    I like animal collective and I found this post, but I don’t mind that you hate them and hope you have fun with your website. I’m sorry the internet is so cruel.

  • 79 Chris P. Bacon // Dec 19, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    AC =/= DRUGS
    AC+DRUGS==AWEYA

  • 80 Chris P. Bacon // Dec 19, 2012 at 7:41 pm

    On another note, you fuckers are something else

  • 81 Chris P. Bacon // Dec 19, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    Later.

  • 82 AJ // Jul 8, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    What TRTTT said. Yea

  • 83 S. F. Rufs // Dec 5, 2013 at 8:25 am

    I didn’t like Animal Collective until I started experimenting with hallucinogens. Now I do like them, even while sober.