This album got a lot of hype and ended up topping a lot of “best-of-the-year” lists. Many critics sang its praises and compared it to Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, both in its engineering and the scope of Panda Bear’s vocal harmonies.
I can certainly see (and hear) all that, but such comparisons can only destine Person Pitch to fall short. This is certainly a good album and an unexpectedly accessible offering from a member of a group as eclectic as Animal Collective, but after a year’s worth of hype, I’m not sure it’s the best thing to have come out in 2007. I don’t know; it’s very nice to listen to, for the most part – the repetition of “Bros” can be a little taxing – but nothing really stuck with me after it stopped playing. Yet I find myself going back…
(Note: this review seems to defy my moral fiber by insinuating that it has to be catchy to be good, which I don’t necessarily agree with…but in Panda Bear’s case, it might have helped. I mean, come on. Even Animal Collective has memorable hooks.)
Overall: 8/10
[...] they’d ushered in with Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear’s highly-acclaimed solo effort, Person Pitch. Instrumentally, electronic flourishes dominate the album here – so much so, that my friend [...]