With the announcement of the latest Radiohead album, I thought about asking the question - which alternative, and at one time darling of Pitchfork, band do you like more? Animal Collective or Wilco? Now neither of these bands have a lot in common; they are as different stylistically as you can find. However, they have released albums that have taken their music in completely different directions just like Radiohead has. Wilco has sometimes been called "the American Radiohead" because their catalog is so diverse. Their debut album, "A.M." is essentially a lost Uncle Tupelo/alt country album. "Being There" their sophomore album was a wildly sprawling double album that some still think is their best. "Summerteeth" is my choice as their single best studio album and then there is the highly regarded "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" rated a 10.0 out of 10.0 by our friends at Pitchfork. The last 3 studio albums, "A Ghost Is Born", "Sky Blue Sky", and "Wilco (The Album)", haven't been quite as good but each album has had its moments. It's really a shame that those albums haven't been better because the current lineup with Nels Cline on lead guitar is the group's strongest. As for Animal Collective or AnCo, they are probably one of the most polarizing groups out there. You either get their music or you don't - in that sense, they are very similar to Radiohead. They are a love or hate band - there is no in-between. AnCo has gotten better and better with each release. Their first 2 albums are pretty much for diehards (although they are some that feel the debut has its merits). "Campfire Songs", their 3rd release is when they started to come into their own but it was still raw. Then there was "Here Comes the Indian" followed by "Sung Tongs". Albums that were still "difficult" but showing a clear progression of a pop sense. "Feels" was their best album yet but was topped by "Strawberry Jam" - an unbelievable auditory experience. Just when you thought they couldn't top themselves, here comes (a pun) "Merriweather Post Pavilion" in early '09 and this album is the best AnCo effort, bar none. I have seen some people on other boards go as far as saying that AnCo's last 3 albums are just as good or even better than the big 3 of Radiohead's The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A! I am not going to go that far but I will say that the next AnCo studio release will be the one that could really make them challenge Radiohead as the greatest alternative rock band in the world. So, after thinking very long and hard about this, I will have to go with Wilco simply because I do think their overall body of work is still greater than AnCo. However, without a doubt, the last 3 AnCo's albums are greater than the last 3 Wilco albums. Yet, Wilco's early stuff is leagues ahead of the early stuff from AnCo. Yes I am bored - so now that is established. Who do you like more? Animal Collective or Wilco?
Really hard for me to decide since I haven't really heard much of Wilco's stuff other than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and a couple other things. Animal Collective seems to get better and better with each album. Strawberry Jam and Merriweather Post Pavilion are classics IMO. Some of their **** is still a little too "weird for the sake of weird" though, and their earlier stuff really isn't very easy to get into. Not very accessible. Like they told Prince in Purple Rain "You're making music that makes sense only to yourself!" I really like what AC is doing right now though, I think if they continue to evolve they could find themselves up there with the Radioheads, etc.
"Being There" is all over the place but the album to really fall in love with Wilco, IMO, is "Summerteeth". Has my all-time favorite song by them in "Shot in the Arm". Highly, highly recommend that album.
I've never really enjoyed either band. I've tried hard to cultivate a taste in their sound, but it hasn't happened.
The evolution of Wilco is what puts them in my top 3 bands. From the post-Uncle Tupelo days and A.M. to Sky Blue Sky. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of Wilco the Album. I don't know why, but I haven't been able to get into that one. Summerteeth is probably my favorite, with A.M. second. I couldn't name one Animal Collective song.
Wake up, we're here, it's so much worse than we feared There's nothing left here, the country has disappeared The winter trees bleeding, leave red blood The summer sweet dreaming, April blush But none of that is ever gonna mean as much to me again Hold out your hand, so much you don't understand So stick as close as you can, all of the best laid plans You've got the white clouds hanging so high above you You've got the helicopters dangling, angling to shoot The shots to feed the hungry weekend news crew, anchorman So every evening we can watch from above Crushed cities like a bug Fold ourselves into each others guts Turn our faces up to the sun I won't take no, I won't let you go All by yourself, oh no, you need my help When the cold night shakes you like a chandelier The snowflakes break through the atmosphere And melt on the blue breath of the auctioneers and disappear Every evening we can watch from above Crushed cities like a bug Fold ourselves into each others blood And turn our faces up to the sun
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not really a fan of wilco these days, but they are my pick. ive seen them probably 10 times over the years including their very first show in austin at liberty lunch. they played w/in a week of son volt and at the time i remember liking son volt alot more - their first album was great. but after that it was wilco all the way - being there, summerteeth and yankeehotel foxtrot are all fantastic albums. i dont think its a coincidence that those 3 all came during the jay bennett era. and wilco is a great live band - i dont really care for their last few albums, but ill still go see them. as for animal collective, the only album of theirs i really got into was sung tongs. their catalog doesnt stand up to wilcos - imo, the best a.c. album is panda bears solo record. as far as live, wilco wins. ive seen a.c. and they are good, but if im going to see that style of music ill take dan deacon any day of the week - he is great solo, but i saw him w/ a 13 piece band a couple years ago and it was mind-blowing - top 10 all time concert.
While Animal Collective is good, I think that Wilco is far superior. Wilco has better musicians, especially Nels Cline, who is a great guitarist. My favorite song by Wilco is Impossible Germany. Nels Cline's solo is one of the better guitar solos of the decade. He reminds me of some of Jeff Becks softer solos.
Love me some Wilco. Haven't been able to get into Animal Collective, but with Coachella coming up I will keep trying.
See, the problem for me with Animal Collective is that I really enjoy some of their singles (like the ones Moes posted), but I generally view an band on the content of their full length album and not just one song. Thus, if I really like 1 or 2 tracks, but I don't "get" the other 8 tracks I probably will dismiss the album as a whole. I guess, I'm the anti-Itune generation music listener.
Based on their catalogs to this point I would have to say Wilco. Being There was one of the most important albums to me during my "formative years." However, they seem to have kind of settled, while Animal Collective is still pushing the envelope.
How many names would I be called if I said either of these bands is overrated? How many names would I be called if I said either of these bands is underrated?
The Animal Collective Clutchfans Contingent is not as strong as the Radiohead one (obviously) but that might change in a year or two.
