Animal Collective’s “Live at 9:30” is the first album released by the group since “Centipede Hz” in 2012. As the title discloses, it was recorded live at Washington, D.C.’s popular 9:30 Club during their June 12, 2013 performance.
Since the album features no new material, it serves as an adequate resource to judge the band’s live performance of songs from its discography. But unfortunately, most long-time Animal Collective fans, won’t be swayed to buy tickets to a show anytime soon.
While the setlist is perfect, featuring fan favorites as well as its most recent hits, the delivery is painful to hear.
The beautifully eclectic, cryptic sound Animal Collective is known for is shattered by chaotic execution. It seems the band may have skipped its soundcheck.
The instrumentals aren’t balanced with the vocals in many of the songs, resulting in unnecessary screaming and a sound comparable to smashing pots and pans.
Even their most popular song “My Girls,” which fans listened to more than 10 million times on Spotify and several artists covered, is disgraced.
The vocals, which are smooth in Animal Collective’s studio recording, are off-pitch in the live album. There’s a disconnect. Even for an experimental, psychedelic-pop band, it’s just too weird. Perhaps studio production is responsible for the complex unity that usually characterizes Animal Collective’s music.
“Brothersport,” another popular song by the band, was remixed for the show. It shifts from being mashed up with a pop song to flowing into the original version. The vocals are much better in this song’s delivery than many others on the album, but that could be attributed to the few lyrics that make up the song.
Overall, it seems the album is simply an attempt to make easy money because there is no new material and little creativity in the execution of the old material.
It’s also disappointing to feel no personable portrayal. While many live albums contain several quips scattered between songs, there’s limited conversation from or between the band in “Live at 9:30.”
The only positive thing about this album is that it convinces listeners to not buy tickets for any of its upcoming shows, allowing them to save a few bucks.