Panda Bear - Person Pitch

$13.99 (list price), Experimental Pop, Paw Tracks

Basic Story: During a break from the rowdiness that is Animal Collective, Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) spent his time moving to Portugal, getting married, having a child and writing a solo album full of tribal sounds mixed with Beach Boys vocal harmonies.

Sample: “I don’t want for us to take pills anymore/ not that it’s bad/ I don’t want for us to take pills/ Because we’re stronger and we don’t need them.”

Verdict: If you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack to a long, windowless drive during a sunny day then look no further. Person Pitch is filled with the kinds of infectious pop melodies that get stuck on repeat in your head for weeks, pulling you back in time after time for the real thing. You won’t hear the screams and noise freak-outs typically found on an Animal Collective record. Instead, you’ll discover what Portugal would sound like if it was cohesively sampled into songs by Brian Wilson, most notably on the 12-and-a-half minute long “Bros.” Yes, this record cages a much tamer beast; one that resists its past urges to lunge for your neck in favor of gently swinging you on a hammock.

WATCH LIVE VERSION OF "BRO'S"