Available again for the first time since 2002 is Animal Collective's rare live album Hollinndagain. Originally released in a limited edition of 300 hand-painted LPs, this album documents live performances by the group during the first half of 2001.
Following the completion of their Danse Manatee record, Animal Collective (in this incarnation - Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist) played a series of shows in their then hometown of New York, and in late spring, went on their first US tour with friends Black Dice. Since most of the attendees at these early shows were from a small circle of local friends who regularly saw the group perform, Animal Collective felt it was important to present a new set of material for each show rather than make their friends pay to hear the same jams every time.
This resulted in a whole new album's worth of songs. No studio versions were ever made and live recordings are all that remain from this brief and unique era. Sad that the songs were never made available to the public, the band agreed in 2002 to release the live versions with Secretly Canadian on their St. Ives imprint (a label that focused on limited edition releases with hand-made cover art by the bands).
For Hollinndagain/i>, Animal Collective chose seven songs. The first three are taken from a performance on Scott Williams' radio show on WFMU. The final four songs are from performances in New York, Nashville, and Austin (these latter two shows occurring on their tour with Black Dice).
Sonically this record mixes the familiar sounds and melodies of older Animal Collective records like Spirit They're Gone or Campfire Songs and blends them with unknown territory that somehow finds a niche between Arnold Dreyblatt, Jay Z, and the Boredoms. The looseness and almost out of control aspect of the songs betray the fact that Animal Collective were very new to playing live at this time. However right when everything seems without center or about to fall apart, something explodes or peeks through and a change in direction allows a brief glimpse at the unique songwriting Animal Collective have always worked hard at. A sweet document of a band that always does it a little differently.
- First time available to the general public.
- Recording was basically out of print upon its initial release in 2002
- This is the first time this recording has ever been released on CD
- CD comes in deluxe cardboard gatefold packaging
- LP comes in old-school heavy-duty "tip-on style" cardboard sleeve
- Animal Collective will be playing select live dates throughout the fall and winter
- The original Hollinndagain LP has been selling for obscene amounts of money on eBay...please help reduce demand by picking up our version!
