Reviews

Animal Collective – Prospect Hummer

On this EP the folksy, acoustic sounds of AC are perfectly matched to the vocals of the long-lost folk goddess, Vashti Bunyan.

2005

From the Archive

Review by Ben Bollig

Originally published 23 April 2005.

Two points advocate in this EP’s favour: firstly, this website has a long history of really rather liking everything that the Collective put out; secondly, the weather’s looking nice outside, and these four tracks make me think how nice it would be to lounge outside in the garden, contemplating butterflies and flowers.

On this effort the folksy, acoustic sounds of AC are perfectly matched to the vocals of the long-lost folk goddess, Vashti Bunyan. Vashti’s musical career is as curious as any: initially discovered and signed in the 60s by Andrew Loog Oldham, glowing reviews welcomed her first single, “Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind.” Industry wrangles and other misfortunes however thwarted her career, and in the early 1970s a much-delayed debut album, Just Another Diamond Day fell into a black hole of obscurity. Bunyan then disappeared from the musical scene, living in communes and on the road as a traveller in Ireland with her wagons, dogs and children. Only in the 1990s has JADD been rediscovered as a classic, hailed by artists such as Simon Raymonde of The Cocteau Twins and Devendra Banhart. Animal Collective meanwhile have also been enjoying a deserved upsurge of recognition, including tours with Black Dice and Múm, and strong positions in most of 2004’s end of year polls for their excellent album Sung Tongs.

Three of the four tracks on offer here take the multi-layered, subtly complex sound that is characteristic of the Collective’s work and cast a web around Vashti’s melodic and mellow voice. The fourth, “Baleen Simple,” recorded with band member Geologist, is similarly striking instrumental track. Luscious and simple, this is an EP that showcases the best of both artists.

Prospect Hummer was released on 24 May 2005 via FatCat Records.