Pop is a genre that is slow to catch up to its forward-thinking contributors. While the sounds of yesterday find placement in the Billboard charts long after the innovators of the genre have moved on from that sound, it is essential to give credit where credit is due. Animal Collective deserves a healthy heap of it. The experimental pop outfit has birthed some of pop’s most timeless contemporary wonders and spun off solo careers for celebrated trope-breakers like Panda Bear, Avey Tare, and Geologist. While their position in the modern alt-pop pantheon seems like a no-brainer, there was a time when this band needed to prove themselves, showcase the singularity they bring to the genre, and introduce themselves as what we’ve all seen them become: a collection of daring musicians hellbent on redefining modern pop.
While there are a multitude of moments throughout Animal Collective’s extensive genre that one could point to as their creative breakthrough, 2005’s Feels awkwardly and fearlessly stands under the blinding light of this title with a proud, statuesque pose. The nine-song, 50-minute album marked the band’s sixth studio LP, released on October 18, 2005, and Animal Collective was never the same. Throughout the psychedelic undertones and sugary vocals, the band proves to be much more than simple additions to a consistently burgeoning indie-pop scene; they defined the boundaries of the movement for future artists, and did it all with trust in their lofty visions and open-mindedness.
Feels was recorded in March of 2005 at Gravel Voice Studios in Seattle, Washington. While these nine songs are not the first time Animal Collective entered the realm of experimentation —see albums like 2004’s Sung Tongs and the hectic electronics of 2003’s Ark —it isn’t the risks that make Feels such a defining album; it’s how honed those daring leaps were. From the chaotic, anthemic yelps of “Grass” to the distorted, blissful ambiance of “Flesh Canoe,” Feels is the moment where the band’s prowess catches up to their imagination. This isn’t an album of loosely-connected ideas meant to challenge tradition. Feels beautifully details what pop music can sound like when ideas, no matter how off-kilter, are not only trusted, but also allowed to roam and flourish on their own time.
These nine songs are stretched to reach nearly an hour runtime, but not for a second do they meander for too long. Seven-and-a-half minutes turned out to be the perfect amount of time for all the spacious sonics and twinkling undertones of “Daffy Duck” to be felt deeply in the soul. At the same time, the cascading acoustics and soaring vocals of “Bees” fit soundly in the nearly six-minute runtime. Feels was released in an era where albums were carefully listened to from start to finish, and that is the only proper way to digest the whimsy and painstaking attention to detail that make this album such a highlight from an extensive discography.
Feels was released to widespread acclaim, with fans and media outlets showing thanks to Animal Collective for holding nothing back. With ecstatically positive reviews coming in from the likes of Pitchfork, Spin, NME, and The Guardian, Feels established an unpredictability for the band to thrive in. As of 2008, the album has sold over 55,000 copies and landed at 55 on Pitchfork’s “200 Best Albums of the 2000s” list from 2018.
The slow-burning yet palpable energy of “Banshee Beat,” the unassuming yet wondrous melodies of “Loch Raven,” and the complex welcoming of “Did You See The Words” — whichever moment is your favorite —Feels holds a special place in contemporary pop that it still maintains twenty years after its release. In celebration of the anniversary, Animal Collective has released a deluxe edition of the album, featuring demos of highlights like “Bees” and “Grass,” alongside B-sides and live recordings from this era of one of pop’s most undeniable, beloved members.
