Animal Collective Unveil Optical Illusion Album Cover
Earlier this month we took at the tracklist for Animal Collective's next album and noticed some familiar songs. Merriweather Post Pavilion is out 1/20 on Domino but some lucky fans won't have to wait that long to hear it. Clicking around on the band's website will pop this invitation to a NYC listening party next week. If you go, tell us about it after. If it's anything like Merriweather's trippy optical illusion album cover, you're in for a mind-altering experience.
Is it a vase or two faces?!
No, I'm just fucking with you. Here's the real deal, via
If your mind is playing tricks on you as it should, that album cover should be undulating. I think. I was at a Crystal Stilts concert until 5 AM so I could be seeing things.
Posted at 4:47 PM by Scott
Tags: Animal Collective
At first I was sure this had to be an animation, but if you focus on one section of the cover the movement stops.
Wtf.
Score = 1
I don't want to know what Animal Collective has planned as far as scratch and sniff features go two albums from now. They've already fucked with two of my senses.
Score = 3
I prefer the vase.
Or the two faces. Shit!
Score = 3
panda bear - dude. lets make an album that is just like fuckin strawberry jam.
avey tare - dude! okay. but after that lets make an album about this fuckin crazy picture! its movin!
Score = 5
It looks like the kids googled opitical illusions and photoshopped someone elses picture.
Score = 1
Wow,they must be really desperate.
Score = -27
Yeah dude. It's clear Animal Collective has been a creative and commercial rut for the last few albums. They might as well call it quits. When's that new Vampire Weekend coming out?
Score = 0
ummm no.
Score = -7
apparently i should be taking drugs for this
Score = 3
I was enailed this image four or five years ago. Any attribution?
Score = 2
Op Art anyone?
Score = 0
I'm tripping balls
Score = 4
I think of the vase/two faces thingy inspired the new Bloc Party album cover.
Score = 2
shit, they spiked the water again...
Score = 0
It's obviously two faces.
Score = -4
http://www.freegifthome.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/moving-beans-optical-illusion.gif
Score = 5
can't wait
Score = 0
It's fun to look at while listening to the first 45 seconds of"Chinese Democracy." Other than that, it doesn't look that great, but God bless 'em for trying to do something cool with album art. When bands do that, it seems like they put time into trying to make an album special or distinct. I just get all sentimental for physical formats.
Score = 2
somebody please tell me i am not the only person that is far far burnt out on the "i should be taking drugs" (or something similar) comments that inevitably get posted EVERY FUCKING TIME SOMEBODY EXHALES A BREATH ABOUT ANIMAL COLLECTIVE!
not clever.
Score = 7
No, you are not, it annoys me too.
Can't wait for the album, don't care much about the cover, it's ok though...
Score = 1
You just wished that you were as clever, bitter failure.
Score = -1
"i dig music..."
"ehh..."
"I'M ON DRUGS!!!"
Score = 2
the best band of my world
Score = 5
Lame cover art, but when the music is that good, they can do whatever the fuck they want with it, and I'll still buy it.
Score = 2
...drugs
Score = -1
What they should have done: kept the concept of a moving picture and replace the beans with animal heads, human heads, and controversial female tits.
Score = 6
that made me dizzy.
Score = 0
The undulating pattern part of the design was almost certainly done by Akiyoshi KITAOKA, a professor of psychology in Japan. I think some of his other rotational work is more interesting, but it's cool to see someone incorporate it into an album cover. Here's a link to much much more from Akiyoshi:
http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/index-e.html
Scroll down to the bottom for links to all his other work.
Score = 0
Lol! Merriweather Post Pavilion! Can any other Baltimorean LOL at this with me? lol lol lol
Score = 0
i'm LOL'ing with you, dude. it's pretty genius.
Score = 0
hell yes baltimore! when i saw the album title i flipped shit too :)
Score = 0
Alright. Not from Baltimore. Missed the joke. Wish to "lol". Anyone want to help me out?
Score = 0
http://www.merriweathermusic.com/
Score = 0
So, they named their album after an outdoor concert stage? I was thinking it would be something like "Merriweather used to be a cool town until they built the Pavilion, and then it was lame".
I find it hillarious that AC wrote arguably the best song on their last album about Reverend Green. Who has now become my favorite CLUE character.
Thanks for the link by the way. I didn't think to just google it.
Score = 0
I think this is a wonderful idea... seen these all over the internet, but taking it to the printing press is pure genius.
Score = 0
"Fear of Music"
Score = 1
this could only be better with a little bicycle on the front with a massive basket on it.
o ya. and 15 years of waiting.
Score = -1
Thank you for your interest in attending the Merriweather Post
Pavilion listening party. Unfortunately due to the overwhelming
response and space limitations we can no longer accept RSVPs for this
event.
Thanks for understanding.
PS - If you've already been contacted about your RSVP please disregard
this auto-response.
Score = 0
i don't think it looks like a "vase", but i like animal collective.
Score = 0
I'm no Animal Collective die hard, but Strawberry Jam was ear boners and this album cover is eye boners (that's good). All you haters read into shit too much, it is just album art which is a dying one unfortunately. Even if this wasn't an illusion it would be appealing and somewhat original, but it moves when your eyes do so...BONus.
Score = 0