With so much hype surrounding Avey Tare’s new band, it would easy to disappoint and fall below expectations. The bar has been set high with Animal Collective’s reputation. However, with Enter the Slasher House one of my favorite albums of this year emerges. This record deserves undivided attention and should be experienced to from start to finish; headphones are practically a necessity since the sonic textures offer so much nuanced.
From “Blind Babe” to “Modern Days E,”we see a band with a knack for focusing on Tare’s mesmerizing vocals and psychedelic tendencies. At the core of the album there’s harmony between Avey’s voice, Angel Deradoorian’s incredible keyboarding skills, and Jeremy Hyman on the drums. This album is not so much a debut as three experienced musicians collaborating to make a sonic adventure with aural depth. This multilayered album has tremendous replay value; there’s so much going on that it’s impossible to grasp all of it at once. The tracks elicit a euphoria induced coma streamlined with Tare’s uplifting yet eerie lyrics, “You’re something special, we all will sing your name, embrace your darkness never be ashamed.” A sure favorite will be “Roses On the Window” because of its heavy synths, but I see the standout song as “Catchy (Was Contagious)”for its instant likeability and embodiment of the album as a whole.
In a recent interview with SPIN magazine Tare says, “Psychedelia isn’t just about one mood. For me, it’s always been about the combination of moods and how fast a mood can change.” This record is a perfect example of his mindset, with each song being notably different from the next. Considering that this is the band’s first record, I am truly excited and can’t wait for a follow-up. In the end, this album is a perfect representation for how psychedelia has evolved from its roots in the 60’s to the mind-bending artistic chaos that it is now. Whenever Slasher Flicks comes to Austin Psych Fest this weekend I’ll be there, and so should you.
