Sung Tongs

Last updated
Sung Tongs
Sung Tongs (Front Cover).png
Studio album by
Animal Collective
ReleasedMay 3, 2004
RecordedSeptember 7–28, 2003
StudioHades (Lamar, Colorado)
Genre
Length52:50
Label FatCat
Producer Animal Collective
Animal Collective chronology
Here Comes the Indian
(2003)		Sung Tongs
(2004)		 Prospect Hummer
(2005)
Singles from Sung Tongs
  1. "Who Could Win a Rabbit"
    Released: July 19, 2004

Sung Tongs is the fifth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on May 3, 2004 by FatCat Records. The album, newly exploring freak folk, [1] received high critical reception upon its release and was featured in best-of lists at the end of 2004 and the decade of the 2000s. Only two of the band's four members play on the album, Avey Tare (David Portner) and Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), a first since Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished (2000), which was originally credited to the duo and only later retroactively classified as part of the band's discography.

Contents

Background

Portner and Lennox both moved into a house in rural Colorado for the recording sessions for Sung Tongs, with Portner saying that much of it involved "Lots of singing and messing around with doing vocals in all parts of a room." [4] He disclosed on the Collected Animals messageboard in 2006 that:

we recorded it on the same tascam 48 (half inch 8 track) that I recorded Spirit on and the drums guitars and early electronics for Danse Manatee. That is we recorded the acoustic guitars and the vocals on 8 tracks. Then we mixed it down on Rusty's laptop and recorded many vocal and percussion over dubs. He's been using that for years. We mixed it from that onto....something..(i cant remember) at Noah's mom's place in Baltimore. It was very cold so we had to wear jackets the whole time. We added in all those samples and electronics there. We mixed for awhile so its sweet you like the mixing. Oh and we used AKGs and an old ribbon mic to record with. Though we had a pzm and some sm57s that we might have used as well. I remember using the pzm to record me slamming the door of the house which is what that distorted rhythm track in kids on holiday is. The person talking at the beginning of Who Could Win a Rabbit is someone in a deli in my neighborhood. [5]

The track "Visiting Friends" was influenced by German minimal techno label Kompakt’s Pop Ambient compilations and Wolfgang Voigt's ambient project Gas, with the intention of being "like a wall of hums [...], but with acoustic guitars." [6]

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 83/100 [7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Alternative Press 4/5 [9]
The Boston Phoenix Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Now 4/5 [12]
Pitchfork 8.9/10 [13]
PopMatters 8/10 [14]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Stylus Magazine A− [16]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [17]

Sung Tongs has received positive reviews. On the review aggregate site Metacritic, the album has a score of 83 out of 100, indicating "Universal acclaim". [7]


Sung Tongs has sold 27,000 copies in US according to Nielsen Soundscan. [18]

The album was performed live in its entirety by the duo for Pitchfork's 21st birthday on December 2, 2017. It was followed by a tour in 2018. [19]

The album has appeared on the following best-of lists:

Track listing

All music is composed by Animal Collective.

No.TitleLength
1."Leaf House"2:42
2."Who Could Win a Rabbit"2:18
3."The Softest Voice"6:46
4."Winters Love"4:55
5."Kids on Holiday"5:47
6."Sweet Road"1:15
7."Visiting Friends"12:36
8."College"0:53
9."We Tigers"2:43
10."Mouth Wooed Her"4:24
11."Good Lovin Outside"4:26
12."Whaddit I Done"4:05
Total length:52:50

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Feels</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Animal Collective

Feels is the sixth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on October 18, 2005 by FatCat Records. The album received acclaim from music critics, and was included at number 55 on Pitchfork's list of "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". As of 2008, Feels sold 55,000 copies in the US.

<i>Spirit Theyre Gone, Spirit Theyve Vanished</i> 2000 studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear (Animal Collective)

Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished is the first collaborative studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear, released in August 2000. It was later retroactively classified as the debut album by Portner and Lennox's group Animal Collective. The album was first released as a CD on the band's own Animal label with only 2000 copies produced.

<i>Danse Manatee</i> 2001 studio album by Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist (Animal Collective)

Danse Manatee is the first collaborative studio album between Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist, released in July 2001 on the label Catsup Plate. It was later retroactively classified as the second studio album by their band Animal Collective.

<i>Here Comes the Indian</i> 2003 studio album by Animal Collective

Here Comes the Indian is the first album by the American experimental pop band Animal Collective under that name, released June 17, 2003 on Paw Tracks. It is the first release by the group on which all four members perform together: Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin. Three earlier albums released by various combinations of these musicians were not billed as Animal Collective until later; the 2003 album is now considered the band's fourth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avey Tare</span> American musician

David Michael Portner, also known by his moniker Avey Tare, is a musician and songwriter who co-founded the American experimental pop band Animal Collective. He has released four solo albums, as well as three collaborative albums with Panda Bear which were later retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography.

<i>Prospect Hummer</i> 2005 EP by Animal Collective feat. Vashti Bunyan

Prospect Hummer is an EP by Animal Collective released in May 2005. It is an accompaniment to Sung Tongs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Could Win a Rabbit</span> 2004 single by Animal Collective

"Who Could Win a Rabbit" is the first single from experimental pop band Animal Collective's fifth album, Sung Tongs.

<i>Young Prayer</i> 2004 studio album by Panda Bear

Young Prayer is the second solo album by American experimental pop musician Panda Bear, released on September 28, 2004. It follows his debut solo album Panda Bear (1999). It is his first since co-founding Animal Collective.

<i>Pullhair Rubeye</i> 2007 studio album by Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan

Pullhair Rubeye is a collaborative studio album released by Animal Collective member Avey Tare and his then-wife Kría Brekkan. The album was released April 24, 2007 in CD, LP, and digital formats.

<i>Strawberry Jam</i> 2007 studio album by Animal Collective

Strawberry Jam is the seventh studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective. It was released in September 2007, the band's first on Domino Records. It was accompanied by the singles "Peacebone" and "Fireworks." The album was the band's first to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting and peaking at #72.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geologist (musician)</span> American musician

Brian Ross Weitz, also known by his stage name Geologist, is a musician best known as a member of the experimental pop group Animal Collective. He provides electronic sound manipulations and samples for the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deakin (musician)</span> Musical artist

Joshua Caleb Dibb, also known by his moniker Deakin, is an American musician who co-founded the experimental pop band Animal Collective. He is the most infrequent member of the collective appearing on only six of the group's eleven studio albums. In 2016, he made his solo debut with the album Sleep Cycle. He also occasionally works as a carpenter during musical down time.

<i>Down There</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Avey Tare

Down There is the debut solo album by Animal Collective member Avey Tare, released worldwide on October 25, 2010, on Paw Tracks. The album was recorded in June with Animal Collective bandmate Josh Dibb at the Good House, an old church in upstate New York. "Lucky 1" was officially released for download as the first single on October 5, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Collective</span> American experimental pop band

Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin. The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, sampling, vocal harmonies, and sound collage. AllMusic's Fred Thomas suggests that the group "defined the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s."

<i>Centipede Hz</i> 2012 studio album by Animal Collective

Centipede Hz is the ninth studio album by American experimental pop group Animal Collective, released on September 4, 2012 on Domino Records. The album marks the return of band member Deakin, who sat out of the recording and touring of the band's previous album, Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009). On the US Billboard 200, it peaked at No. 16.

<i>Enter the Slasher House</i> 2014 studio album by Avey Tares Slasher Flicks

Enter the Slasher House is the debut album by Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks, consisting of Avey Tare of Animal Collective, ex-Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian, and ex-Ponytail drummer Jeremy Hyman. The first single from the album, "Little Fang", was named "Best New Track" by Pitchfork.

<i>Painting With</i> 2016 studio album by Animal Collective

Painting With is the tenth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on February 19, 2016. The album is a follow-up to Centipede Hz (2012), and features contributions from John Cale and Colin Stetson. It peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard 200. Three singles were issued: "FloriDada" (2015), "Lying in the Grass", and "Golden Gal". A companion EP, The Painters, was released the following year.

<i>Meeting of the Waters</i> (EP) 2017 EP by Animal Collective

Meeting of the Waters is the ninth EP by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released first on Record Store Day, April 22, 2017. It is the second extended play released by the band in 2017. The EP was recorded live on location in the Amazon Rainforest. It is notable for containing many recordings of animal calls and some sounds being recorded underwater, as well as being documented in the Viceland series Earth Works. This is the band's first release to feature only Avey Tare and Geologist and currently the only to feature this particular lineup of the collective.

<i>Eucalyptus</i> (Avey Tare album) 2017 studio album by Avey Tare

Eucalyptus is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Avey Tare. It was released on July 21, 2017 as the follow-up to his 2010 solo debut Down There, Eucalyptus is his first solo release following the formation of his band Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks. It was recorded by fellow Animal Collective bandmate Joshua Dibb, and features past collaborators Eyvind Kang and Angel Deradoorian.

<i>Cows on Hourglass Pond</i> 2019 studio album by Avey Tare

Cows on Hourglass Pond is the third solo studio album by American musician Avey Tare. It was released on March 22, 2019 by Domino Recording Company. The album follows 2017's Eucalyptus and was supported by a tour. Its announcement was accompanied by the release of the video for "Saturdays (Again)", directed by Avey Tare's sister, Abby Portner.

References

  1. 1 2 Bemis, Alec Hanley (2004-12-12). "Freak Folk's Very Own Pied Piper". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ Hegarty, Paul; Martin Halliwell (2021). Beyond and Before, Updated and Expanded Edition Progressive Rock Across Time and Genre. Bloomsbury. p. 315.
  3. ↑ Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 29, 2023. ... [its] touches might have extended hands (paws?) outward to the best avant-pop of the previous generation...
  4. ↑ Collected Animals Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine Post by Dave Portner under his user name "wheeter", April 13, 2006
  5. ↑ "Collected Animals message board". Archived from the original on 2007-10-29.
  6. ↑ MOTHER NATURE'S SONS: Animal Collective and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti by Simon Reynolds, The Wire, 2005
  7. 1 2 "Reviews for Sung Tongs by Animal Collective". Metacritic . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ Bush, John. "Sung Tongs – Animal Collective". AllMusic . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Animal Collective: Sung Tongs". Alternative Press (193): 122. August 2004.
  10. ↑ Bell, Megan (February 4–10, 2005). "Animal Collective: Sung Tongs (Fat Cat)". The Boston Phoenix . Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Animal Collective: Sung Tongs". Mojo (126): 105. May 2004.
  12. ↑ Young, Dylan (May 20, 2004). "Animal Collective". Now . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  13. ↑ Leone, Dominique (May 2, 2004). "Animal Collective: Sung Tongs". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ Henderson, Lee (May 5, 2004). "Animal Collective: Sung Tongs". PopMatters . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  15. ↑ Sarig, Roni (August 19, 2004). "Sung Tongs". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  16. ↑ Howard, Ed (June 1, 2004). "Animal Collective – Sung Tongs – Review". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Animal Collective – Sung Tongs". Uncut (85): 85. June 2004. Archived from the original on September 10, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Billboard". 2007-06-30.
  19. ↑ "Announcing Pitchfork's 21st Live Concert". Pitchfork . 16 October 2017.
  20. ↑ Pitchfork staff. The Top 100 Albums of 2000-04. Pitchfork . 7 February 2005. Retrieved 22 June 2011
  21. ↑ Pitchfork staff. Top 50 Albums of 2004. Pitchfork . 31 December 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2011
  22. ↑ Pitchfork staff. The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 50-21 Pitchfork . 1 October 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2011
  23. ↑ Tiny Mix Tapes Staff. Favorite 100 Albums of 2000-2009: 20-01. Tiny Mix Tapes. February 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2011
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.