4Q Magazine

Panda Bear – Tomboy (Review)

by Asa Masters on 7.04.11


Panda Bear – Tomboy
(Paw Tracks. 2011)

Noah Lennox’s fourth solo studio album comes with a wave of anticipation, since his last release, 2007’s Person Pitch, was probably one of the top albums of the decade. He’s been busy in that time, partaking in the creation of Meriwether Post Pavilion with the rest of Animal Collective.

Opening track ‘You Can Count On Me’ is a short, typically vocally led number, reintroducing the familiar warm sheen of Lennox’s voice. ‘Title track ‘Tomboy’ is a throbbing, rhythmic track, with the vocals again taking precedence. ‘Slow Motion’ has a great old school hip-hop beat starting it off, accompanied by a bouncing piano and synth swirls, which form the rhythm into a reggae motion.

‘Surfer’s Hymn’ and ‘Down At The Jetty’ both show further continuation in Lennox’s long-standing fascination with The Beach Boys, in both the song titles and their clear vocal influence. As always, with Panda Bear and Animal Collective, this heavy influence is used with respect and worthy song craft, always leaning to modern styles and applications.

Alsatian Darn begins with a weirdly tuned guitar, which introduces the song, before a melody and synthesizers blend into a rich texture; the atmosphere created is belonging to the familiar styles of Noah Lennox and Animal Collective. ‘Sheherezade’ begins with a lower keyed piano, and precedes a much darker, more melancholic vocal approach. It’s an almost hymn like song, a slow paced, echoing flow spread around cathedral-like acoustics.

With Tomboy, Panda Bear completes another project that can be held in high regard. It has the distinct feel of Noah Lennox’s previous work, and highlights the ability of the artist when it comes to making psychedelic pop compositions, and the mastery of which he now has over creating composite modern music.

I’ve never come across any of his albums and been disappointed, and this record makes no difference to that.

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  1. I have to say i disagree with pretty much everything in this review, i found listening to this album to be a dull and monotonous experience. I think even if i was high as a kite i would have still found it dreary. I admire the use of Beach Boys style vocal harmonies, but for someone who is apparently fascinated by the band he does seem to have missed the quintessential element of what made them great.

    Also while writing this I had to go and listen to some of the tracks again because they were so unimpressive that I’d actually forgotten how they sounded, which is never a good sign when reviewing an album.

    Some people may disagree but this is just my point of view, and I’m sure the Panda Bear faithful will be outraged and a backlash will ensue… but I don’t give a damn, it had to be said.

    — Rob Pearson · Apr 18, 03:44 PM · #