I have no problem with intellectualizing music, and I appreciate reviewers who don't feel the need to condescend, but I really can't get my head around this.

The arguments he puts forward re the link between evocations of nature and white, male modernist alienation are fairly standard but the only way he seems to tie this in to Animal Collective is through a couple of song titles that reference natural elements. This is probably because lyrically, I don't think AC really do fetishize nature; most of the imagery I've picked up on seems to do exactly the opposite. As for the comment about Karen Dalton, he conflates nature and culture, which I'd argue actually contradicts the point Banhart was trying to make, which is precisely to link her voice to nature; either way this doesn't make her "wholly Other," although it might preclude her of agency. Anyway, here's the link:

http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4276

Also, more prosaically, anyone want to tell what the Water Curses EP sounds like after reading that?