tankt

Normally, I play a SOTD over and over while I write these posts. Not so with this amazing new song from Animal Collective, in fact I can’t do anything beyond marvel at its absolute perfection: so sparse yet so full, so chaotic yet so incredibly peaceful. And that bass, those drums, the claps, the carnivalesque keys, and that seemingly endless outro, I defy you to find a more spectacular song, at least one that isn’t on the very same album!

I bought the limited edition vinyl when it was released on the 6th with the hopes of getting the digital download in advance of tomorrow official release. When that failed, I finally relented and had my brother send me the leaked copy — I really don’t know how or why I held off so long. Oh, and, I would have posted this sooner, but I chose to keep my friend the Web Sherriff at bay instead.

As an aside, I will never understand why music has to be kept under lock and key. Why turn your most devoted fans into thieves? At any rate, what really matters here is the music:

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And the lyrics:

Just a sec more in my bed
Hope the machine’s working right
When it’s just precisely tuned
That’s how it comes out so nice

Make sure my kid’s got a jacket
and coat and shoes and hat
Strap a stroller to my back
Bouncing along every crack

What can I do to make it pass?
Sing a song to pass the playground
What can I do as traffic pass?
Guard my girl from muffler’s black gas
What can I do to make it fast?
Pop a jump but not too hard
Take a little left up at the right
Stop and look at the traffic signal

Up uneven steps and talking’s hard

Substitute Panda’s daughter for my son, and that’s exactly how I feel each and every day. My daily routine revolves around him, and my time with him in the city is so heavily oriented to protecting him from its many dangers. I even sneer at muffler’s black gas, as if that’s going to prevent its toxic spray from hitting his young lungs.

I love my role as his protector, and cherish the life I share with Abby and him. Leave aside the keen composition of “Daily Routine,” what seals it for me is that now all too familiar fatherly emotion. It’s such a stunningly beautiful song, so raw and intense, I can only hope you enjoy it as much as I do. And yes, the rest of the album is every bit as good.