Sunbathing Animal's considered, whip-smart rock revivalism is a work of substantial growth from a band that already did "simple" quite well, placing Parquet Courts in their own distinct weight class.
While it might not be world’s away from its predecessors or as brain-shudderingly immediate, Sunbathing Animal - with its musical acuity, crisp production and stirrings of emotional depth - is a superior follow-up that improves with every listen.
Sunbathing Animal doesn’t see the band fully give itself to a new identity, but it proves Parquet Courts will avoid being typecast by never attempting to follow any course other than its own.
This is no huge departure from Parquet Courts, it makes for another brilliantly jarring experience nonetheless.
There’s nothing complex going on in any of these songs, but the guitar work sounds just as fiery and invigorated as ever, and their hooks are vibrant and incessantly catchy.
It is blissfully upfront and honest about the touchstones that it pays tribute to and, despite its apparent lack of originality, bubbles with the exhilarating, flailing spirit that can simply not be taught.
It's cleaned up, more of the same but filled to the brim with charm.
Sunbathing Animal proves that Parquet Courts have, in abundance, an ability to capture their influences and regurgitate them in their own way.
It widens the scope of influences even further, becoming more refined and pointed as they begin to settle into a new pattern whilst playing some of those old tricks.
There’s too much spontaneity and instinctive play happening on Sunbathing Animal for Parquet Courts to simply be riffing off anyone else and not be going something of their own vision.
It is the work of bandmembers in total control of their sound, doing exactly what they should on a second album.
'Sunbathing Animal' is not an immediate or cushy listen, but it is gripping; a considered and brutal reminder that Parquet Courts’ aren’t necessarily an accessible band.
These performances never surrender to the anxiety of influence: All those comparisons are mere reference points for a loose aesthetic that values sustained chordal vamps above all else.
It doesn’t provide the thrill-a-minute jolts of Light Up Gold, but Parquet Courts may yet become a garage punk band that millennials can call our own.
Unlike its predecessor, this isn’t quite a thrilling record; its energy and invention, though, points to big things for Parquet Courts, especially if they can continue to adhere to such a ferocious work ethic.
Where punk or post-punk or slacker rock might have described them before, the band seems to embrace its most obvious comparison points on Sunbathing Animal: Lou Reed and Stephen Malkmus.
Though less adventurous than on earlier work, Parquet Courts still manage to deliver a unique record that builds on the foundations of the past.
SHORT REVIEW #17
You know, ‘Sunbathing Animal’ is not as bad as I remember it! The first half of the album is actually fun, and I’ve grown on some of the songs I used to dislike, like “Always Back in Town” and “Instant Disassembly”. But, some of the problems I’ve had with the album still remain. The second half is underwhelming, the noise can get irritating, and some of the songs are repetitive and go on for too long, “She’s ... read more
I gotta bathe my dog he’s literally insane
Been meaning to get around to this record for awhile, and it ended up being a little bit more of a mixed bag than I was hoping it would be. It’s still a decent record but idk about some of these songs. Starting with the positives, What Color Is Blood is a really catchy slow burner, and kind of the same with Instant Disassembly. I wish that Instant Disassembly wasn’t 6 minutes because it does feel a bit long, but I like the lyrics a ... read more
I feel that between this and Content Nausea both releasing in the same year had cost the band a blow to there quality. This album much like it's 2014 counterpart feels devoid of spirit, the formula and sound are there but this record hardly does anything to make it worth listening to over something like Light Up Gold.
Best Track: Instant Disassembly
Worst Track: She's Rollin
SHORT REVIEW #17
You know, ‘Sunbathing Animal’ is not as bad as I remember it! The first half of the album is actually fun, and I’ve grown on some of the songs I used to dislike, like “Always Back in Town” and “Instant Disassembly”. But, some of the problems I’ve had with the album still remain. The second half is underwhelming, the noise can get irritating, and some of the songs are repetitive and go on for too long, “She’s ... read more
The ratings on this tracks are crazy. This ain't that bad, y'all. Honestly, I really appreciated the minimalism in a lot of pockets, the worst thing this album is, is that it simply is. It just kinda... exists.
Amazing to Perfect: Black and White
Great to Amazing: Sunbathing Animal, Ducking & Dodging, Raw Milk
Good to Great: Bodies Made Of, Dear Ramona, Always Back in Town, She's Rolling, Instant Disassembly
Meh to Good: What Color is Blood, Vienna II, Up All Night, Into the Garden
Bad to ... read more
it's a small step for this band, and it's pretty interesting garage-y art punk. i think people may not like it due to it's tendency to drag on, or it's pretty "nothing" sound, but i fucking love these sounds, and i think Sunbathing Animal executes it well. it's not any Wide Awake prototype, but it's enough to stand on it's own.
1 | Bodies Made Of 3:21 | 74 |
2 | Black and White 3:03 | 79 |
3 | Dear Ramona 2:34 | 70 |
4 | What Color Is Blood 3:24 | 77 |
5 | Vienna II 1:02 | 64 |
6 | Always Back in Town 2:37 | 70 |
7 | She's Rolling 6:33 | 56 |
8 | Sunbathing Animal 3:52 | 83 |
9 | Up All Night 1:02 | 85 |
10 | Instant Disassembly 7:12 | 85 |
11 | Ducking & Dodging 4:29 | 71 |
12 | Raw Milk 3:59 | 66 |
13 | Into the Garden 3:00 | 69 |
#2 | / | SPIN |
#6 | / | Diffuser |
#13 | / | Grantland (Steven Hyden) |
#18 | / | Slant Magazine |
#19 | / | MAGNET |
#20 | / | Pazz & Jop |
#20 | / | Vulture |
#21 | / | Under the Radar |
#22 | / | No Ripcord |
#24 | / | Double J |