The Panda Bear, aka Noah Lennox from Animal Collective, album is one of the most anticipated albums of the year. The release date for his fourth full-length album, Tomboy is finally set for April 19. Here is a newly released video for “Atiba Song.” It is still undetermined if this song will be on the upcoming release.

“I got tired of the severe parameters of using samplers. Thinking about Nirvana and the White Stripes got me into the idea of doing something with a heavy focus on guitar and rhythm.” Favoring a darker, more-streamlined sound on Tomboy, Lennox went for a more visceral and direct approach, though that rock tendency was offset by another old influence on Lennox: “With regards to where I am with Tomboy, I’m definitely reliving middle school and all the Baltimore R & B radio we used to ingest.” – Paw Tracks website.

“Atiba Song” by Panda Bear

Come on, if a movie was that bad, any lay person would have avoided it. It’s nothing we’re longing to erase from our memories. We figured out not to go — because you, the movie reviewer, took the hit. That’s your problem.

So I don’t need a decade-end list of the very worst crap that you saw and I didn’t see. I’d rather make a list of the worst movies that you, the movie reviewer, gulled me into seeing. What did you say was good that I wasted my time and money on?

Strangely enough I disagree with all but one of the films on her short list, and some of the wingnuts in her comments gallery will only take it downhill from there. But it begs a new discussion for music reviews: which LPs (or MP3s, or concert tickets) did over-zealous journalists sucker you into buying? You already know my list, I’ve been waving that banner all year long. Let’s hear yours.

PS: I’m right there with her, film score notwithstanding, on Little Miss Sunshine. Ack!

Indie music has one, which is all fine and good, congratulations, thanks for asking. But we, the staff members of tMiM, think that indie music blogging should have one as well. Because — and let’s be frank, here — it’s about what blogs good, not what sounds good. So here they are, in no particular order, the proposed galleys to our Indie Music Bloggers Alphabet Book:

(This just in, one of our loyal readers just informed us that the order is “alphabetical.” Psh! If you’re going to get all jargony on us.)

A is for Animal Collective.
B is for Baltimore, their home town!
C is for Collective. Like we said, Animal Collective.
D is for Deakin, of Animal Collective. Don’t make us tell you twice!
E is for Elbow, who are Scottish!
F is for Franz Ferdinand, also Scottish!
G is for Grizzly Bear (not for “Gorilla vs. Bear,” mind you).
H is for Hair. Regina Spektor’s hair is quite red.
I is for Indie band snobbery.
J is for Jane, which totally has a bandmate in common with Animal Collective.
K is for Korg M3, the brand of keyboard Animal Collective uses.
L is for Leon, as in they have Kings.
M is for Men; the “Dead Weather” variety, to be specific.
N is for Nuptials, Trent Reznor, Meg White, Ben Gibbard & Ryan Adams all recited theirs in the last few months.
O is for Oasis, the brothers are getting along, now they’re not, now they are, now they’re not…
P is for Piano, Regina’s instrument.
Q is for Q and not U.
R is for Regina.
S is for Spektor, Regina.
T is for “Two Weeks”, Grizzly Bear’s latest creepy video.
U is for Uncle, as in me crying, “enough with Animal Collective!”
V is for Vampire Weekend.
W is for Weekend, Vampire.
X is for XL Records, Vampire Weekend’s label.
Y is for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who have had a track remixed by Animal Collective!
Z is for Zero, the track in question!

While every letter and rhyme aren’t home runs, the art work is great, especially Thom York.

The book can be viewed in it’s enitrety here and purchased in paperback for $12.95 here.

There are 19 different episodes over at Woodshop for your enjoyment.

Harvey Milk & Beck

Young Jeezy & Animal Collective

Just last week I missed Bat For Lashes on Letterman and Antony and the Johnsons on Craig Ferguson so I am also posting those videos as an added bonus this week.

David Letterman
Tuesday May 5th – Franz Ferdinand
Thursday May 7th – Animal Collective

Late Late Shoe with Craig Ferguson
Tuesday May 5th – Jenny Lewis

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Wednesday May 6th – Van Morrison

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Monday May 4th – Adele
Wednesday May 6th – The National

Last Call with Carson Daly
Monday May 4th – Lykke Li
Tuesday May 5th – Lily Allen

I love a good review almost as much as a good release. Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion has been causing quite a stir in the review-niverse, so let’s highlight a few of them:

Stereogum.com is calling it the best album of 2009. Considering the post is dated January 5, 2009, that’s about as bold a statement as a reviewer could make.

Alternative.blog.nl had a review in Dutch. I don’t read Dutch, but I love Babelfish as much as the next amateur linguist. Here’s a little gem I pulled from the translation:

Only already thanks to these new Animal Collective remains the US provisional lord and master in current India music. More strongly: if there this year much plates arrive that concerning this master work gone go, then us a simply spectacular headstock year stands wait. That sees there on paper at least what more balanced than now already exclamation that this possibly already the plate of the year is.

Troy Reimink of MLive.com called the Baltimore avant-gardists’ new release a “doozy” and “a riveting, engrossing listen, a trip to a dream world where the rules governing rock and electronic music apply only when they’re being subverted.” (He also called Pitchfork’s review “a whopping 9.6 slobber job.” That comment earns him an LOL.) He also describes the music as “a headphones adventure, rich with brain-melting atmosphere” then gives the album 4 out of 4 stars.

Of course, I had to take a peak at the slobber job and Reimink is right. When they set their minds to it, those Pitchfork guys sure can spoon up the blandishments, can’t they? According to Mark Richardson, their much-anticipated release “finds Animal Collective completely owning their unique sound, feels like the crucial next step in that conversation. What they’ve constructed here is a new kind of electronic pop– one which is machine-generated and revels in technology but is also deeply human, never drawing too much attention to its digital nature. It’s of the moment and feels new, but it’s also striking in its immediacy and comes across as friendly and welcoming.” (Let me say this: I prefer a sycophantic music critic any old day to a melophobic one who is incapable of being satisfied. Of course, I’d much prefer an honest music critic over either.)

When I listened to “My Girls” on Animal Collective’s MySpace page, I didn’t hear a band that is “completely owning their unique sound.” Instead, I thought that they owe Brian Wilson an acknowledgment in their liner notes as a major inspiration. Nevertheless, there’s certainly nothing wrong with experimenting with the Pet Sounds and SMiLE palettes. In fact, I would highly encourage more artists these days to do the same thing. Take a listen: