Animal Collective – “Golden Gal” (Singles Going Steady)

Chris Ingalls: You know a band means business when they kick off a single with a Bea Arthur sample. The song is catchy and sickly sweet. I could see bouncing around to this at a party. But I almost feel like it should be something more. They found some nice hooks and kid-friendly keyboard patches and sort of called it a day. Trippy and fun, but ultimately leads to a sugar crash. [7/10]

Pryor Stroud: With electro-dissonance burbling beneath it surface and Wilson-esque exuberance buoying its vocals, “Golden Gal” is no stark departure from the rest of Animal Collective’s catalogue, but it flirts with a straightforward indie reductivism that we rarely hear from the avant-pop darlings. The melodic centerpiece is incontestably catchy, but almost in a clinical way, like it imposes itself on you rather than seeping into your unconscious naturally. Is this an earworm or a case of involuntary musical imagery repetition? [5/10]

Brian Duricy: Cam’ron once sampled the Golden Girls‘ theme song, so, no, “Golden Gal” sadly isn’t the best usage of the show in music. But that still leaves room for it to be yet another great Animal Collective song. Unfortunately, the “restraint” that the titular gal’s supposedly taught the band didn’t translate into the production. While it’s predictably bouncy, the oppressive presence of a springy baritone synth weakens all the (sometimes literal) bells and whistles nestled in. “FloriDada” is a great song, and hope is still there for Painting With to be yet another superb album from the group. [6/10]

Alexandra Fletcher: They didn’t reinvent the wheel here, but if this is any indication of the record to follow, the acid trip visuals and the catchy psych pop should appease the diehards and casual listeners alike. Bonus points for the Golden Girls sample, I say more Bea Arthur. [7/10]

Jared Skinner: A promising first course for their upcoming album, this new single is distinctly Animal Collective. The main rhythm features a catchy and upbeat, yet sometimes distracting theme, while the vocals feature that very Beach Boys-esque choral sounding ear candy that makes Animal Collective’s songs hard to dismiss. A lighthearted and fun teaser for Painting With, there is definitely enjoyment to be found in this release. [6/10]

Emmanuel Elone: The song is surreal, especially with the shifty, possibly distorted electronic synth noises. The lyrics are good, but the hook is exceptionally catchy. The ending is good as well, with the song getting slower before fading out. Though it felt a little bit too repetitive (it could have been a minute shorter), “Golden Gal” is still an enjoyable, playful tune. [6/10]

Morgan Y. Evans: Best Golden Girls ironic associations of 2016 already went to Deadpool‘s marketing campaign and Ryan Reynolds. This is more linear than some Animal Collective, which is a good thing if you got over doing nitrous in the ’90s or wanting to feel like a quirky balloon person. Had to turn their last album off because it was freaking out an ex’s toddler and making concentration on daily tasks completely impossible, which might be a pro rather than a con for some. Lyrics seem to flirt with gender bending but really it is just kind of a bright color palette video if you still care at all about doing Molly (yawn). Animal Collective are ok, but have always been kind of too hip for own good and thus annoying. Rather watch Grimes or freakin’ Aborym be weird. [5/10]

Will Rivitz: “Golden Gal” is absurdly inane — emphasis on the “absurd”. It’s incredibly kitschy, to the point of being quite unsettling, which I guess is kind of the point here, but I’m not sure if the kiddie-pop-meets-a-heavy-dose-of-LSD completely works. The stuff just doesn’t make any sense, which in the case of Animal Collective is kind of the point, but the nods to ’60s psych and firm baroque pop grounding are nevertheless impenetrably obstinate. In other words, it’s Animal Collective. I guess I can dig it. [6/10]

Steve Horowitz: A lovely, repetitious ditty about a lovely repetitious gal. The colorful animated video cleverly has her engage in Double Dutch, which nicely reflects the song’s theme. While Animal Collective should be commended for remaining positive in this dark world, the song suggests that even they know being optimistic in the face of danger is not enough. [7/10]

Chad Miller: I couldn’t figure out if I was supposed to be praising him for feminist commentary or scolding him for the lack of it as some of his lines seemed unclear. The music is pretty fun though, and the end closes the song with a bang. [7/10]

SCORE: 6.20