Animal Collective are a band who can go into your kitchen and, armed with a collection of glass bowls, saucepans and the contents of your cutlery draw, could produce a masterpiece... or conversely sound like a bunch of kids mucking about in the kitchen. This is because they completely understand the basic beauty and evocative nature of sound, but sometimes get lost between the original idea and the final product.

I can put up with the near misses if they continue to come up with those astonishing moments when, out of a seemingly chaotic mess, everything resolves with a single note or chord change.

This obviously puts a lot of people off, and tries their patience. 12 minutes of "Visiting friends" is not for everyone, but I completely understand and love that track. All 12 minutes of it.

However with the first few tracks of Strawberry Jam I thought they were getting stale and were repeating themselves. I thought Panda Bear had outgrown them with Person Pitch and the end was nigh. But then with "For Reverand Green" and "Fireworks" all was right with the world.

MPP picks up from those tracks, weaves in the splendid ideas from Person Pitch and on we go. MPP isn't a perfect album. "Also Frightened" is dreary and is best skipped and "Lion in a coma" (a play on words) doesn't quite work for me. But the majority of it is so sumptuous, warm, and life affirming that it would be bonkers to give it less than 5 stars.

If you're new to Animal Collective then this is the album to start with. "Daily Routine" gives you an idea of their earlier work. The way the extended voice is harmonised with those shining bell sounds towards the end of the track is classic AC and may invite you to buy "Feels" and "Sung Tongs".

If you're already a fan you've already got this.

Even beginning to define the genre of this album is intensely difficult. The Pet Sounds influnece is here for all to see but this is not a surfer pop album - far from it, MPP lies somewhere between electro, indie, pop and dancefloor. This is the first time I have heard an electronic album sound so organic and warm, it feels like it could have been born in a forest, next to a babbling brook. The moods are ecstatic and mournful, it is a fantastic piece of work to listen to in the dark, and it might take you six listens to get into it - but even better. Once you unlock this treasure trove of an album you will not be dissapointed.

Super Furry Animals. Spiritualised. Primal Scream. The Orb. The Stone Roses. And of course The Beach Boys. All mashed up into a psychadelic landscape that you might just enjoy when considering any preference you may have for the above bands over more ahum, mainstream set ups. An album full of surprises, surprises that keep coming listen after listen. How I laughed when Windows Media Player described this as Alternative Rock! Alternative certainly, but thats as close to any category anyone should dare go with this record.

I've followed AC for some time and, wow, they've finally made it. "Strawberry Jam" was good, but this is great. If you like catchy hooks with an "edge" then this is for you. These songs improve with repeated listening. You need good hi-fi to be able to get the subtleties, but when you do it takes you out of this world. There's a sort of ecstatic quality about this music, a quality that it's hard to quantify.

A few reviewers have bemoaned the fact that they're not "cool" enough for this music. if you don't like it, then that's fine - just say so! This album's quality doesn't depend on whether or not AC are cool - it just depends on whether or not the tracks are great. THEY ARE!!! The last two tracks provide a great climax to a great album. Do yourself a favour and buy this. Put your headphones on, pour yourself a beer and enjoy!

I'm a new commer to Animal Collective having heard "My Girls" I thought their experimental style was unique, the album has some really great songs in it and I can't say I don't like one song! Some songs on the album just make you wanna get up and Dance Dance Dance(3 for emphasis). Having now heard their previous work, the experimental style is still there but this time it's some eclectic electronic rhythms! love it recommend it to the new listeners and old...