Animal Collective’s Email Hacked, Fake Message Sent

According to Bradford Cox’s blog, someone hacked into an email account and posed as Animal Collective’s Brian “Geologist” Weitz and sent the following message:

It has come to my attention that 2 full length tracks off of our upcoming album, Merriweather Post Pavilion have surfaced online. David, Noah, and I please ask that someone assist us and leak all of the remaining tracks on the album. The album is intended to be heard as a whole, and nothing bothers us more than individual tracks leaking and ruining the the overall album experience

-Brian Geologist

Cox relayed the band’s frustration with the situation by talking a bit about his recent conversation with Brian Weitz of Animal Collective:

Just got of the phone with Brian Weitz. Total Bullshit. Someone actually had the nerve to hack into their e-mail account and send this out. The truth is that AC do not want their album to leak and are trying very hard to avoid the drama around said album that has risen to a fever pitch.

The Deerhunter frontman also suggested an alternative to all those anxious fans who cannot wait until the January 6 release date of Merriweather Post Pavillion, Animal Collective’s ninth studio album. He recommends that fans pick up their own instruments and create an album they would hope would sound like the upcoming offering from AC. The comment seemed a bit tongue-in-cheek, but Bradford was trying to get the point across that fans should respect the band’s wishes and wait until the proper release date. The fact that we are less than three weeks away from the release date without a leak is amazing.

Animal Collective To Release New LP on Jan 20th

Animal Collective’s website has been putting up some artsy, mysterious messages since Oct 3rd.  Today, however, the message got a little clearer about their semi-announcement of the new LP.  Fishpork got word of the January release date back in August at the All Points West festival when Panda Bear spilled the beans.   The January listing on their site confirms that to be true.   This picture below is a snapshot of what the site looks like today:

Still unknown is the actual title of what has been referred to as “LP9″ in the past. The lead message says ”Merriweather Post Pavilion” which is an arena near their hometown of Baltimore, It’s uncertain if this could really be the title or another message pointing to the actual name.  If you click on the lettering today a multi-distorted voice says “Tracklisting” and a handheld DV camera pans around a room and ultimately down to a listing of the tracks:

01 “In The Flowers”
02 “My Girls”
03 “Also Frightened”
04 “Summertime Clothes”
05 “Daily Routine”
06 “Bluish”
07 “Guys Eyes”
08 “Taste”
09 “Lion In A Coma”
10 “No More Runnin”
11 “Brothersport”

If you click on the bands name this image appears:

We will await an official announcement from Domino on how much of this is factual, but the track listing looks legit.

**UPDATE**

Domino records made an official announcement on Oct 11th.  And the title of the New LP is indeed Merriweather Post Pavilion and it will be released on January 20th, 2009.  The LP was recorded at Sweet Tea Recording Studio in Oxford, Mississippi under the guise of Ben Allen. The album will be available on CD, 2xLP and digital formats.   Great news, indeed.