FILTER Issue 35

The wide-eyed childhood buddies that compose Baltimore’s Animal Collective have matured into full-fledged professional musicians, traversing the expanse between the youthful, untethered explorations of yesteryear and the directed focus of Merriweather Post Pavilion. They’ve journeyed from late-night club shows in New York to the extensive, large-venue tours of today. Nevertheless, Animal Collective has not abandoned the experimentation that has endeared it to loyal fans everywhere, but has become more adept at striking out on its own. Here, FILTER hangs with the taciturn band behind the “scene”, backstage, where their personal bond is unbreakable.

Elsewhere, in our tribute, metal gods Slayer trace their infamous history and lay out the their discography’s dirty details. Norwegian electrokids Royksopp get star struck by Depeche Mode and geek out over talk of synthesizers. PJ Harvey and John Parish reunite and rekindle the creative spark they ignited over 13 years ago. Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords talk fame over Slurpees and Big Gulps by the pool.
 
Additionally, we examine the Funny Misshapen Body of comic book artist Jeffrey Brown, Bat for Lashes’ Natasha Khan tells us of the things she lost in the fire, The Morning After Girls find solitude in big-city chaos, and we celebrate the 15-year-old Festival Internacional De Benicàssim. Plus: Obits, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Au Revoir Simone, The Courteeneers, Bill Callahan, Rudo Y Cursi, and an EndNote plea by Andy Samberg to give his band a chance.

COVER
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: An Interior Design


FEATURES
Synthesis of Destruction: Blanketing the Landscape with DEPECHE MODE & RÖYKSOPP 

When Polly met Parish: Walking Through the Years with PJ HARVEY & JOHN PARISH

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS: Birds of Prey

An Open Book: The Art of JEFFREY BROWN


F-STOP
BAT FOR LASHES: Heart on Fire

Every Man an Island: Embracing Isolation with THE MORNING AFTER GIRLS


TRIBUTE
In the Blood:  SLAYER Reigns Forever


SOUND ESCAPES
Life’s a Beach: Celebrating 15 years of the FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE BENICÀSSIM


GETTING TO KNOW
OBITS
BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW
AU REVOIR SIMONE
THE COURTENEERS