Animal Collective / Battles

Mogwai covering Four Tet or Matt Sweeney backed by DJ Shadow - I can't quite think how to sum up Battles. For certain, they were utterly compelling and instantly distinctive. In fact I have never been so mesmerised by a support band. They had the ability to take their muscular riffs and take them to unexpected places whilst never becoming indulgent or anything less than immediate.

Then came Animal Collective, who confused and frustrated like no other: I guess that may have been the idea. On record they manage to sound both abstract and dizzying - yet always carried by the unerring ability to find melody and structure in even the most far reaching places. The lightness of touch that graces both Feels and Sung Tongs was somewhat lost live. Songs merged into an indistinguishable mire of noise and monotony - and only occasionally to any effect. Although the crowd seemed to bestow endless goodwill towards them there was a general air of perplexity. Only on the great 'Did You See the Words' did things finally fall into place.

But despite these frustrations, you can't help but admire Animal Collective. They are utterly unique, fearless and challenging. It just hard to know what to make of it all - they are undoubtedly a brilliant proposition on record and in lead singer David Portner they have a twisted Tim Buckley-like voice that can take a simple refrain and take it to extraordinary places.

Enjoyable? Hardly; Frustrating? Always.