#pbgr

@sparkbirdmusic

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) juvenile. Family Podicipedidae, order Podicipediformes.

Pied-billed Grebe

Convention Center Boardwalk

epic pied-billed grebe moment… i tried a new technique on him for t-shirt printing… everyone already knows this is my favorite bird but here’s some stuff about it because i LOOOOOVE talking about them and this is MY tumblr and i do what i want!!!!!

pied-billed grebes are GREBES and NOT DUCKS they have different feet and different bills and other things are different but that’s the main visible things

they need vegetated wetland habitat for nesting because they make FLOATING PLATFORM NESTS that are controversial in their ability to generate heat for incubation, some people think it helps incubation and some think it’s largely unimpactful. the heat comes from the reeds they use to build the nests being largely taken from the bottom of the water body they’re on and the decomposition of these plants produces enough heat to keep the nests consistently at a higher temperature than surrounding air/water temps

they have a really sweet call

they carry their babies on their back for the first little bit while they’re too little to swim well

Thankfully the alignment of Panda Bear’s solo work with Animal Collective’s ends here, and PB Meets the Grim Reaper ends up a far superior record to Painting With. That’s not really a feat in itself, and this is still a record of similar weaknesses to Tomboy – it lacks catchiness and tunefulness, and while it stirs interest on first listen, it struggles to find anything worthy of note on further attempts. Notably, songs also sound more and more similar - singles ‘Mr Noah’ and ‘Boys Latin’ essentially copy each other, the former with its irritating descending vocal melody and the latter with it’s equally grating fretted vocals. Lennox’s stylistic switch-up also proves compelling on first listen, but reveals itself as little more than a reverb-drenching stylistic façade over weak songwriting and melodies.

Despite all the criticism, PB Meets the GR does have some strong points. ‘Butcher Baker Candlestick Maker’ is a strong track of sublime depth, while the bass chord progression in ‘Come to Your Senses’ is worthy of note and ‘Principe Real’ is a very pretty track in general. The problem with this record is its washed out mixing. Lennox’s vocals may be as typically Beach Boys-esque as always, but it often feels like they’re drowning in a sound that is itself drowning in reverb.

Overall, PB Meets the GR is a forgettable record nowhere near Panda Bear’s best. That being said, it’s a certifiable improvement on Tomboy, and far more listenable. Furthermore, though the tracks might not be individually anything special, they’re far less monotonous than his previous release and make for a much more accessible and easy-going listen.

Pied-billed Grebe

Convention Center Boardwalk