By: John Mabery
Rating: 9/11

The name Animal Tropical conjures up images of a place that's warm and wild, and the boys of Miami’s Animal Tropical sound like they’re having a blast on Doom Years (2009).  The six-song EP is auditory overload, filled with a plethora of sounds and bending genres while still managing to flow seamlessly from track to track. 

Upon first listen, it’s almost hard to believe the band takes itself seriously enough without being labeled as an art-rock parody.  I mean, how could you when the band sings about Dairy Queen and booty-calls in “Twenty Miles?”  But in Animal Tropical, the musicianship is so intricate that one has to appreciate their ability to have fun and still maintain their cool factor while doing it.  This is a band with a real knack for nuances, such as on album opener “Waterbed City,” a remarkable piece of pop made all the more remarkable by the overactive triangle and many whistles (human and instrumental) in the background. 

And if all that noise is too much for you, the band does soft very well also.  With it’s careening piano chords and indelible sense of longing, album centerpiece “Cindy Rodriguez” shows that the band can create something really beautiful without losing that aforementioned spontaneity or humor (as evidenced in the abrupt ending to the song). 

Doom Years packs a lot into its 21-minute running time.  It doesn’t end too soon – it’s certainly a satisfying experience as is – but it’s exciting enough that it warrants multiple listens, particularly if you’re looking to brighten up your life.