Merriweather Post Pavillion Listening Party

Love them or hate themeither position is justifiableAnimal Collective has a knack for creating sounds and sonics unlike any ever heard before, so it’s easy to see why criticsparticularly those who rely on a good Internet connection to post their thoughtshave fallen so hard for these caustic, psych-folk slingers from Baltimore. Early buzz suggests that the band’s new Merriweather Post Pavillion could be their best album yet, and the band is capitalizing on the resulting anticipation with a novel roll-out plan: They’re selling vinyl copies of the record weeks ahead of the CD release at a series of listening parties around the country, including one tonight at Burnhearts in Bay View at 7 p.m., where Muzzle of Bees and 91.7 will be hosting giveaways of posters and other swag.