I appear to have several records by Animal Collective and related acts like Panda Bear, of which I tend to like bits and bobs, but never can see what both critics and devotional fans seem to like about them.

This year's Merriweather Post Pavilion had the greatest cover art, but the music just sounded like The Shins trying to go all Warp-electronica to varying degrees of success. Clearly I just didn't hear the record that everyone else heard - a planned trip to watch them in Bristol was cancelled when non-plussed by that LP.

Perhaps The Green Man would be the place to get Animal Collective's appeal - MPP had grown a bit more on me and is a lovely soundtrack for MP3 aided walks through sunny fields. I did wonder if it would make sense live and the Collective would offer up the aural equivalent of ecstasy that would leave festival goers in an equally ecstatic state.

Sadly I wasn't aware of their tentative live reputation and have been informed by other folk that their gig the previous night in Brixton was suitably arresting. I was expecting sonics equal to Gang Gang Dance (who had played earlier and supported them the previous night), but sadly the electronics seemed fairly turgid and probably weren't as loud as they should have been. Bass and related sonics should have pierced the valley - instead it was tepid stuff.

The electronics weaved in limply alongside the vocals, and the vocals were appalling - I don't know if Animal Collective had a cold or had been smoking something, but they were failing to hit the notes. The effect of songs like 'In the Flowers', 'My Girls', and 'Summertime Clothes' was diluted by this poor delivery - compared to the following day's vocal performance from Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective were severely lacking.

Dud of the weekend and I'm still no closer to truly locating their appeal; I wonder if two stars is too generous?