Album Review: Geologist - "Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?"

With his solo debut Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?, Animal Collective's Geologist has turned to the hurdy gurdy as his main instrument. This results in a colorful, expansive soundscape ranging from graceful beauty to an explosive ferocity.

Drag City - 2026

The psychedelic, experimental Baltimore based band Animal Collective has had many offshoots over the years from their four members, but the least amount of material has to be from Brian Weitz, aka Geologist. Outside of his loosely collaborative project with Doug Shaw, last year's A Shaw Deal, he hasn't released a proper solo album until now. Already helming one of the year's best album titles, Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?, Weitz has turned to the medieval era, organically winding based instrument the hurdy gurdy as his main instrument. With the noisy, droney instrument being the album's focal point, there is an eclectic lineup of drums, electronics, bass, and more noise and sounds enveloping the listener. This results in a colorful, expansive soundscape ranging from graceful beauty to an explosive ferocity.

On this album, there are the more accessible, sticky moments that can be reminiscent of garage rock like the explosive rocker "Tonic," which is one of my favorite tracks of the year. Its groovy noodling and rapid drumming make it a fiery, hypnotic experience. "Government Job" is another catchy tune that's a bit murkier and more mysterious in its presentation but its psychedelic, alien grooves complimenting its warm, desert guitar make it all the worthwhile. "RV Envy" is an explosive tune that blasts you in the face with its raging, blaring noise, repeating quickly over and over. It can come off as quite obnoxious depending on the listener but for me, its catchy grooves make it a highlight. "Pumpkin Festival" is another highlight, being a bright neon lit tune that shimmers with its delightful electronic melodies. "Shelley Duvall" is gorgeous with its patient upright bass plucking and twinkling instrumentation shining like a lone star in the sky. Tracks like "Oracle Road" and "Not Trad" bring in traditional Celtic melodies and progressions, adding to the variety of the record quite a bit. "Color in the B&W" pleasantly brings in a more spacey, jazzy tone with its saxophone and percussion choices. Centerpiece "Compact Mirror / Last Names" is utterly fantastic in its nine minute presentation. Its fluttery basslines and pretty soundscapes in the beginning are wonderful, while its chaotic and abrasive moments in the latter half make it all the more captivating, especially when approaching this as one ongoing piece. The appropriate, satisfying album closer "Sonora" is reminiscent of some of Weitz's most intriguing contributions to Animal Collective, especially with his approaches to looping, and layering while also incorporating some of the Celtic music he's been enveloping himself in.

After listening to Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?, I have a few questions. For starters, why has it taken until 2026 for us to finally get a debut solo album from Geologist? Because damn, this thing absolutely rips. The amount of variety within the track listing, the cohesiveness, the collaborative kinsmanship with the other contributors (including his own son) and craftsmanship in the production and mixing makes this a truly remarkable experience and album as a whole. It's so good that it stands firmly on its own and it's just as enjoyable and quality as many of the other Animal Collective solo/side projects we've been blessed with over the decades. My other question is where does Weitz go from here? Has he been bitten by the solo album bug? Will he be inspired further by the hurdy gurdy or something else entirely to make another album? Only time will tell. But for now, Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights? gets a standing ovation from yours truly. I can't wait to listen to this one again and again all year. What a truly unique and one of a kind album that only Weitz can come up with.

My Rating: 8 / 10

Favorite Songs: "Tonic," "Government Job," "Pumpkin Festival," "Compact Mirror / Last Names," "Shelley Duvall," "RV Envy"