I’ve also read a few interviews with the lads where they touch on this, the most recent being at Pitchfork (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/148504-interview-animal-collective):

Pitchfork: Getting to the new record, I was curious about the title. Of course, everyone knows it’s the venue [in Maryland]. I did read that you thought of it more in terms of how the words sounded, not necessarily as a reference to that place.

[Avey Tare]: Well, sort of both ways. I can distinctly remember being in high school and Brian and I sitting on his parents’ back porch listening to a Neu! record, the first one. And the second track is this kind of slow song with these intense guitar solos that kind of drift off and one of us was like, “Oh, can’t you just picture yourself at Merriweather Post Pavilion? This is so Merriweather.” So anything from then on…some epic guitar jam or grandiose became very “Merriweather.” It’s a word we’d start using, like, “This is so Merriweather.”

Pitchfork: Is the new record “Merriweather”?

[Avey Tare]: I don’t know. I think we kind of forgot about that and then realized, while doing interviews about it and stuff that we used to say that. [all laugh]. But, no, I think it’s more to do with the outside. When we were writing these songs we would record all the practices we were doing before we went on tour, we took ‘em back to our friend’s place and were listening to them and we were listening to “In the Flowers”. It just seemed like it was taking place outside, from the sounds and everything. We were so psyched about the environment it had. We were immediately like, “We need to find a name for this stuff, that’s like a season or something to do with being outside and being around how everything changes and listening to music outside.” It took us a while to get there.

[Geologist]: I think a lot of people probably think [outdoor music] is a theme on every one of our records, but this is the first since Campfire Songs that we’ve directly gone for that kind of relationship.

I’m not so sure merriweather, the place, represents a social status, although maybe columbia does. Merriweather to me is a pretty nice wooded concert venue, although if your not in the pavilion the show really sucks to try and watch. So, not so sure your argument makes sense to me, but I don’t totally disagree with you, I see where you are coming from.

To me, this song is not so deep. I realize that a lot of people think a song’s lyrics must be deep for it to be enjoyable, but a good simple lyric can be as powerful,even more in many cases, than an overly complex one. This is much like the beach boys, which is who this band is heavily influenced by. Not to say they aren’t completely original, but “heroes and villains” is pretty plain on the surface, but the music gives it an entirely new element.

I think my point is this band puts depth in their songs more through the music than the lyrics. This is why I find it surprising that the title could have an ironic meaning, I would like to think they are more sincere than that.

My hopes are that it goes more than that, and they have possibly planned some great, mind-blowing, concert at that concert venue and pre-planned the album to it. But maybe that would be wishful thinking.

“I don’t mean to seem like I care about
material things like a social status
I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girls” (My Girls)

And:

“If I could just leave my body for the night
Then we could be dancing no more missing you while I am gone
Then we could be dancing and you’d smile and say I like this song
And then ours would meet them we will recognize nothing’s wrong
And I wouldn’t feel so selfish I won’t be this way very long” (In the Flowers)

And:

“Make sure my kid’s got a jacket
Keys and coat and shoes and hat
Strap a stroller to my back
Bouncing along every crack” (Daily Routine)

Essentially, the album title is clearly the satirical comment of boys who are growing up.

Please know I don’t mean to sound so harsh, I’m only mirroring your mocking tone after all. The only point was to help you gain some insight.

peace, <3,