2008 Woodie Awards
Nature's Selection
How Of Montreal staved off their 1990s Athens, Georgia scene and lived to see another day on their latest release, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?"
By: Joe Rand, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: The Arts
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If you are anything like me, you probably thought you were sick of hearing about other peoples' relationship turmoil. Albums about breakups likely take up sizeable tracts of real estate on your shelves, and each had their place in your heart at one point or another. Then at some point maybe you grew weary of the angsty moping by so many artists all expressing basically the same thing while crying into their acoustic guitars. But, again, if you are anything like me, you may have recently heard an album that turned that whole paradigm upside down for you and left you dance-weary, uncomfortable, laughing, confused, and wanting more.
In their eighth album since 1997, Athens, Ga.'s Of Montreal shocked and surprised listeners by completely redefining themselves and their music. But perhaps by this point we should not be so surprised, as the band has been successfully redefining itself every time they put out another lovable release. Their latest album, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" (Polyvinyl) took the band away from escapist fantasies and wonderful creations of oddball characters and wacky mysteries into the dark realm of a first-person, post-breakup manic-depression wrapped up in insanely catchy melodies, varied song structures, gut-droppingly funky bass lines, and irresistible dance beats.
The mastermind behind Of Montreal, Kevin Barnes, recorded about 90 percent of the album himself. Barnes has demonstrated his ability to produce stunning albums and revolutionary songs with practically no budget. His early "four-track recordings" is an album full of gems and creative pop experimentalism, followed by several more lo-fi masterpieces, all released by the Kindercore label. In the past few years, however, Polyvinyl records has poured money into Barnes' projects, opening up a new realm of creative expression and hi-fi production for the previously exclusively lo-fi indie genius. Of Montreal has thus undergone a metamorphosis, now creating dancey glam albums, while still retaining the dichotomy of super-fun giddiness and mysterious darkness that always made the band so intriguing. Despite changes in sound, Of Montreal has never departed from their roots with the Athens-based Elephant 6 collective, staying committed to experimentalism, catchy pop melodies, and '70s-era psychedelica.
In their eighth album since 1997, Athens, Ga.'s Of Montreal shocked and surprised listeners by completely redefining themselves and their music. But perhaps by this point we should not be so surprised, as the band has been successfully redefining itself every time they put out another lovable release. Their latest album, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" (Polyvinyl) took the band away from escapist fantasies and wonderful creations of oddball characters and wacky mysteries into the dark realm of a first-person, post-breakup manic-depression wrapped up in insanely catchy melodies, varied song structures, gut-droppingly funky bass lines, and irresistible dance beats.
The mastermind behind Of Montreal, Kevin Barnes, recorded about 90 percent of the album himself. Barnes has demonstrated his ability to produce stunning albums and revolutionary songs with practically no budget. His early "four-track recordings" is an album full of gems and creative pop experimentalism, followed by several more lo-fi masterpieces, all released by the Kindercore label. In the past few years, however, Polyvinyl records has poured money into Barnes' projects, opening up a new realm of creative expression and hi-fi production for the previously exclusively lo-fi indie genius. Of Montreal has thus undergone a metamorphosis, now creating dancey glam albums, while still retaining the dichotomy of super-fun giddiness and mysterious darkness that always made the band so intriguing. Despite changes in sound, Of Montreal has never departed from their roots with the Athens-based Elephant 6 collective, staying committed to experimentalism, catchy pop melodies, and '70s-era psychedelica.
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