What happened to Of Montreal? They used to be so relevant, so exciting. Over the course of the past two albums it appears reviewers have fallen out of love with them. Not sure why this happened, music reviewers are fickle people. “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” got drooled over. Everyone was excited to see this album get the respect it deserved. Concerts were packed. People started calling them critical darlings. That was 2007.
2012 will have the release of their new album “Paralytic Stalks”. I wonder how this one will be received. Anyone who has mentioned it doesn’t appear excited. Pitchfork wrote “yeah, it is getting released on some labels. We spoke to Kevin Barnes in some interview out of boredom/contractual obligation and asked him why he sucks now.” Other sites were even less enthusiastic somehow; I’m not sure how that’s possible.
A cottage industry has been founded, based off of disliking recent Of Montreal albums and longing for their mid-00s glory. I don’t get it. They seem to write happy, cheerful stuff, roughly the same stuff they’ve always come out with, could it be that people’s tastes and interests changed so rapidly that Of Montreal could not keep up? Did Of Montreal happen to be in the ‘right place at the right time’ with the “Hissing Fauna” album? Is there a way they can figure out how to become popular, revered, even adored by their fans once more?
I find that outcome to be a bit difficult. The first track off the new album “Wintering Debts” has already come out. A few fans like it, call it ‘a return to form’. Not sure where I stand yet on this track. On one hand it appears to be less energetic than what they’ve been doing for a while, having a bit more of a mellow vibe to it, as opposed to their two previous albums which sounded like 70s funk on cocaine. This may be a deliberate attempt. But on the other hand it appears to break with the theme they’ve been cultivating for the past two albums, maybe all the negative reviews got to them.
The leak of Paralytic Stalks will determine even more. A lot rides on that leak, the quality, and when. Rabid anticipation translates into an earlier leak date. It would have taken an amazing, ground breaking track to really set the leak-o-sphere a flutter. While “Wintering Debts” was decent, I don’t think it has created a massive online hysteria for their upcoming album.
The leak for False Priest was so awful. some idiot on the Elephant 6 Townhall (I used to post there all the time) had it and deciding to stream it via Skype and people ripped it and the quality was really terrible.
ReplyDeleteI hope I enjoy Paralytic Stalks, but after hating (and i really, really hated it) False Priest so much, I can't find it in me to get excited about of Montreal, the first band I ever truly loved, anymore. The Controller Sphere had some cool moments, like Black Lion Massacre, which I actually hope Paralytic Stalks sounds sorta like, and I even bought it on vinyl for some reason.
But of Montreal has reached a level of popularity where they don't need a good score from Pitchfork. They can sell out shows to preteen girls alone.
i hate talking about music
ReplyDeletebut i'm consistently impressed by this band
skeletal lamping proved to be one of my favorite albums
i didn't know people disliked it
honestly i guess i would have a hard time disapproving of anything kevin barnes does, unless he kills a hooker or something, i don't know
Garret, I agree with you. I hope to enjoy the new stuff. False Priest left me wanting a little more.
ReplyDeleteBrittany: I'm glad I'm not alone. Everyone hated Skeletal Lamping. To me, that's probably my favorite album of theirs. It sounds like they let all their inhibitions go. Kevin Barnes probably wouldn't kill a hooker; he doesn't seem like the violent type, more the sexual type.
And even if he had killed a hooker, he would have done it with such grace and civility, it may have been better understood as mercy.
ReplyDeleteIf he killed a hooker it might have been Georgie.
ReplyDeletePeople don't like Skeletal Lamping? Since when?
ReplyDeleteTyler, unfortunately a lot of the reviews for Skeletal Lamping were scathing. I personally liked it.
ReplyDeleteKevin Barnes makes music for himself...not his fans, not the radio, not Pitchfork. You have to have respect for that or else you haven't been paying attention. False Priest may have been an attempt at mainstream, but Paralytic Stalks isn't trying to appeal to anyone, nor should it. Barnes metamorphosizes with each release, constantly searching for his truth. I'm no critic, but I think he's among the most important American songwriters of all time alongside Lennon, Davies, Dylan, et al.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, Editrrix. I like that. I may go to see Of Montreal at some point, perhaps after his album has dropped. Of course this depends on time/space issues.
ReplyDelete