Greetings SGland,
I've been hard at work since the last blog post, putting together what I feel is some incredible music. In case you're not aware, I've been busy slaving away on this new musical project that I'm calling "Lesbian Fist" (or L*F*) for short. The genre is sex-pop. The description is as follows:
"Lesbian Fist is a different kind of pop music; a kind of pop music that isn't afraid of pushing the envelope or talking about things plainly. All pop music is about the same thing, only L*F* has the stones to just come out and say it! It's meant to be fun and light-hearted. So have fun. Enjoy it. Tell your friends. Just don't tell your mother."
L*F* is now available on Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, iMeem, and Pure Volume. If you use any of those services, I'd appreciate the support.
So swing by, listen to a song or two and let me know what you think. Your feedback is important, especially from the SG community!!
Greetings SGland,
I've been hard at work since the last blog post, putting together what I feel is some incredible music. In case you're not aware, I've been busy slaving away on this new musical project that I'm calling "Lesbian Fist" (or L*F*) for short. The genre is sex-pop. The description is as follows:
"Lesbian Fist is a different kind of pop music; a kind of pop music that isn't afraid of pushing the envelope or talking about things plainly. All pop music is about the same thing, only L*F* has the stones to just come out and say it! It's meant to be fun and light-hearted. So have fun. Enjoy it. Tell your friends. Just don't tell your mother."
L*F* is now available on Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, iMeem, and Pure Volume. If you use any of those services, I'd appreciate the support.
So swing by, listen to a song or two and let me know what you think. Your feedback is important, especially from the SG community!!
Introducing: Lesbian Fist
Clicky
In a strange, perhaps misguided attempt to create a type of music that is simultaneously catchy and off-putting, sexy and offensive, fun and "I probably shouldn't be having fun to this"-inducing, I have started on this new musical endeavor. I have created a character, Marco Cantoni, who is the embodiment of my tiny, repressed, deviant side. He knows no boundaries, will say and do anything.
Lesbian Fist is meant to be fun. So have fun. Please let me know what you think of it.
Clicky
In a strange, perhaps misguided attempt to create a type of music that is simultaneously catchy and off-putting, sexy and offensive, fun and "I probably shouldn't be having fun to this"-inducing, I have started on this new musical endeavor. I have created a character, Marco Cantoni, who is the embodiment of my tiny, repressed, deviant side. He knows no boundaries, will say and do anything.
Lesbian Fist is meant to be fun. So have fun. Please let me know what you think of it.
Album Review - The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love
More than a singer, a songwriter, or an instrumentalist; Colin Meloy has always been a storyteller. From The Decemberists' humble debut in 2001, this has always been the case. It is for that reason, perhaps, that it's perplexing that it took the group this long to release a concept album, a record that tells one story throughout its length. 2006's brilliant The Crane Wife came close, with a story told over several tracks. Even with that under their belt, however, tackling a rock opera, a genre notoriously riddled with incoherent storytelling and major disappointments, is quite the mountain to climb - even for Meloy. Still, if any artist in today's musical world could right this troubled format, it would be Meloy. Fortunately, he has outdone not only the artists that have tried this method before, but even himself in the process.
The Hazards of Love tells the story of Margaret, a meek villager who falls in love with William, an inhabitant of a nearby magical forest. Margaret soon discovers that she is pregnant with William's child and sets off into the forest to find him. But as is so often the case with Meloy's stories, their love and future are threatened by William's jealous mother, the Queen of the forest, and a crazed, murderous widower. The album's first 8 songs set up the love story between the two central characters, while the album's second half brings the action to the story, ultimately ending with a beautiful, touching finale.
As already noted, the album's greatest strength is the story that it tells. Obviously, this should come as no surprise to any seasoned Decemberists fan, but the elongated format provides Meloy the opportunity to tell his story differently than has been done in the past. One of the devices that Meloy relies heavily on is foreshadowing, something that can't really be done on a single song. Throughout the tale, subtle imagery and lines are implemented that hint at the fate of not only William and Margaret, voiced by Meloy and Becky Stark respectively, but their antagonists as well. The implementation of foreshadowing lends itself to repeated listenings, and as the puzzle pieces all fall into place over time, I've found myself smiling at the intricacy of the tale.
One of the perils of concept albums that The Decemberists have overcome with The Hazards of Love is that they have kept the story about as coherent as possible. If one were to go back and examine all the "great" rock operas and concept albums of the past (Pink Floyd's The Wall, or The Who's Tommy), they are likely to find that the stories are weak, confusing, and stimulate little emotion from the listener. The Hazards of Love exceeds where these albums have failed, and though it's difficult to make a call on it this early in the game, it may be the greatest story that Meloy has ever told. Without question, though, it has already risen to the upper echelon of my "favorite concept albums" list.
A lot of that has not only to do with the story, but with the music as well. The Decemberists have taken a great risk in making this album as they have, relying heavily on aspects of progressive rock and metal. With the exception of "Isn't it a Lovely Night," there is little on The Hazards of Love that harkens back to the band's Victorian-era stylings of past albums. This is a rock opera, after all. With that leap comes the threat of alienating many of the fans that they have gained over the years. This album is awash with grandeur and bombast that would have never even have been considered for previous Decemberists' records. But all of it has its place on the album, and all of it feels appropriate for the story being told. For example, The Queen, voiced by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, is always accompanied by heavy metal riffs that mirror her evil, dark presence in the story. A lot of credit should be given to Meloy and Chris Funk who absolutely make these portions of the album feel natural and exciting, rather than forced. And while I'm dishing out praises, Shara Worden is a revelation as The Queen! Her few moments on the album alone make the whole thing worth listening to!
In truth, every musician who has leant their talents to the creation of this album has done a fantastic job. I do feel, however, that Jenny Conlee might have been underutilized this time around, as her skills are sort of downplayed throughout the album to make room for Meloy and Funk. There are moments where she shines, like on the instrumental "The Crossing," but these are scarce on the record. And yet despite all the musical changes that have been made to the band's sound to make this album work, I can't help but love every second of it! A Decemberists record or not, this is a fantastic work of art that I've listened to over and over again for the last few weeks. It is an album filled with beauty, emotion, and of course, Meloy's dark-twisted humor! I get chills when Shara Worden hits that last note of "Repaid," I chuckle at the ultimate fate of The Rake in "Revenge!," and a little bit of me breaks every time I hear the gorgeous finale, "The Drowned" (possibly the best song Meloy has ever written). This is an album that begs to be heard. It is one that is deserving of every positive word that it receives from myself or any other fan. The Decemberists have risked their reputation to release a record that is markedly different from anything that we have ever heard before. The result is something far too beautiful for words, too poignant for further commentary. My words end here.
Key Tracks:
1. "Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)"
2. "The Wanting Comes in Wave/Repaid"
3. "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing"
4. "Annan Water"
5. "The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)"
10 out of 10 Stars
Album Review: Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
On Of Montreal's 2007 album, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, Kevin Barnes channelled his inner Bowie and introduced us all to a bizarre cross-dressing persona named Georgie Fruit. For a few amazing tracks, we got a taste of what Barnes' "black shemale " had to offer. On Skeletal Lamping, Georgie Fruit breaks free and largely runs the show. The result is a complex, difficult listen, that is equally confusing and amazing.
Skeletal Lamping opens with a skittery string synth that masks the darkness and diversity of the album (and song) with a more carefree, breezy feel. The song, "Nonpareil of Favor," is one of the album's weaker tracks, but it does an appropriate job of opening the album on a high note and then transforming it into something completely different than what most would expect. The majority of the song's 6 minutes is filled with loud, distorted eighth notes that capture Kevin Barnes' mental collapse into Georgie Fruit rather appropriately. It is not the most enjoyable of songs, but it serves its purpose.
By the time the second track rolls around, Barnes' transformation is complete. The declaration of "I'm a motherf**kin' headline/ oh, b**ch you don't even know it!" doesn't sound like Kevin at all, and that's because it isn't. "Wicked Wisdom" is Skeletal Lamping in a nutshell; a song filled with multiple movements, most of which don't flow naturally from one to the next. The very fact that nearly every track on the album is filled with multiple songs and snippets makes it a difficult album to review or explain. Just know that what a song sounds like at its inception is usually completely different from what it will sound like by its end.
There are a few songs on the album which don't follow this pattern, like "For Our Elegant Caste" or "Gallery Piece" which largely keep the same basic feel throughout their lengths. The former is almost a guaranteed single, and will likely be the first track that jumps out at most listeners. It's a captivating track with an inescapably singable chorus, even if it is a bit discomforting ("We can do it softcore if you want/ but you should know I take it both ways"). "Gallery Piece" is a less-enchanting, bass-driven dance track that should fare better at a live show than it does here. As it stands, it can be a bit repetitive and is only worth listening to for its bridge.
"An Elaurdian Instance" brings back "I Was Never Young's" trumpets with a triumphant entry of a first movement. The song (also known as "Our Last Summer as Independents") is one of the album's sunnier moments and describes what sounds like Barnes meeting his wife. But determining where Barnes ends and Georgie Fruit begins on Skeletal Lamping is quite an overwhelming task. Quite simply, it's difficult to tell what persona Barnes is adopting on any song on the album, which only adds to the confusion of it all. There are moments where Barnes is clearly being himself, like on "Death is Not a Parallel Move" where he addresses Fruit, saying "The identity I composed out of terror has become oppressive now/ I must defy this dark assignment/ I'm over it now." But for the most part, the lines are much less defined.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Skeletal Lamping is Barnes' ability to tackle a large array of genres and styles without making the album seem disjointed. Funk, rock, disco, experimental rock, and 60s pop are all utilized in equally important roles, and it becomes clear after several listens that such a strange mixture of styles really only makes sense when given the complex nature of Georgie Fruit. As himself, Barnes may be pigeonholed into exploring the far reaches of indie pop, but as a black transexual with a history involving 70s funk bands and prostitution, he can indulge in every bizarre sound he's ever considered.
There is much here that has reopened the doors to Kevin Barnes' vivid imagination, doors that have seemingly been shut for the last few years. Fans of the band's more inventive work (Coquelicot or The Gay Parade, for instance) will find Skeletal Lamping to be a welcomed addition to the Of Montreal catalogue. Broken down to its most basic forms, it combines the randomness of Coquelicot with the darkness and variety of Hissing Fauna, without sounding like anything the band has accomplished before. I must admit that my first several listens to Skeletal Lamping were accompanied by feelings of anger, doubt, and befuddlement. To put it bluntly, this is an album that is far too complex to be fully appreciated by a quick uninvolved listen. Navigating through the genres, 15-second songs, and schizophrenic storytelling can be quite challenging for someone expecting something as accessible and catchy as The Sunlandic Twins. But the challenge is well worth it when the album finally clicks, when you start to learn that each song has a purpose, that they all have a story to tell. Skeletal Lamping seems destined to become an album that will divide fans and critics alike. But for what it's worth, I know what side I stand on, and I can't help but dish out the praise for Of Montreal yet again. Skeletal Lamping is the real deal!
Key Tracks:
1. "Wicked Wisdom"
2. "An Elaurdian Instance"
3. "Triphallus, to Punctuate!"
4. "Beware Our Nubile Miscreants"
5. "Id Engager"
9 out of 10 Stars
2/17/2007: Of Montreal w/ Elekibass - Houston, TX
Back in the day when The Beatles took on Ed Sullivan and the rest of the continent, people were instantly captivated, and a love affair with a nation began. In many ways, that love continues to this day with many Americans citing The Beatles as the greatest band ever without hesitation. In much the same way as The Beatles came on the scene, Elekibass is going to take this country by storm. Not on the same scale, but slowly, club by club, this amazing rock n roll band from Tokyo, Japan will captivate the hearts of Americans willing to overlook a slight butchering of the English language. Their music is eclectic, ranging from odd ragtimey pop music to a high energy rock sound like The Rolling Stones. But the comparison does not end there. This great band has their act down, charming their audience from the get go by ply playing their instruments acoustically as they march through the crowd on the way to the stage. The lead singer prances around like Jagger and syncopates his movements with every guitar hit. They end their final song, say "Thank You," when met with applause, say "One more time" and play the chorus of their song again. Then they repeat that about four times, each time met with more smiles and laughter. And on the final "one more time" they play an entirely different song. They charm you, and if the world were a right and just place, they will explode across this nation like a plague...an awesome, awesome, plague.
Of Montreal hit the stage later, once again bringing their unique electro/indie pop sound to a more-than-eager audience. And once again they did it flawlessly. It never ceases to amaze me how the band can take Kevin Barnes' complex arrangements and play them as if they were their own. As it turns out, all that money they made from the Outback Steakhouse commercial went to some good use. Awesome, flamboyant costumes, lots of cool lighting, and three projector screens are the obvious result of a little "selling out" on the band's part. Though it was clear from the visuals displayed on the screens were the result of a still-limited budget. Overall, the music was great and their new songs sounded fantastic live, especially "She's a Rejector." As always, if you've never seen this band live, you are missing out. There are only two artists that I've ever seen more than once, and Of Montreal is one of those bands. There's a reason for that. They consistently put on great performances. I guess that's what happens when you tour non-stop.
Back in the day when The Beatles took on Ed Sullivan and the rest of the continent, people were instantly captivated, and a love affair with a nation began. In many ways, that love continues to this day with many Americans citing The Beatles as the greatest band ever without hesitation. In much the same way as The Beatles came on the scene, Elekibass is going to take this country by storm. Not on the same scale, but slowly, club by club, this amazing rock n roll band from Tokyo, Japan will captivate the hearts of Americans willing to overlook a slight butchering of the English language. Their music is eclectic, ranging from odd ragtimey pop music to a high energy rock sound like The Rolling Stones. But the comparison does not end there. This great band has their act down, charming their audience from the get go by ply playing their instruments acoustically as they march through the crowd on the way to the stage. The lead singer prances around like Jagger and syncopates his movements with every guitar hit. They end their final song, say "Thank You," when met with applause, say "One more time" and play the chorus of their song again. Then they repeat that about four times, each time met with more smiles and laughter. And on the final "one more time" they play an entirely different song. They charm you, and if the world were a right and just place, they will explode across this nation like a plague...an awesome, awesome, plague.
Of Montreal hit the stage later, once again bringing their unique electro/indie pop sound to a more-than-eager audience. And once again they did it flawlessly. It never ceases to amaze me how the band can take Kevin Barnes' complex arrangements and play them as if they were their own. As it turns out, all that money they made from the Outback Steakhouse commercial went to some good use. Awesome, flamboyant costumes, lots of cool lighting, and three projector screens are the obvious result of a little "selling out" on the band's part. Though it was clear from the visuals displayed on the screens were the result of a still-limited budget. Overall, the music was great and their new songs sounded fantastic live, especially "She's a Rejector." As always, if you've never seen this band live, you are missing out. There are only two artists that I've ever seen more than once, and Of Montreal is one of those bands. There's a reason for that. They consistently put on great performances. I guess that's what happens when you tour non-stop.
Of Montreal: "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" Review
In January of 2006, I had the privilege of being able to see Of Montreal, my absolute favorite band, live. But something was wrong. The band was great, the music was fantastic, but something was terribly, inexplicably wrong. While the band was playing one of their songs from 2005's "The Sunlandic Twins," two teenage girls who looked like they were more suited for a Britney Spears concert jumped on stage and started "skank-dancing" and kept it up for the duration of the song. I thought to myself, "apparently you can dance like that to anything now." But then I realized that perhaps Of Montreal, a band who has long relied on Kevin Barnes' ability to craft intricate, delusional stories and turn them in to equally difficult songs, had become way too accessible for its own good. Don't get me wrong, "The Sunlandic Twins" was a fantastic album, and a huge achievement for Of Montreal, but maybe they took it a bit too far. I can see a promiscuous 16-year-old dancing to "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games," but not to "Niki Coco and the Invisible Tree." Something was wrong. The Of Montreal I've loved for years was finally tainted by the irrepressible image of two underage girls dancing like a couple of strippers. To redeem themselves, Of Montreal had to do something drastic. They had to make an album that combined the best of their new sound, with the best of their old sound. Fortunately, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" does just that! Once again, Of Montreal is back on top!
The lead-off track on the album is "Suffer for Fashion," a song I had the opportunity of hearing live the last time the band came through my town. The song gets the energy going, and it never really dies down after that. It sounds like it could've been ripped right off of "The Sunlandic Twins," yet it's more frantic and crazy than anything that album ever presented. This song runs head-on with the next, "Sink the Seine," the shortest song on the album, and one I wish could have been much longer. The song begins with Barnes singing "La, la, la" in a way that is reminiscent of the band's more carefree albums like "The Gay Parade." Though it's only a minute long, it's one of my favorite tracks on the album, if only for the nostalgia factor alone.
This carefree song is followed up by one of the most depressing songs Of Montreal has ever made. In "Cato as a Pun" Barnes laments, "I can't even pretend that you are my friend" and "Are you far too depressed now even to answer the phone?" On that note, "Hissing Fauna" is by far the most personally introspective album that Kevin Barnes has ever made. There's hardly a song on the album that isn't about the artist. This is a big step for a band that has become famous for their whimsical songs about necrophilia ("Chrissy Kiss the Corpse"), fun-loving nuns, and the aforementioned invisible tree. But Barnes and Co. manage to pull this leap off quite flawlessly. Despite the album's insistence on serious subject matter, the music itself is often light-hearted and fun! If any band could pull this off, it's Of Montreal.
The next two songs on the album take this theme and run with it. "Heimsdalgate Like a Promethean Curse" is a song that is about the unfortunate repercussions of drug abuse and "Gronlandic Edit" is about being depressed. Barnes ponders, "I guess it would be nice to give my heart to a god. But which one do I choose?" The song features a great bassline and is a song that will get your toes tapping in no time. Getting down to a song about depression? You gotta love this band! "A Sentence of Sort In Kongsvinger" is largely about the same subject matter, but is one of the most accessible Of Montreal songs ever!
In many ways, the album is divided into two parts around the next song, "The Past is a Grotesque Animal," a 12-minute long song that sounds like it was ripped right out of Kevin Barnes' diary (assuming he has one). The album before this song is very introspective, but at the same time very accessible to pubescent girls. After this song, however, the album takes a much more bizarre turn. After the song comes to a close, listeners are greeted by some of the most peculiar music to ever be heard on an Of Montreal album. In many ways, it seems as if Kevin Barnes leaves the "grotesque animal" behind with this song, and starts anew with less-serious subject matter and a fresh new sound.
The first song listeners are greeted with after the draining 12-minute song is "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider" a song in which Barnes says, "Eva, I'm sorry, but you will never have me...I need a lover with soul power, and you ain't got no soul power!" It's an entirely different feel than what we've been treated to up until this point. But it's very refreshing. The next track is my absolute favorite song on the album. "Faberge Falls for Shuggie" is the strangest Of Montreal I've heard. To be quite honest, I have no idea what Kevin is talking about in this song, though I'm not sure he even knows. Suffice to say, the song is crazy. It features a thumping bass line, ridiculous vocals, and so many small strokes of genius that you can't help but smile.
"Labyrinthian Pomp" has Barnes asking, "How you wanna take my style when I am so superior?" over a ridiculously funky guitar riff, while "She's A Rejector" finds the artist saying "There's the girl that left me bitter, won't you pay some other girl to just walk up to her and hit her?" Both songs are terrific and walk the line between accessibility and inaccessibility. Although, whether the average person on the street would find something to like in a song where the singer thinks about hitting a girl (even though he says "He can't") is really anyone's guess. From there, the album wraps up nicely with "We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling." A song that really wraps a chaotic album up in the most peaceful way possible. It's beautiful.
Overall, "Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?" can be a lot to handle at times. It's one of the most confusing albums that Of Montreal has ever put out. That's saying a lot considering that they also released "Coquelicot Asleep In the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse." At the same time, however, listening to the album in its entirety is one of the most rewarding experiences that an Of Montreal fan could ever ask for. Sure, some of its more difficult moments like "The Past is a Grotesque Animal" may throw off some of the many many fickle fans that they gained since "The Sunlandic Twins." But for those of us who are willing to stick it out and squeeze every last ounce of magic from this album, the experience is indescribable, and entirely gratifying. I'll go ahead and say it. "Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?" is the best, most complete, most satisfying album that Of Montreal has ever made. Thanks.
Recommended for real Of Montreal fans, and for those two girls who were dancing on stage. Hopefully it will deter them from coming to the next Of Montreal show. Hopefully.
Key Tracks:
1. "Sink the Seine"
2. "Heimsdalgate Like a Promethean Curse"
3. "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider"
4. "Faberge Falls for Shuggie"
5. "We Were Born the Mutants Again With Leafling"
9 out of 10 Starsnull
In January of 2006, I had the privilege of being able to see Of Montreal, my absolute favorite band, live. But something was wrong. The band was great, the music was fantastic, but something was terribly, inexplicably wrong. While the band was playing one of their songs from 2005's "The Sunlandic Twins," two teenage girls who looked like they were more suited for a Britney Spears concert jumped on stage and started "skank-dancing" and kept it up for the duration of the song. I thought to myself, "apparently you can dance like that to anything now." But then I realized that perhaps Of Montreal, a band who has long relied on Kevin Barnes' ability to craft intricate, delusional stories and turn them in to equally difficult songs, had become way too accessible for its own good. Don't get me wrong, "The Sunlandic Twins" was a fantastic album, and a huge achievement for Of Montreal, but maybe they took it a bit too far. I can see a promiscuous 16-year-old dancing to "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games," but not to "Niki Coco and the Invisible Tree." Something was wrong. The Of Montreal I've loved for years was finally tainted by the irrepressible image of two underage girls dancing like a couple of strippers. To redeem themselves, Of Montreal had to do something drastic. They had to make an album that combined the best of their new sound, with the best of their old sound. Fortunately, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" does just that! Once again, Of Montreal is back on top!
The lead-off track on the album is "Suffer for Fashion," a song I had the opportunity of hearing live the last time the band came through my town. The song gets the energy going, and it never really dies down after that. It sounds like it could've been ripped right off of "The Sunlandic Twins," yet it's more frantic and crazy than anything that album ever presented. This song runs head-on with the next, "Sink the Seine," the shortest song on the album, and one I wish could have been much longer. The song begins with Barnes singing "La, la, la" in a way that is reminiscent of the band's more carefree albums like "The Gay Parade." Though it's only a minute long, it's one of my favorite tracks on the album, if only for the nostalgia factor alone.
This carefree song is followed up by one of the most depressing songs Of Montreal has ever made. In "Cato as a Pun" Barnes laments, "I can't even pretend that you are my friend" and "Are you far too depressed now even to answer the phone?" On that note, "Hissing Fauna" is by far the most personally introspective album that Kevin Barnes has ever made. There's hardly a song on the album that isn't about the artist. This is a big step for a band that has become famous for their whimsical songs about necrophilia ("Chrissy Kiss the Corpse"), fun-loving nuns, and the aforementioned invisible tree. But Barnes and Co. manage to pull this leap off quite flawlessly. Despite the album's insistence on serious subject matter, the music itself is often light-hearted and fun! If any band could pull this off, it's Of Montreal.
The next two songs on the album take this theme and run with it. "Heimsdalgate Like a Promethean Curse" is a song that is about the unfortunate repercussions of drug abuse and "Gronlandic Edit" is about being depressed. Barnes ponders, "I guess it would be nice to give my heart to a god. But which one do I choose?" The song features a great bassline and is a song that will get your toes tapping in no time. Getting down to a song about depression? You gotta love this band! "A Sentence of Sort In Kongsvinger" is largely about the same subject matter, but is one of the most accessible Of Montreal songs ever!
In many ways, the album is divided into two parts around the next song, "The Past is a Grotesque Animal," a 12-minute long song that sounds like it was ripped right out of Kevin Barnes' diary (assuming he has one). The album before this song is very introspective, but at the same time very accessible to pubescent girls. After this song, however, the album takes a much more bizarre turn. After the song comes to a close, listeners are greeted by some of the most peculiar music to ever be heard on an Of Montreal album. In many ways, it seems as if Kevin Barnes leaves the "grotesque animal" behind with this song, and starts anew with less-serious subject matter and a fresh new sound.
The first song listeners are greeted with after the draining 12-minute song is "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider" a song in which Barnes says, "Eva, I'm sorry, but you will never have me...I need a lover with soul power, and you ain't got no soul power!" It's an entirely different feel than what we've been treated to up until this point. But it's very refreshing. The next track is my absolute favorite song on the album. "Faberge Falls for Shuggie" is the strangest Of Montreal I've heard. To be quite honest, I have no idea what Kevin is talking about in this song, though I'm not sure he even knows. Suffice to say, the song is crazy. It features a thumping bass line, ridiculous vocals, and so many small strokes of genius that you can't help but smile.
"Labyrinthian Pomp" has Barnes asking, "How you wanna take my style when I am so superior?" over a ridiculously funky guitar riff, while "She's A Rejector" finds the artist saying "There's the girl that left me bitter, won't you pay some other girl to just walk up to her and hit her?" Both songs are terrific and walk the line between accessibility and inaccessibility. Although, whether the average person on the street would find something to like in a song where the singer thinks about hitting a girl (even though he says "He can't") is really anyone's guess. From there, the album wraps up nicely with "We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling." A song that really wraps a chaotic album up in the most peaceful way possible. It's beautiful.
Overall, "Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?" can be a lot to handle at times. It's one of the most confusing albums that Of Montreal has ever put out. That's saying a lot considering that they also released "Coquelicot Asleep In the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse." At the same time, however, listening to the album in its entirety is one of the most rewarding experiences that an Of Montreal fan could ever ask for. Sure, some of its more difficult moments like "The Past is a Grotesque Animal" may throw off some of the many many fickle fans that they gained since "The Sunlandic Twins." But for those of us who are willing to stick it out and squeeze every last ounce of magic from this album, the experience is indescribable, and entirely gratifying. I'll go ahead and say it. "Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?" is the best, most complete, most satisfying album that Of Montreal has ever made. Thanks.
Recommended for real Of Montreal fans, and for those two girls who were dancing on stage. Hopefully it will deter them from coming to the next Of Montreal show. Hopefully.
Key Tracks:
1. "Sink the Seine"
2. "Heimsdalgate Like a Promethean Curse"
3. "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider"
4. "Faberge Falls for Shuggie"
5. "We Were Born the Mutants Again With Leafling"
9 out of 10 Starsnull
Top 31 of 2006: #25
The Killers: "Sam's Town"
Released: October 3, 2006
I was On Top of the world before my Bones broke. I called up my Uncle Johnny to see if he could offer any sort of remedy. He said, "We'll go to Sam's Town. I know a guy named Andy who's got some good stuff. Don't worry. Everything Will Be Alright." He came over and helped me into the passenger seat of his car. We drove off. For Reasons Unknown, I felt save with Johnny. He was never really high up on My List of of favorite people. But tonight was different. An hour into the trip he began to tell me a story. "When You Were Young," he said, "Somebody Told Me you could Read My Mind. I knew this girl named Jenny, you see? Jenny was a Friend of Mine, and everyday I would count down the time until I got to see her next. Then one day I thought to myself, Why Do I Keep Counting? And you were there, and you answered my question for me. You said, 'Because you're Mr. Brightside!' You were right. Can you still read minds?" I looked at him, perplexed. He started laughing, and I cracked a smile. "C'mon," he said, "Smile like you mean it!" "Let's just get to Sam's Town," I said. "There's a Midnight Show I'm going to see tonight with Natalie." "Are you sure she's gonna be down for going with a cripple like yourself?" he asked. "Believe me, Natalie is better than that," I replied. "She's not after Bling and she's not into my high status because of All These Things That I've Done. She's just cool." He didn't believe me. "Just wait. You'll meet her one day. She'll Change Your Mind." We arrived in Sam's Town a few minutes later and we met up with Andy. He gave me some magical elixir that was supposed to heal my bones. Five minutes passed, and I was shocked to see that everything was back to normal. "Andy, You're a Star!" I exclaimed. And I went on my way...
For embedding catchy songs into my mind and having them weave throughout my every thought, The Killers make it to #25 on my Top 31 Albums of 2006.
Top 31 Songs of 2006: #25
Hellogoodbye - "Baby, It's a Fact" from the album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
The Killers: "Sam's Town"
Released: October 3, 2006
I was On Top of the world before my Bones broke. I called up my Uncle Johnny to see if he could offer any sort of remedy. He said, "We'll go to Sam's Town. I know a guy named Andy who's got some good stuff. Don't worry. Everything Will Be Alright." He came over and helped me into the passenger seat of his car. We drove off. For Reasons Unknown, I felt save with Johnny. He was never really high up on My List of of favorite people. But tonight was different. An hour into the trip he began to tell me a story. "When You Were Young," he said, "Somebody Told Me you could Read My Mind. I knew this girl named Jenny, you see? Jenny was a Friend of Mine, and everyday I would count down the time until I got to see her next. Then one day I thought to myself, Why Do I Keep Counting? And you were there, and you answered my question for me. You said, 'Because you're Mr. Brightside!' You were right. Can you still read minds?" I looked at him, perplexed. He started laughing, and I cracked a smile. "C'mon," he said, "Smile like you mean it!" "Let's just get to Sam's Town," I said. "There's a Midnight Show I'm going to see tonight with Natalie." "Are you sure she's gonna be down for going with a cripple like yourself?" he asked. "Believe me, Natalie is better than that," I replied. "She's not after Bling and she's not into my high status because of All These Things That I've Done. She's just cool." He didn't believe me. "Just wait. You'll meet her one day. She'll Change Your Mind." We arrived in Sam's Town a few minutes later and we met up with Andy. He gave me some magical elixir that was supposed to heal my bones. Five minutes passed, and I was shocked to see that everything was back to normal. "Andy, You're a Star!" I exclaimed. And I went on my way...
For embedding catchy songs into my mind and having them weave throughout my every thought, The Killers make it to #25 on my Top 31 Albums of 2006.
Top 31 Songs of 2006: #25
Hellogoodbye - "Baby, It's a Fact" from the album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
Built to Spill: "You In Reverse"
Released: April 11, 2006
Five years. In the five years that it took Built to Spill to release "You In Reverse," a lot of things happened. The 9/11 attacks, the war in Iraq, the reelection of George W. Bush, the No Child Left Behind Act. Lots and lots of things happened in this country, and Built to Spill chose to write their songs on subjects completely unrelated to the ongoing affairs of the United States. Thank God! It seems like every band in the world has to release at least one song about how they should be President and how gay people should marry, how we should hug Osama Bin Laden, or how they "hope (Bush's) drunken daughters are gay!" (a direct quote from Stars' 2005 album). So on that note, you have to give it up to Built to Spill. Do they care about these subjects? I'm sure they do. But having been around as long as they have, I'm sure they know that the fans don't care about their political opinions, they care about great music. And Built to Spill makes great music. Leave the self-indulgent politicized songs to other ancient, dying rock acts like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Built to Spill is old, but they're mature enough to know that sometimes it needs to just be about the music. While "You In Reverse" might not be their best album, it's good to know that they did what they do best; make great rock music!
For keeping it real, Built to Spill makes it to #26. Here's hoping the next album doesn't take half a decade!
Top 31 Songs of 2006: # 26
Tilly and the Wall - "Bad Education" from the album Bottoms of Barrels
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