Eight minutes into the epic, “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes declares, “No matter where we are, we’re always touching by underground wires,” before launching into a schizophrenic guitar solo that carries the song to its conclusion four minutes later. That is the point on the latest album from Of Montreal that absolutely tears me to pieces, the part that I wait for and anticipate, and the moment that defines my love for Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
I’ve appreciated the band in small doses through the past years, but this album soars above its predecessors in ways that continue to surprise me each time I listen. The album oozes cohesiveness as each song builds into the next creating a story, meant, at least to me, to be taken as a whole – it defines and explains the hardships Barnes and family went through during a relocation period in Norway. Lyrically, Barnes manages to vividly portray his feelings and turmoil that the uprooting caused, “how can I explain, I need you here and not here to.”
Of Montreal and their latest took me by complete surprise. I admit that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy or find it even remotely interesting, but if I were to measure my favorite releases for 2007 by month, Hissing Fauna… would take the award for January and has a strong leg ahead for February as well. I’d urge anyone who’d written the band off because of previous releases to give their latest a shot, who knows you may find yourself a record you can’t put down like I did.
Of Montreal plays the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee along with Loney, Dear on March 17th.
Update: Pitchfork has two (2) MP3’s available from the EP, Icon, Abstract Thee. [buy]
Buy: Strictly Discs
Myspace: Of Montreal
MP3: Of Montreal – Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
YouTube: Of Montreal – Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
Related: Pitchfork – Best New Music – 8.7
Related: Download Of Montreal’s Daytrotter Session
