This week Of Montreal’s Jamie Huggins, a.k.a. James Husband, released the video for “Window,” from his solo debut, A Parallax I via Spinner.com. The album was released Oct. 20 via Polyvinyl, and is the culmination of 12-years worth of song writing, and was recorded between 2003 and 2008.
Last week I caught up with drummer David Prowse whom, along with guitarist David King, make up the Vancouver noise punk duo Japandroids, to discuss everything from their debut full-length Post-Nothing, to life as Canadians on the American road.
Chad Radford: Your album is called Post-Nothing, which sounds like a loaded title.
David Prowse: It’s like a dig at how calling something “post-this” or “post-that” has reached a level of ridiculousness. A long time ago Brian started referring to us as post-nothing, and it went up on our Myspace page and kind of stuck. It’s totally a tongue-in-cheek kind joke, so we decided to go with it for the name of the album.
Do you get a lot of post references when people write about you?
We get a million different kinds of weird references. Everybody tries to come up with an original way of labeling the band — one label that our friends like the most is “electromash.” I don’t know what that means or how it describes our band at all… We get all kinds of weird labels like that. No-Fi… Shit Gaze.
Shit Gaze is one of my favorites. It doesn’t sound like a compliment at all though, huh?
No, it certainly doesn’t.
Japandroids “Young Hearts Spark Fire” mp3
Japandroids, Real Estate and Surfer Blood play 529 tonight (Sat., Oct. 17). $8-$10. 9 p.m. 529 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-228-6769.
Asobi Seksu will be passing through town to play a show at the the Earl on Thurs., Sept. 24. Sealions open.
Now stripped-down top a duo, the NYC-based Asobi Seksu is touring in support of their latest release Hush. With this most recent offering vocalist/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate and guitarist/vocalist James Hanna distance themselves from the playful merger of Japanese Pop tones and layers of slurred, lo-fi noise of their past to take on an icy and exacting synth-laden sound.
Today (Tues., Aug. 25 ) the group is releasing a limited edition (1,000 only), four-song 10-inch/digital download via Polyvinyl that features two unreleased tracks recorded during the Hush sessions. Follow the link to hear a slightly reworked version of the 10-inch’s lead song “Transparence” via Stereogum. Cleverly enough the record is on clear vinyl and also features a remix of “Transparence” by Brooklyn’s Big A Little A (Aa).
$10 (adv). $12 (door). 8:30 p.m. Tues., Sept. 24. The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404-522-3950.
Click below to watch the video for “Me & Mary from Asobi Seksu’s Hush.
Last week Of Montreal unveiled the video for “An Eluardian Instance” on Rolling Stone’s Rock & Roll Daily blog.
At first glance it seems like the video player is stalling as it tries to keep up with the visual stream, but take a closer look and you’ll notice that the video is comprised of what appears to be hundreds of thousands of still images placed together, causing the herky jerky effect.
Of Montreal ~ An Eluardian Instance (2008) Dir: Jesse Ewles from jesse ewles on Vimeo.
We’ve seen this kind of thing before with something like No Age’s “Boy Void.”
… and closer to home with the Coathangers’ “Tanya Harding.”
The visual effect is cool and very psychedelic, and if you stare at it long enough the stop motion nature of it all feels very natural. But as with everything else, Of Montreal’s mastermind Kevin Barnes takes it one step beyond the realm of the rational with all sorts of added visual/mental stimuli, such as little crabs wandering through the frame, and all sorts of other Frankensteinian narratives and weirdo point-of-view shots that make you wonder what really is going on under the surface here.
Since the first time I listened to Skeletal lamping I have wondered about the mountian goats mentioned in the songs and if it bares any reference to the Mountian Goats’ frontman John Darnell. This video doesn’t answer anything in that department. In actuality the mountain goat that does make an appearance in the video only leaves more unanswered questions concering his symbolic significance and/or double entendre in this particular song. Make of it what you will …
An Eluardian Instance EP
Last Thursday Of Montreal vocalist/mastermind Kevin Barnes spoke with Rolling Stone’s Rock and Roll Daily blog about what will come after Skeletal Lamping. Barnes told RS that he has something a little noisier in mind:
“It’s sort of abstract in my mind, but right now what I’ll create will be mesmeric and kind of physical music. Try to create music that you have a physical reaction to. Try to touch you on a level that’s not strictly intellectual but more physical, and that’s not to say you’ll dance to it.”
In the meantime a comprehensive Of Montreal DVD is in the works. The group filmed a show in Los Angeles during last year’s Hissing Fauna tour as well as a show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta last month. The plan is to release a DVD that compiles the group’s videos, the two live performances and some documentary material as well.
This week Of Montreal plays the Late Show with David Letterman on Thurs., Dec. 18th. After that the An Eluardian Instance EP featuring remixes from Grammy-nominated producer Jon Brion (Spoon, Kanye West, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple) is due digitally Jan. 6th/Jan. 27th on CD and LP via Polyvinyl Records.
Skeletal Lamping, the latest full-length from Athens’ whimsical art-pop ensemble, and CL’s Nov. 5th cover artists, Of Montreal is holding strong as the #1 record on CMJ’s Top 200 list for its forth week in a row.
Click below to see the group’s current round of U.S. and European tour dates, which include two performances at the 40 Watt in Athens on Dec. 30th and 31st.
Last month Athens’ long-standing psychedelic pop eccentrics Of Montreal began dropping hints about their forth coming album Skeletal Lamping. Now the album’s cover art, track list, some tour dates and a new member have all been announced. The album is due to arrive on October 7 via Polyvinyl Records.
Ahmed Gallab, who also goes by the name Sinkane and has appeared as an auxiliary member of Caribou in the past, is the latest addition to the OM line-up.
Skeletal Lamping track list
Nonpareil of Favor
Wicked Wisdom
For Our Elegant Caste
Touched Something’s Hollow
An Eluardian Instance
Gallery Piece
Women’s Studies Victims
St.Exquisite’s Confessions
Triphallus, to Punctuate!
And I’ve Seen a Bloody Shadow
Plastis Wafers
Death Is Not a Parallel Move
Beware Our Nubile Miscreants
Mingusings
Id Engager
Of Montreal tour dates:
08-08 Myslowice, Poland – OFF Festival
08-09 London, England – Field Day Festival
08-10 Leicester, England – Summer Sundae Weekender
10-07 Durham, NC – Carolina Theatre
10-08 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
10-10 New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom
10-15 Paris, France – Elysee Montmarte
10-16 London, England – Koko
10-17 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
10-18 Rome, Italy – Circolo Degli Artisi
10-19 Berlin, Germany – Lido
10-20 Stockholm Sweden – Debaser Medis
10-21 Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio
10-24 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
10-25 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
10-26 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theatre
10-27 Chicago, IL – The Riviera
10-28 Toronto, Ontario – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
10-30 Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
10-31 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
11-01 Richmond, VA – The National
11-08 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
11-11 New Orleans, LA – Howlin Wolf
11-12 Houston, TX – Warehouse Liv
11-13 Austin, TX – 507 E. 6th Street
11-14 Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas
11-15 Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall
11-16 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
11-17 Murray, UT – Murray Super Theatre
11-19 Seattle, WA – Showbox So Do
11-20 Portland, OR – Roseland
11-21 San Francisco, CA – Regency Center Grand Ballroom
11-22 Los Angeles, CA – TBA
