Of Montreal brings the pop psychedelia to The Ritz
December 9th, 2008 by Leilani Polk in Reviews
Photo of Kevin Barnes by Phil Bardi; to see a bunch more pics by freelance photographer elawgrrl, click here.
Of Montreal’s stage show is an aural and visual hallucination brought to dazzling life. I could spend a few thousand words describing it in colorful detail and still manage to leave out plenty.
The six-member band played against a huge backdrop of vivid, psychedelic animations and under washes of saturated lights. Two sets of drums were mounted on risers on either side of the stage and a revolving screen set up between them hid-or-revealed a motley cast of performers, who acted out all manner of scenes and scenarios with and without frontman Kevin Barnes, and in costumes and masks that ranged from cute to freakish. Barnes himself disappeared behind the screen to change outfits a dozen or more times, from fur to sequins to spandex to centaur, a performer serving as his second set of legs for that last ensemble. He covered himself in red paint, in shaving cream, in glitter. He sang and played guitar, pranced from one side of the stage to the other in nothing but a pair of sassy gold trunks, climbed up a riser to sing from its heights or play drums a few minutes, climbed back down to be executed in a faux-gallows, and appeared to have a grand old time all throughout.
The 90-minute show included most of the songs from Of Montreal’s latest, Skeletal Lamping, as well as several crowd pleasers from the three albums — “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse,” and “She’s a Rejector” from Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer, “Eros’ Entropic Tundra” off Satanic Panic in the Attic, and from The Sunlandic Twins, “So Begins Our Alabee” and “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games,” the latter the song so infamously changed into the Outback jingle and only recently brought back into rotation.
The crowd of roughly 500 people seemed to be lovin’ every minute of it, many of them balls-to-the-wall dancing and singing along (myself included), or standing with grins plastered on their faces, or with their mouths hanging open in dumbfounded awe.
Of Montreal is always good at apropos – like busting out “Shake Down Street” at Langerado while Phil Lesh played on the other side of the park – but I still managed to be surprised by the band’s tribute to Florida, a synth-tastic but rather true-to-form rendition of “American Girl” by Florida native Tom Petty. More puzzling and also surprising was what followed, another cover, this one of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
I’d just seen Of Montreal a month ago in Atlanta and knew what to expect and still managed to be blown away by the glorious chaos.
UPDATE: Last night, I spoke with JJ, the taper responsible for the fully-recorded copy of the Tampa show. He still has to track the songs — which I’m helping him do this weekend — and then he has to send a copy to the band for approval. Once they give the thumbs up, we’ll post the show here at at Tampa Calling. Please stay tuned …
December 9th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
as a of Montreal first timer, i have to say i was throughly impressed with the pomp and circumstance of this elaborate sense overloading production. i think i might have found my new years eve plans… athens, ga – here i come.
i still havent had a free moment to check the recording, but i will let you know how it all came out.
wont be able to distribute it until the band gives the thumbs up, but hey you know people who know people, so you might get an early release.
December 9th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
The show and spectacle was simply amazing last night. It was great to see they cleaned up the former Masquerade and I look forward to seeing more shows at the venue. (Not looking forward to the over-the-line searches from the Men in the Yellow Shirts.)
There are some other moments in the show worth mentioning. The non-stop segues, did the band ever pause to catch their breath once? The tackling of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as the closer. The bassist/guitarist/drummer on the top left, the one with a holster, but no gun, the one who threw his mic and mic stand over the rafters with one part rock star, three parts whiney bitch, the one who scoffed after the band failed to lead the crowd in a complex (by generic crowd chant standards) Nigerian chant,
“You guys got no soul… not to be a hater, but you guys got no soul.”
“… Orlando did it, Tallahassee did it.”
…was, indeed a whiney bitch.. It was funny though, but I think it was telling about what the band is going for and what they achieve. I think they’re going for an all-out mind-blowing, complete audience captivating experience. And why not go for that, it’s the best when everyone in a room is going berserk. They never got there, though. Sure there were several times when the energy got way up and the room was rocking. But when there is so much chaos and spectacle, and short-attention span theater/songs, you leave the audience with just too much to digest at once. Not to mention you’re just not really sure what Kevin Barnes is singing about and where he’s coming from. That’s OK, I don’t need to know all that to enjoy myself, and as a fellow ADD sufferer I really liked it all. I enjoy noise, chaos and spectacle. Much like “Skeletal Lamping” – so many moments where a completely unexpected change comes in a song, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but you know they’re pushing the listener. It’s not greatness, but I’ll go see them whenever I can.
December 9th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
B Treotch
I can agree with you on some levels, but I think you’re off on a few.
First, the whole “short attention span theater” and “ADD” music. I’m not going to say what is good and what is bad, but I do think that the idea that there is a specific length or style that determines what makes a song is shortsighted. I can’t be positive, but I’d bet a good number of 1700’s era music fans, would find anything post the 1890’s to be short, disjointed and all together lacking in musicality. I honestly find myself craving the moments on Skeletal Lamping that at first I thought were train wrecks. Beats changing to new time measures, genre teleportation, and odd splices are apparently my thing. I love hearing new sounds and noises, and for some reason, my brain craves dissonance. As you can imagine, I think Skeletal Lamping was hands down a masterpiece.
As for not knowing what Kevin Barnes is singing about, or not understanding where he is coming from, I assume this is a personal issue. I did/do know what Kevin Barnes is singing about, and I understand where he is coming from, as much as I can pretend to understand where anyone is coming from.
The sing-a-long, I fucking hate that shit (friends don’t let friends yell hood!). I do however think you might have taken a bit of a joke as something more. I think that guy was in character, and I think the joke was that it was a harder than average chant, one that very few would successfully do. They set you up to fail, and then berate you for it. See, it’s kinda funny…a little…no? (plus, they don’t even play Orlando until tonight)
Anyway, you obviously enjoyed yourself, and “get” what Barnes is attempting to create.
I might be a fluffer, but I have to say that at this moment in time, Barnes is on top of the game, and ahead of the curve (at least until March).
December 9th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Phil
Don’t get me wrong with. I like what Of Montreal’s quick and abrupt changes and have no notion that a song or idea is better at any length. I say short attention span theater with no judgment on it’s quality. I guess those terms have some negative connotation, but I don’t mean it that way. You know, either something works or doesnt.
As for the chanting episode, I remember thinking that Tampa was the fist or second show of the Florida tour, but he had me believing he was all pissed about it. It’s even more funny and awkward now. If that’s his shtick, then well done.
I don’t know if you’ve seem them before, but with several kids in facepaint and liquid going around, I thought the crowd was going to get into it more. I dunno, it seemed that there would be much more dancing and that even the band was expecting more from the audience.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I thought people seemed pretty into it (or awestruck and unable to really offer a response other than awestruckness).
And I am in love with the abrupt changes, something about them really makes me excited and I think has kept me into this album longer than I’d normally be.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Of damn you anti-spam..
You right, awestruck is a better way to put it. People were definitely paying attention, I wasnt near the back so I’m not sure about the bar flys. I guess I had the notion that it’d be closer to a dance party. I mean, it’s weird shit, but very funky and half the time, the drummer is playing a disco beat.
December 9th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I totally understand what you are saying. Energy exchange is a strange thing indeed. I noticed this at the Atlanta show a few weeks back. The house was packed, but the audience response was very quiet, almost pastoral at times. Definitely not what I was expecting for a weekend in Atlanta. Like Leilani said, I interpreted this as…awe?…but I am highly biased towards the music, admittedly. I’m not trying to defend the band (at least not until they defend me publicly), but I will also mention that it was a Monday night, and the Bucs were playing a game, which I’m sure had an effect. I had a friend of mine who had never seen them before tell me that he wanted to come over and dance by us, but he had to stand back and just take it all in. In think that’s understandable.
That being said, I do agree with you, the music is not easily interpreted through conventional dance moves. I’ve been noticing a general trend towards European soccer style jumping, and I am not fan. At the Atlanta show, on a few occasions where the energy grew to fevered pitch, spontaneous groups of jumpers would break out. Mostly younger males, they would use the shoulders of their compatriots to hoist themselves in the air, with an increasing rate of rapid arm thrusting. Sometimes there would be as many as three or four of the jumpers to a single cohesive jumping unit. I’m short enough as is, this is the last thing I need.
The funky shit is out of this world though, right? I’m with you on the throw down dance party. I want it. I want it, and I want the craziness that prevents it at the same time! It’s a hard recipe to concoct, but if anyone can do it, I believe it might be Kevin. And I haven’t seen them in a small enough venue to know, but I would imagine they might be a little more dance party, and a little less spectacle, but I could be wrong. It’s good to leave the artist with something to strive for, right? ;)
“But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. He lived happily ever after.”
“Slugworth!” – I love when they say that in the movie.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:47 am
If anyone was blown away by the show in Tampa they should have been in Orlando at the House Of Blues tonight.
It was basically the same set but more intense(if you can imagine that) and in a more intimate club like setting.The smaller crowd never stopped dancing(and singing) and it put the Tampa crowd to shame.The show also started on time!
This was actually the show I had hoped since seeing them at a small club as part Sarasota Film Festival a couple of years ago(which was very surreal because a lot of the crowd was 40 and up).The Ritz was great but tonight’s HOB show featured crowd surfing by the band during “Like Teen Spirit” and a killer duet with The Fiery Furnaces on that Icy,Icy something or other song instead of the Tom Petty American Girl. The sound was damn near perfect since this club was designed for music.No security between the fans and the band was present a which led to a lot of the characters on stage jumping into the audience which really got the crowd going.The only sour note was the outside security with their metal detector wands which kept me from taping the show.I did manage to get a decent tape of the Ritz as there were no heavy handed security thugs there like at the House Of Blues.Finally these shows were both great deals with cheap tickets which makes me wonder why neither sold out…oh yea its Florduh!Like the Bucs game had anything to do with it.Pretty much not the same kind of crowd me thinks.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:15 am
HOB def has real good acoustics, though I question the “no security” aspect on the inside since that place is usually crawling with annoying flashlight holding dudes ready to smackdown.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I went to the show a few weeks ago in Los Angeles. I’m not sure if it was technically a sellout, but it was a larger venue and it was really packed. Everyone was definatley dancing almost the entire time. The quality of dance was nothing great due to the density of the crowd, but the entire crowd was definatley moving nonstop. I could see how being awestruck could happen, but with the emotional contagion of the crowd being in awe didn’t stop anyone from moving. Get with it Florida!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
drumdaddy… where were you set up for the show? did you run stealth? it was a bitch getting my gear in until Michael (the tour manager?) told security it was ok to record.
December 10th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
You know, there were plenty of folks dancing, even though it wasn’t everyone. I was among a rather large group on the floor, and we were all getting down like James Brown.
December 10th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
The show was like Pop Rocks in my pants. I was dancing some, but I would have REALLY gyrated if this happened:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/41308-nsfw-of-montreals-kevin-barnes-naked
December 10th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I’m gonna stir the pot here and say Of Montreal’s sonic/visual thrill feels fleeting — swift as a sniff of cocaine, superb for the moment but nothing substantial, nothing that will make grey skies appear blue when you’re down and out, when you’re down on your luck, looking for a little tea and sympathy on the playback. Cheap thrills. The pop music equivalent of an extravagant video game. Kevin Barnes is like Babs for the indie set: style and bombast over substance.
For me, it just doesn’t stick to the ribs. There’s no sense of true romance, revenge or anything that rises above the murky pit of irony that has become so fashionable in recent years. Kevin Barnes is the Barry Maninlow/Liza Minnelli of the indie world.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Stir the pot all you want, Wade. It just makes the show that much frothier.
If Of Montreal doesn’t stick to your ribs, try sucking on it after what, two helpings of … The Allman Brothers?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Wade, where were you standing during the show?
Just curious what vantage point brought you to this conclusion.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:12 am
The CD, MP3s. I do have access to this stuff… And I do respect the Pitchfork penis pics … y’know, it’s ballsy. A rarity among the indie set. But when you’re, say 40, Phil, will you give a hoot about this gibberish? Or will you relax with some Phish, Zep, etc.?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Heidi: I’m glad to learn my love and devotion to the Allman Brothers Band is widespread. “At Fillmore East.” Purchase it. Listen to it. Immerse yourself in it. You will become a believer ; )
December 11th, 2008 at 1:15 am
I believe that you’re all correct.
The Of Montreal performance at The Ritz theatre will stand (until my dying day) as one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. A brilliant synthesis of indie rock, opera and glam that needed to be witnessed in the flesh to be understood. There is no way to describe the moving set pieces, choreography and video projection that (within seconds) transformed that stage from a western saloon (complete with balcony and upright piano) into a Dionysian garden of roman Gods and animals. There’s no way to comprehend the smell of shaving cream and feather cannons. Unless you were there.
However, musically, I stand with Wade. I think that Barnes needs to develop as a songwriter, focusing more on melody, dynamics and hook. I think the lyrics are overtly sexual but never reach the point of being “sexy.” And I don’t think this will ever change while he remains to hole up in a room and write, arrange and produce all the material himself. I know from experience that opening songs up for discussion causes a lot of fat to get trimmed and can only help the creative process. Any musician can (I hope) attest to this fact. I stood, slack-jawed for the entire performance but only twice did a melody or phrase surface that resonated with me. And those melodies were never repeated.
I also spent some time at the bar talking to Dan, their sound guy, and he hinted that they would be appearing on Letterman in the coming months. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I hope they’re able to convert some people, but they’ll need to play their catchiest song and hook people with the music, because you can’t feel the heat or smell the body paint through the TV.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:19 am
I’ll ask Santa for it. The Sarasota Blues Fest promoter is bananas for Gregg Allman. So was the CFO at my newspaper. When he left the company, the editor gave him a Gregg Allman autographed guitar. When the CFO played it for us on his last day of work, I couldn’t help but think how much more fun we would’ve had if he were dressed as a centaur.
I kid, I kid. BUT before I go to bed – don’t compare Kevin Barnes to Liza Minnelli! Be open minded! Compare him to David Guest.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Joran: Like your comment. Will stay tuned to Letterman. Will try to convert my mother, who loves The Flaming Lips CD I burned for her last Xmas.
Wade: The Gregg Allman bit was for you.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Joran,
I obviously disagree about Barnes songwriting. Are you familiar with earlier of Montreal? Barnes used to be TOO CATCHY. The man can get a line stuck in your head better than Tony Montana. And he has been at it with OM since 1997, so I would say he has developed. In fact, one of the most interesting things about the band (really Barnes) in my opinion is his dramatic and exaggerated evolution over the last 13 records and EPs.
http://www.ofmontreal.net/videos/wraith-pinned-to-the-mist-and-other-games/
http://www.ofmontreal.net/videos/so-begins-our-alabee/
And, also from of Montreal.net
“of Montreal will perform “An Eluardian Instance” on the Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday, December 18th, at 11:35 PM EST / PST on CBS (check local affiliates)!”
Now, understandably, of Montreal is not for everyone. And I don’t know what your relationship with the music is. If you are new to the band though, give them some time before making any judgments. Listen to the last 4 albums from start to finish. I know I don’t have to tell you, but this shit is thick. Perhaps some of the excess that you can see trimmed will begin to fall into place. Also, each album you go back becomes poppier and poppier.
Who knows, Wade might even break himself away from the Dickey Betts Bootleg Newsgroup, and give some much deserved time to this band, though that I doubt.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Late to the party, but here’s my $.02:
Monday’s show was incredible. It was probably the most theatrical “rock” show I have ever seen, and was both visually and sonically overwhelming.
I’m not sure if the music will stand the test of time, or “stick to the ribs” as Wade puts it. We can argue about that 10 years from now. I’m pretty sure, though, that if you plopped the 10 best bands in the world into Tampa on Monday, the Of Montreal show would have easily been a Top 3 show. (They handily beat the brilliant-but-restful Radiohead show from May.)
Also, comparing Barnes to Barry Manilow/Liza Manelli is way off. Barnes is Prince without the religion. Of course, comparing Barns to Prince isn’t a put-down, so I understand why you avoided the comparison, Wade.
I have to say, though, that I had something of a similar reaction to Joran. I found that almost every time I hooked into a melody that really got me moving, it was gone in less than 10 seconds, never to reappear. True, the melody I was digging was often replaced with four more that were just as compelling, but eventually I felt like a victim of sonic whiplash.
Of course, I’m getting old now. (Monday night was my 33rd birthday), and you have to figure that with the media saturation today’s late teens-early 20s kids have grown accustom to, the sonic overload of Of Montreal is probably spot-on for current tastes.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
“Sonic whiplash.” You nailed it. Plus, I just can’t get past Barnes’ squeezed-nuts falsetto. I’m re-listening to “Nonpareil of Favor” right now, it’s the only song that kinda grabbed me off the new disc, and, well, it’s exhausting.
My life is hectic. That’s not something I’m looking for in music. Tunes are something I’ve always gone to for solace and refuge, for fun and romance. Not to have my mind fucked with.
Plus, bands like Of Montreal have no appreciation for the beauty of spaces, pregnant pauses, that result in truly meaningful sonic payoffs. “[Miles] Davis understood that the space between the notes was sometimes just as important as the notes themselves. But he also understood that too much space between the notes, and people would think that the concert was over and go home…” Genius Guide to Jazz.
Or, maybe I’m just getting old. I do think “kids these days” are more geared to the jarring melody changes and piled on instrumentation, blips, bleeps, etc.
Phil: What’s the URL on the Betts site? It’s a shitty, rainy day I can always use a fresh dose of Elizabeth Reed to lift my spirits.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
“(They handily beat the brilliant-but-restful Radiohead show from May.)”
That’s the most absurd statement on this page, including the Bennigan’s Ad!!
December 11th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
This is getting rough. I like it. B.Treotch, be warned, if the Bardi brothers gang up on you, you’re a gonner. They’re fierce. Especially Phil. He goes straight for the jugular. With his teeth.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Wade, it’s when you say shit like this, that I’m let down by you… ?
“My life is hectic. That’s not something I’m looking for in music. Tunes are something I’ve always gone to for solace and refuge, for fun and romance. Not to have my mind fucked with.”
You’re a god damn music critic! You are not a 15 year old girl!
Music does not exist, nor can it be quantified as one single thing. Some stuff is for fun, some is for romance, some is to have your mind fucked with.
It just gets so tiring to hear the same shit, over and over. People blaming the music they don’t understand, when they should be looking in the mirror…
Try reading the book – This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin. I’ll send it in with Leilani, but for now, here are a few quotes about the human ability to digest novelty…
“When we combined those results with a measure of how variable the data were, we figured out that if you are more than thirty-five years old when a style of popular music is introduced there’s a greater than ninety-five per cent chance that you will never choose to listen to it. The window has closed.”
And finally…
“These studies also indicate that over time the great creative minds not only are less likely to generate something new but are less open to someone else’s novelty — the same phenomenon I was seeing in the sushi bars. Think of Einstein, in his later years, fighting a rear-guard action against quantum-mechanics, or of Alfred Mirsky as the last major figure in cell biology to reject the idea that DNA was the molecule of heredity. As the physicist Max Planck once observed, established generations of scientists never accept new theories; they die first. In some cases, the closing mind of a former revolutionary rejects what should have been the logical extension of his revolution. Consider Martin Luther, who spent his final years helping to crush the peasant uprisings galvanized by his own youthful work. There’s a consistent trend emerging here. As we age, all of us — the senior scientist flailing against his errant disciples, the commuter twiddling with the radio dial for a familiar tune — become less open to someone else’s novelty.”
And also, the Radiohead show was weak in comparison, I agree. For my tastes, I thought the WPB show a few years back was 200 times better. I want my Radiohead aggressive, not whinny.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
i think it was a tie with radiohead for show of the year. different music, different approach to playing live, same end result. it’s a tie in my book.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Wade, I go for the jugular with knowledge, not teeth.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Phil: Thanks for pointing out that I’m a music critic and not a 15 year old girl. I’ve spent the past two years waiting for my period.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Too funny..
It was a great show – and should not have been missed.. You can never grasp a band/artist until you see them live.. And mind fucking should be done yearly – at least ! I’ve got a pre-screening this Friday night at the Tampa Theatre, then a full operation scheduled on 03/06/09.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’m lost. Why was my comment about Radiohead vs Of Montreal funny? Unless you find the truth funny. In that case my comment was hilarious.
December 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
In response to Joran:
“I think that Barnes needs to develop as a songwriter, focusing more on melody, dynamics and hook.”
As Phil already so thoughtfully put it, this is Barnes’ 9th album. He’s already done the melody/dynamics/hook thing. See ‘Satanic Panic in the Attic’ and ‘Sunlandic Twins.’ In fact, as I already mentioned in my post, one of the songs on Sundlandic Twins was so goddamn catchy Barnes used it to write a jingle for Outback, the most well-known one. Of course, he’s also spent the past three years trying to live that down — hence, ‘Skeletal Lamping.’ He explains this in a recent Rolling Stone interview, that he intentionally attempted to create an album WITHOUT HOOKS, that wasn’t necessarily cohesive, or easy to understand, but would still manage to be masterful.
“I think the lyrics are overtly sexual but never reach the point of being “sexy … but only twice did a melody or phrase surface that resonated with me.”
So, did you not really hear the sexy lyrics, or did you just not really understand the sexy lyrics?
“she took me home and spit / in my drink / she spoke of Germaine Greer and Friedan / i didn’t know what to think / i took her standing in the kitchen ass against the sink / she draped me in a stole / what kind? / i think Malaysian mink”
How is that not sexy, especially the way he sings it? Oh, wait, you haven’t listened to the album. My bad.
“I know from experience that opening songs up for discussion causes a lot of fat to get trimmed and can only help the creative process.”
The band’s been there, done that. What’s happening right now is far far more interesting. And it MOVES me. ‘Course, I’ve given it alot of time and innumerable listens, so I def am biased, though you could also call me well-informed.
December 11th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Wow. Why can’t every blog post be like this? Leilani, can you write about Of Montreal every week?
So, he’s intentionally de-volving as a songwriter and going for a deconstructivist, non-dynamic approach? ;-)
All I know is that in every artist’s career (”Chocolate and Cheese/White Pepper” is a perfect example), there is a moment when they transition from writing as a songwriter (or duo) into writing as a band. The band Monday night brought a LOT of talent, nuance and intensity to that stage. I’d love to hear what it would sound like if that band were allowed a hand in the arrangements as well. That’s when true magic happens inside the notes, not just inside the venue.
I will go back and listen to some of the earlier records. But inevitably, my hunch is that my fears will be confirmed and that (just like The Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jr., Alice Cooper (nice tribute with the guillotine by the way) and Bob Schneider) I will find myself saying that I’m a fan of their “older stuff.”
December 11th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Yes, I suppose you could say he’s trying out the de-contructivist thing. Sounds crazy, but some artists are willing to take those risks. In this case, it works, provided you have the time to figure out how it works.
On a side note, Barnes has been writing the majority of the music for the band since Satanic Panic in the Attic (2004). Basically, we’re watching HIS songwriting evolution, not the band’s.
Ween, by the way, has always been two men who do all the songwriting. No one else contributes anything creatively to what Gene and Dean are doing, which is one of the reasons drummer Claude Coleman is leaving the band.
December 11th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
(That’s me referencing Joran’s Chocolate and Cheese/White Pepper comparison, for all those who don’t know what I’m talking about in that last ‘graph about Ween.)
December 11th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/12/11/of-montreals-kevin-barnes-talks-next-album-live-dvd-and-mgmt-side-project/
I just saw this on Rolling Stone…
And I think this part speaks to what we were talking about earlier with the dancing and movement at shows…
“Barnes says he’s already begun working on the band’s next album. “I’m slowly putting together some new stuff for the next record, like whenever I have a free moment.,” Barnes says, “I’m really excited, I’ve been working on a lot of ideas. I kind of want to go in a slightly different direction, experiment, try to look for a new spark, inspiration. What I want to do now is slightly noisier. 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.”
December 29th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I see what Wade is saying.
And this coming from a major OM fan, ten years strong.
It’s not that I see Of Montreal as shallow or superficial, but I can see how the ultimate, longterm perception can or will be just that.
I think the nudity, hedonism, sexual-all-the-time image that is now synonymous with Kevin Barnes and Of Montreal has done as much damage to his legacy as it has put money in his pocket.
Kevin doesn’t stay in one place for too long, but he has painted himself into a corner with this whole naked nymphomaniac phase.
It has given him a lot of exposure and a fickle fanbase in young people enticed by the glam and rebelliousness.
But where does he go from here? Public sex at shows or something? It’s hard to legally get anymore extreme than where he has been recently.
And what happens when Kevin moves onto another phase, but those hipsters will only be letdown to see Of MOntreal live with pants on?
And it makes his music appear shallow to take cheap and easy routes for attention. It will be perceived that way to many, no matter what, despite how brilliant his songwriting.
It is hard to ask someone to percieve a song as anything more than a lark when it starts out with a line like ‘I’m so sick of sucking the dick of this cruel city’.
December 29th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Word up, whistle.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:09 am
But isn’t that the point? That it can still be a lark and that you don’t necessarily have to take it seriously for it to still be art? I think Skeletal Lamping and Barnes’ current phase of songwriting and performing is deadly serious and tongue-in-cheek all at once, one of the reasons I think it’s works for some, and not so much for others. I’ve said it before — IMO people just don’t get or understand or like humor in music, whether it’s ironic or not.
January 1st, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Good Article. The posts are really funny. I find it humorous that people consider “old” of Monreal to be
“Santanic Panic in the Attic”. Like Whistle I’ve been into the band for over 10 years, and I’ve seen this “evolution” and I don’t enjoy it. Lamping’s music is great (tame and safe compared to Coquelicot however), but the lyrics are a letdown. When I heard him yell out “Ninja” I just about puked. I also agree with the lyric “I’m so sick…”. He is trying way too hard and he doesn’t have to.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Whatever happened to the recording?
January 9th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I just talked to the taper today, he’s having problems with tracking the show due to problems with his equipment. Or something. I didn’t really understand the issue so I can’t really explain it, but perhaps he’ll jump on and clarify things for us?
January 9th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Whistle,
I can see what you’re saying, but just don’t think it holds up historically.
Look at the glam of the seventies, and then ask the kids today what the stage shows were like. They have no idea that David Bowie wasn’t always a middle aged yanker, nor are they interested. They do however still listen to and purchase the back catalog.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Has anyone heard anything about the live recording? It’s almost a month from the last mention. I think everyone forgot about it. That makes me sad. :(
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
No! No-one’s forgotten the show and/or the recording… Us folks at thebootypatrol.blogspot.com are still holding our breaths and we’ve got our finger on the bootleg trigger… DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT dammit!!!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
No-one’s forgotten about the show and/or the recording… We want it. It’s taking forever. Do something about it, Mr. Taper.
February 18th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Heya, steadfast and loyal returners. I’ve been putting the head on my taper. He claims there was some sort of sound issue that’s been keeping him from finishing tracking it. But I will get on him again and try to get this thing done. Very very sorry for all the waiting and hoping and wishing. I never thought it’d be so long.