They were among the second wave of groups to emerge from The Elephant 6 Recording Company and the group has a style that is typical of many Elephant 6 bands due to their interest in combining musical experimentation with the basic tenets of pop i.e. catchy melodies and sing-along choruses. The band’s style has been influenced by conventional indie pop, psychedelic music, vaudeville and music hall on their earlier releases and by afrobeat, funk, krautrock and reggae on their recent releases.
The band’s style has been known to change between albums. At first, the band embraced a more simple, quirky, lo-fi indie pop sound, which occasionally bordered on twee pop. The band was created by Kevin Barnes and named after a failed romance with a woman from Montreal, though the story changes in various interviews. Barnes was the only member of the “group” prior to his relocation to Athens, Georgia. There, he met Derek Almstead, later of Circulatory System, M Coast, Elf Power etc., and Bryan Poole, who also performs as The Late B.P. Helium.
Together, they recorded their first album, Cherry Peel, as well as The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower and The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy.
A number of singles and a re-release of The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower occurred before the release of the band’s third album, The Gay Parade in 1999. With contributions from several members of the Elephant Six collective at the time, it also featured artwork from Kevin’s brother David Barnes, who would continue to do artwork for future albums.
This album marked that the band had moved to a fuller sound, which is also found on its follow-up, Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse. These two albums contain more narrative lyrics, as opposed to the rather personal lyrical matter of those preceding it, and often imitating the style of old 1950s radio plays.
After production on The Gay Parade began in 1998, Poole left the band to focus on his duties with Elf Power, another Elephant Six band from Athens. Barnes also recruited Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander, who had been performing together as Lightning Bug vs. Firefly, to play various instruments. Derek moved from drums to bass. The band was joined soon after by Marshmallow Coast’s Andy Gonzales.
Following the release of The Gay Parade, the band signed with Kindercore Records, who would release a number of singles and compilations. It wasn’t until 2001 that Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse would be released as a new album with original material. The album again featured contributions from across the Elephant 6 spectrum.
In 2002, Aldhils Arboretum was released, with a slightly different sound than its predecessors, as the songs were more directly structured. This album marks the beginning of the change in of Montreal’s sound, with more danceable rhythms than ever before, especially on the album’s closer, “Death Dance Of The Omipapas and Sons For You”. A successful tour ensued, including of Montreal’s first trip to the UK, along with a tour-only EP.
Kindercore Records would fold shortly after the release of Arboretum, and of Montreal’s status was also threatened. Kevin got married, and Andy and Derek left the band. Barnes, being uncomfortable with the unrest, as well as some divisions within the band, took to writing and performing their 2004 album Satanic Panic in the Attic mostly by himself. Released by Polyvinyl Records, it became one of their more successful efforts to that point. The 2004 tour saw The Late B.P. Helium (Bryan Poole) rejoin the band, with some bass played by Kevin’s partner Nina Barnes. The album marked a shift to something more electronic with traditional structures, to be further advanced in later albums and new songs. In their most recent releases and concerts, the band has fully embraced a sort of techno-pop glam image, with little of their previous incarnations surfacing. This style is featured in singles such as Disconnect the Dots. The style would continue to evolve into 2005’s The Sunlandic Twins, which was even more a Barnes solo effort. Recorded in Athens, with the exception of one track recorded in Norway, it was a much more pronounced electronic album. The album became a success, mostly due to the singles “So Begins Our Alabee” and the MTV clip for “Wraith Pinned to the Mist (and Other Games)”.
The band released several collections of singles in early 2006. Barnes recorded most of the band’s 2007 release, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, by himself while living in Norway and Athens, Georgia. The switch to autobiographical themes of suicide, depression and isolation of the album was a direct product of his troubled personal life during that period.
of Montreal released Skeletal Lamping on October 21, 2008 followed by False Priest on September 14, 2010, Paralytic Stalks on February 7, 2012, and Lousy with Sylvianbriar on October 8, 2013. Aureate Gloom is scheduled for release by Polyvinyl Records on March 3, 2015.
Lyrically, their style has changed dramatically throughout the years. In the beginning, many songs were narratives of personal or humorous situations, such as “Tim, I Wish You Were Born A Girl”, from Cherry Peel. This style, however, changed with The Gay Parade, where many songs involve small narratives surrounding invented characters (in songs such as “Jacques Lamure”, “The Autobiographical Grandpa”, “Mimi Merlot” and “Rose Robert”). Others act as extracts from fictional conversations (“Advice From a Divorced Gentleman to His Bachelor Friend Considering Marriage” and “Good Morning Mr. Edminton” as examples). With Aldhils Arboretum came a slight return to the previous writing style, except following more poppy, classical lyrical structures (such as the use of choruses, which are generally absent in the Gay Parade/Coquelicot years). This style continued throughout Satanic Panic and The Sunlandic Twins to some extent. On the album Hissing Fauna: Are You The Destroyer? the lyrics are much more personal than previously used, with songs detailing emotions within the speaker.
Another unique quality of the band is the fusion of ostensibly gloomy lyrics with bouncy, upbeat melodies and hooks. On Aldhils Arboretum, for example, the lyrics for tracks like “Doing Nothing” and “Old People in the Cemetery” focus on apathy, loneliness or death while being contrasted with cheerful instrumentation. Another example of this tendency is shown in their choice of covers; for example, Yoko Ono’s “I Felt Like Smashing my Head Through a Clear Glass Window” from The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower.
True to the style of most Elephant 6 recording artists, of Montreal’s members have been in a variety of side projects and other bands:
The band itself has performed as the backing band for Marshmallow Coast on record and on tour.
My First Keyboard was the pseudonym used by Dottie Alexander to release the song “The You I Created” on the Kindercore singles club. of Montreal acted as her backing band.
A Man
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Common thing common but beautiful all the same
Still there's something so neat something so
Extraordinarily sweet with a man who's in love
With a man
I have nothing to say about the traditional ways
They're fine if they work well for you
But there is something so right so completely
With a man who's in love with a man
Or a woman who's in love with a woman
They should never feel ashamed because it's
So important to do the things we want with
Whoever turns us on
Now a man desiring a woman that's a very
Common thing common and really rather dull
There is something so strange something so
Wonderfully deranged in a man desiring a man
Or a woman desiring a woman
Men are usually fighting each other that's
Why I think it's so special when a man and
A man are in love It's so good It's so special
Now a man kissing a woman is a very
Common thing common but usually
Quite nice still there is something so fine
Something so beautifully divine In a man
Kissing a man
A man kissing a man
The lyrics of A Man by of Montreal celebrate love between individuals of the same gender. The song starts by acknowledging that it is common for a man to love a woman, but that loving a man as a man is something extraordinarily sweet. The singer expresses that while traditional ways of loving are fine, there is something right and out of sight about the love that two men, or two women, can share. The lyrics encourage people not to feel ashamed about their desires and to do the things that turn them on, regardless of gender.
The song goes on to describe how desiring someone of the same gender is wonderfully deranged, and how it is so special when two men are in love, as men are usually fighting each other. The singer invites the listener to recognize and celebrate how fine, beautiful, and divine it is when a man kisses another man. The lyrics challenge the idea that loving someone of the same gender is abnormal or unnatural, instead presenting it as something to be cherished and celebrated.
This song represents a departure from of Montreal's usual sound, which blends together elements of indie pop, psychedelia, and funk. It was written by frontman Kevin Barnes with the desire to create a song that would help to normalize gay love and relationships, and to celebrate the beauty and diversity of love in all its forms. A Man is an anthemic, uplifting track that encourages listeners to embrace their own desires and identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Now a man loving a woman that's a very
Loving a woman is a common but beautiful thing.
Common thing common but beautiful all the same
Even though it's common, it's still beautiful.
Still there's something so neat something so
However, there is something even neater and more beautiful
Extraordinarily sweet with a man who's in love
which is a man being in love with another man.
With a man who's in love
It's not just about the traditional ways of love
I have nothing to say about the traditional ways
which is fine if it works for you.
They're fine if they work well for you
But there is something special about loving a person of the same gender.
But there is something so right so completely
No one should feel ashamed about it because it's important to do.
Out of sight with a man who's in love with a man
It's important to do what makes us happy with whoever it is that turns us on.
Or a woman who's in love with a woman
They should never feel ashamed because it's
So important to do the things we want with
Whoever turns us on
Now a man desiring a woman that's a very
Desiring a woman is also common but rather dull
Common thing common and really rather dull
It doesn't have the same excitement as desiring someone of the same gender.
There is something so strange something so
In fact, there is something uniquely strange and wonderful
Wonderfully deranged in a man desiring a man
about a man desiring another man or a woman desiring another woman.
Or a woman desiring a woman
Men are usually fighting each other that's
Men are typically seen fighting or competing with each other,
Why I think it's so special when a man and
which is why it's so special when two men fall in love.
A man are in love It's so good It's so special
Now a man kissing a woman is a very
Kissing a woman is also a common occurrence
Common thing common but usually
and while it's usually quite nice,
Quite nice still there is something so fine
there is still something exceptionally beautiful
Something so beautifully divine In a man
about a man kissing another man.
Kissing a man
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Crystal Beth
Now a man loving a woman that's a very
Common thing common but beautiful all the same
Still there's something so neat something so
Extraordinarily sweet with a man who's in love
With a man
I have nothing to say about the traditional ways
They're fine if they work well for you
But there is something so right so completely
Out of sight
With a man who's in love with a man
Or a woman who's in love with a woman
They should never feel ashamed because it's
So important to do the things we want with
Whoever turns us on
Now a man desiring a woman that's a very
Common thing common and really rather dull
There is something so strange something so
Wonderfully deranged in a man desiring a man
Or a woman desiring a woman....
Men are usually fighting each other that's
Why I think it's so special when a man and
A man are in love It's so good It's so special
Now a man kissing a woman is a very
Common thing common but usually
Quite nice still there is something so fine
Something so beautifly devine In a man
Kissing a man
A man kissing a man
Elijah Kamali
i've never heard my feelings on sexuality articulated so well
madeleine p.
Kudos to them for being so supportive all the way back in 1997.
Laman Sisco
can i just have all the chords
Burner
This makes my little gay heart skip a beat<3