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.
Feminine Effects
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So blurry inside
I know I'm down home but I
Always thought a limousine was
Something to be laughed at
Something to be laughed at
So blurry inside
I know I'm not your cut
But I never thought that I was just
Something to be laughed at
Something to be laughed at
I was a teenager when you
Took me from my mama's bed
And brought me to the real city
I tried my best to become what
I thought you wanted
Bobby, baby, you make me blurry
So blurry inside
I know I'm down home but I
Always thought a limousine was
Something to be laughed at
The song "Feminine Effects" by of Montreal is a reflection on a tumultuous relationship experienced during adolescence. The opening lines suggest a sense of confusion and disorientation with the phrase "you make me blurry." The singer acknowledges that they come from a simple upbringing ("down home"), but the partner they are involved with introduces them to a world of luxury ("limousine"). The subsequent repetition of "something to be laughed at" suggests a disapproval or discomfort with this lifestyle, perhaps stemming from feelings of inadequacy or a sense of being an outsider in this new world.
The next verse speaks to the power dynamic at play in the relationship. Bobby, the partner, "took me from my mama's bed" as a teenager and brought the singer to the "real city." The singer then endeavors to become what they think Bobby wants, suggesting a desire to please and fit in, even if it means compromising their own sense of self.
Overall, "Feminine Effects" explores themes of isolation, identity, and the pressures of conforming to societal expectations. The lyrics are poignant and emotive, capturing the complexities and uncertainties of growing up and navigating relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Bobby, baby, you make me blurry
The singer is experiencing confusion and uncertainty because of their relationship with Bobby.
So blurry inside
The singer feels disoriented and unclear about their feelings and the situation in general.
I know I'm down home but I
The singer recognizes that they are from a humble background and may not fit into Bobby's world.
Always thought a limousine was
The singer used to see luxury vehicles as something that is excessive and not to be taken seriously.
Something to be laughed at
The singer thought that extravagance was silly and not worth aspiring to.
But I never thought that I was just
The singer never considered themselves as simply a source of amusement or entertainment for others.
I was a teenager when you
The singer was young and vulnerable when they got involved with Bobby.
Took me from my mama's bed
Bobby may have manipulated or taken advantage of the singer's trust in him and their relationship.
And brought me to the real city
Bobby exposed the singer to a more fast-paced and glamorous lifestyle that they may not have experienced before.
I tried my best to become what
The singer made an effort to change and be what Bobby wanted in order to fit in with his world.
I thought you wanted
The singer assumed that Bobby had certain expectations and desires for their relationship.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GoatDust
so great, wish she still appeared in the albums
@eleob9098
One of my all time favorites ❤️
@xombiemike
Still underated. I wonder if Rebecca Cash is still making music.
@robertrohla1979
Wonderful song, lazy river heaven. Love what this guy does, and I think this type of song is where he really thrives. Perfect language, and the general melody and timing between clean and biting harmonies pretty much kill it. I'd hope Kevin Barnes does a whole album of this stuff, hopefully produced with and bt that group out of Indy.
@TheSunlandicTwins
I love it! Kevin looks super amazing as usual; his clothes are fabulous! And everyone looked so cute with their faces painted. Rebecca is super gorgeous as well!
@Ir0nMa1d3n
More people need to know this song.
@PyrettaBlazeGames
Why does this make me cry like a baby?
@Snowbound2643
Kris Mackey because its beautiful.
@dbbyers73
I'm loving this girls voice and song. Definitely add to my shuffle.
@asmrsical
Rebecca Cash 😍 what a STUNNING lovely woman