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.
Holiday Call
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that you, my Lord
Hands on my knee, my Lord
Fingers running up my sleeve, my Lord
Asking me to leave with you
My Lord
I freaked at the festival, I'm almost sick again
All the TV's are stoned
It's no construct for prayer
Is that you, my Lord
Hands on my knee, my Lord
Fingers running up my sleeve, my Lord
Asking me to leave with you
My Lord
I freaked at the festival, I'm almost sick again
Our memories are found again
All the telephones are stoned
It's no construct for prayer
Bitch you know it's got to bounce
Don't lie to me, Charlize
I hardly know you
I know enough to stay away
No row a boat for you
Don't lie to me, Charlize
I hardly know you
I know enough, enough to stay away
No row a boat for you
Don't lie to me, Charlize
I hardly know you
The lyrics of of Montreal's "Holiday Call" are laden with obscure and abstract imagery, metaphors, and allusions. The song is a dreamy, psychedelic exploration of the complex relationship between the singer and his Lord, as well as his conflicted feelings about leaving his mundane life behind in exchange for a spiritual journey. The opening lines set a meditative tone as the singer acknowledges the presence of his "Lord" and the mysterious hands on his knee, running up his sleeve, and asking him to leave. These words could be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's desire to escape his material existence and embark on an inward quest for meaning and spiritual enlightenment. The repetition of "my Lord" throughout the song gives a sense of devotion, worship, and awe.
The second verse shifts the tone to a more chaotic and disorienting one, as the singer recalls a festival that made him almost sick again, hinting at the excesses and debauchery that can occur in such events. The imagery of TVs and telephones being "stoned" suggests a disconnection from reality, a numbing of senses or minds, and a lack of communication with the outside world. The line "it's no construct for prayer" may be an ominous warning against using technology, drugs, or other artificial means as a substitute for genuine spiritual practices.
The final part of the song introduces a new character, Charlize, who is accused of lying by the singer. The reason for this accusation is not clear, but it could be interpreted as a reflection of his distrust or fear of getting too close to someone who could lead him astray from his spiritual path. The line "I know enough to stay away, no row a boat for you" suggests a sense of self-preservation and caution, as if the singer knows that he can't afford any distractions or temptations on his journey.
Overall, "Holiday Call" is a cryptic and enigmatic song that invites multiple interpretations and leaves many questions unanswered. It's a testament to of Montreal's artistry and poetic sensibility, as well as their willingness to explore unconventional themes and styles.
Line by Line Meaning
Is that you, my Lord
The singer wonders if he is experiencing or imagining spiritual intervention
Hands on my knee, my Lord
The imagined Lord is physically present and touching the singer
Fingers running up my sleeve, my Lord
The imagined Lord is exploring the singer's body intimately
Asking me to leave with you
The imagined Lord is inviting the singer to join him in the afterlife
My Lord
An affectionate or subservient address to the imagined Lord
I freaked at the festival, I'm almost sick again
The singer became overwhelmed and anxious at the festival, and is feeling the effects again
Our memories are sighed away
Memories have faded or been forgotten
All the TV's are stoned
The TVs are not functioning or are broken
It's no construct for prayer
The TV is not a suitable object for religious worship or contemplation
Bitch you know it's got to bounce
Someone, possibly Charlize, may be attempting to manipulate or deceive the singer and he is warning her that he won't tolerate it
Don't lie to me, Charlize
The singer is addressing Charlize directly, telling her not to deceive him
I hardly know you
The singer does not have a close relationship with Charlize and may not trust her
I know enough to stay away
The singer is aware of something about Charlize that makes him want to avoid her
No row a boat for you
The singer will not help Charlize in her endeavors, whatever they may be
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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