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.
I Believe in You
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That falls while comets hit the earth,
Destroying buildings and trees.
But you are so light in the air,
You never disrupt a thing.
Orenda, if you were here
I could walk through you,
In my bed at night I dream you're a ghost
That only cats can see.
Some nights you talk to me.
Some nights you sing me to sleep,
While moonlight showers the room.
Orenda, if you were here
I could walk through you,
Orenda.
In dreams I dance with you.
We dance the best in the kitchen.
While murderers and rapists surround the house.
We don't care,
Because our house is made of feathers.
They wouldn't dare.
In dreams I dance with you,
Though our bodies are made out of wood.
The lyrics to of Montreal's song "In Dreams I Dance With You" seem to have a whimsical, dreamlike quality. In the first verse, the singer compares the person they're addressing to a snowflake falling from the sky. This person is delicate and light, despite the chaos and destruction that's going on around them. The lyrics suggest that the person is almost supernatural, with a weightlessness that allows them to move through the world without leaving a mark. The second verse elaborates on this idea, with the singer describing how they dream of this person as a ghost that only their cats can see. Sometimes the ghost talks to them, and sometimes it sings them to sleep. There's a contrast here between the loneliness of the singer, who's dreaming of a ghost in their bed, and the idea that this ghost is a source of comfort and companionship.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes in. It's as if the dream world is a place where the singer can be with the person they're addressing, without any barriers or limitations. In their dreams, they dance together in the kitchen and ignore the dangers that surround them. The imagery of the house being made of feathers is intriguing, suggesting that the dream world is also a place of safety and comfort. The final line of the song is perhaps the most interesting: "Though our bodies are made out of wood." This seems to suggest that the connection the singer feels to this person is not purely physical, but something deeper and more spiritual.
Overall, "In Dreams I Dance With You" is a fascinating song that suggests a longing for a deeper connection with someone who is almost mystical in their lightness and presence. The dreamlike quality of the lyrics and the haunting melody combine to create a sense of otherworldliness that's both beautiful and slightly eerie.
Line by Line Meaning
You remind me of a snowflake
You are unique and delicate
That falls while comets hit the earth,
Even when chaos is happening around me, you remain present
Destroying buildings and trees.
Your beauty is powerful and captivating
But you are so light in the air,
Your presence is calming and gentle
You never disrupt a thing.
You are harmonious and peaceful
Orenda, if you were here
My soul and spirit long for you
I could walk through you,
You are a part of me and I of you
In my bed at night I dream you're a ghost
You are ever-present in my thoughts and dreams
That only cats can see.
You are mysterious and elusive
Some nights you talk to me.
Your voice is soothing and comforting
Some nights you sing me to sleep,
Your presence fills me with peace and calmness, and I am able to rest
While moonlight showers the room.
You are part of the serenity that embraces me
In dreams I dance with you.
You are the reason behind my happiness, even if just for a moment
We dance the best in the kitchen.
Our love and passion extend to every aspect of our lives
While murderers and rapists surround the house.
The outside world may be cruel and harsh, but our love is strong enough to conquer it
We don't care,
Nothing matters as much as our love
Because our house is made of feathers.
Our love is fragile, but precious and worthy of protection
They wouldn't dare.
Our love is untouchable, invincible
Though our bodies are made out of wood.
Our love is ethereal and everlasting, beyond the physical realm
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@QuayleBite
Thank you for being weird. Thank you for making me feel good and not alone.
@takemetoyonk
MattS hang out with me ASAP thanks
@careuh
I can not even begin to think what it must be like to have an imagination like Kevin's, it seems almost daunting.
@shadowchebo
If any contemporary artist, would spit on a beehive and then expose it like art, it'd be sold in one million dollars I bet. Haha. Great stuff of Montreal, like ever.
@heysatan8
+brandon hood It's not a beehive it's a piece of honeycomb... and they're spitting on it b/c that is how bees make honey... talking about disrespecting nature when you don't even understand it yourself. Fail.
@user-eu3nd4hl6z
@@heysatan8 you know the honeycomb is part of the hive?...
@heysatan8
@@user-eu3nd4hl6z obviously
@blainschreck1426
Dude... My minds blown. The only thing that saved me from an ex and my own thoughts was the music Kevin put out.
I truly can relate... Once again
@theuserjoan
bassem’s mind was blown too :/
@rhodes3c563
Still a fav after years!!