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.
Monolithic Egress
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm inside of the mirror
Oh I don't saw this, get on pick
It was so much louder now that we almost speak
A silent messin' inside my mind
You never took me home
Just been together for forever
I think I'm panted in the dead of the sky
Cuz I can cool and shut in soft metals if you up
So the more you could enjoy and have this in
Of the failures but you want me to keep
A silent messin' inside my mind
We are the wrapping of the every [?] spring
No fun out of that stake, I can only be better the stages [?]
Do it rock, close and [?] of the sea
Sound on the free time
Again and again and again
I picture you as a way found in Pacific
Wait, get up
We beyond on point of your childhood
Sorry can't hang you
And all alone on miserable returns
Hating myself like I want that you want me to do
There is always the passion of [?]
And my head sais she knows me
What do you know?
Should let all to get each other
Just to feel like we move in pieces
And all that will always mean to
Posses you and eyes stuck
And my celebration of our century plays
Right when we set this [?]
You can take on me but you must expect the same
Different man cuz you not caught up in some fucking name
A silent messin' inside my mind
There's no sympathy for the ops
All the brutal walls that will leave by their name
Just as our victims suicides, future is a posture
The lyrics of this song are incredibly abstract and difficult to decipher, but they seem to be touching on themes of personal identity, relationships, and internal struggles. The opening lines, "Yeah no blood hunger palisades, I'm inside of the mirror," suggest a sense of disorientation and uncertainty about one's place in the world. As the song progresses, the lyrics become even more cryptic and fragmented, weaving in phrases like "A silent messin' inside my mind" and "possess you and eyes stuck" that hint at psychological turmoil and feelings of being trapped or stuck.
The second verse continues in this vein, with lines like "hating myself like I want that you want me to do" that suggest self-doubt and a sense of being beholden to someone else's expectations. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "a silent messin' inside my mind," emphasizes the theme of inner turmoil and the struggle to express oneself. The final lines of the song, "There's no sympathy for the ops, all the brutal walls that will leave by their name, just as our victims suicides, future is a posture," are perhaps the most cryptic of all, but they seem to be touching on themes of power dynamics, victimization, and the precariousness of the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah no blood hunger palisades
The singer is making it clear that they are not interested in any form of aggression.
I'm inside of the mirror
The singer is implying that they feel trapped or confined within themselves.
Oh I don't saw this, get on pick
The singer is expressing their confusion or inability to comprehend something.
It was so much louder now that we almost speak
The artist is suggesting that even when we think we are communicating clearly, there may still be misunderstandings.
A silent messin' inside my mind
There is chaos or turmoil in the artist's thoughts that they are struggling to express.
You never took me home
The singer feels abandoned or left behind by someone who was supposed to care for them.
Just been together for forever
The singer has been in a long-term relationship or friendship, but their connection may not be fulfilling or satisfying.
We, we sit in silently
The artist and someone else are together, but they are not engaging in conversation or communication.
I think I'm panted in the dead of the sky
The artist feels overwhelmed or trapped in a situation that may be dangerous or hopeless.
Cuz I can cool and shut in soft metals if you up
The artist is suggesting that they have a special ability that they can use to remain calm or detached in difficult situations.
So the more you could enjoy and have this in
The singer is encouraging someone to embrace life and find joy in their experiences.
Of the failures but you want me to keep
The artist feels like they are being asked to hold onto negative experiences or memories.
We are the wrapping of the every [?] spring
The singer is suggesting that we are all part of something greater, like the fabric that surrounds a natural spring.
No fun out of that stake, I can only be better the stages [?]
The singer is expressing their dissatisfaction with something, and they believe they can improve upon it.
Do it rock, close and [?] of the sea
The singer is suggesting that we should approach life with a sense of boldness and adventure.
Sound on the free time
The artist is emphasizing the importance of enjoying our leisure time.
Again and again and again
The artist is suggesting that we repeat certain patterns or behaviors, even if they are not good for us.
I picture you as a way found in Pacific
The singer is imagining someone as a journey or adventure that they want to embark upon.
Wait, get up
The singer is either telling someone to move, or expressing their own indecision about whether or not to take action.
We beyond on point of your childhood
The artist is suggesting that they have moved beyond or grown past a certain phase of life.
Sorry can't hang you
The artist is expressing their inability to connect or spend time with someone, either due to circumstances or personal choices.
And all alone on miserable returns
The artist is feeling isolated and unhappy with the way things have turned out.
Hating myself like I want that you want me to do
The singer is criticizing themselves for actions that they believe someone else expects or wants them to take.
There is always the passion of [?]
The artist is suggesting that we always have the potential for intense emotional experiences or connections.
And my head sais she knows me
The singer is suggesting that they have a strong intuition or inner voice that guides their actions or decisions.
What do you know?
The singer is challenging someone else's understanding or knowledge of a situation.
Should let all to get each other
The singer is suggesting that we should strive to understand and empathize with each other.
Just to feel like we move in pieces
The artist is expressing a desire to feel whole again, or to feel like they belong in the world.
And all that will always mean to
The artist is suggesting that certain things in life will always hold meaning, no matter what.
Posses you and eyes stuck
The singer is suggesting that something has captured their attention or interest and they cannot look away.
And my celebration of our century plays
The singer is commemorating something important or meaningful that has occurred in the past 100 years.
Right when we set this [?]
The artist is emphasizing the importance of the present moment, and how significant it can be in shaping our future.
You can take on me but you must expect the same
The artist is warning someone that they can challenge or confront them, but they must also be prepared for the same in return.
Different man cuz you not caught up in some fucking name
The artist is emphasizing the importance of individuality and not allowing preconceived notions or labels to define us.
There's no sympathy for the ops
The singer is suggesting that there is no pity or compassion for those who oppose or block progress or change.
All the brutal walls that will leave by their name
The artist is suggesting that certain barriers or obstacles can be overcome or removed by force or determination.
Just as our victims suicides, future is a posture
The singer is suggesting that we must be proactive and make conscious choices in order to shape our own futures.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
R Harris
I love when I think I couldn't enjoy an oM song any more and then it spirals into greatness. This track takes aureate gloom to aureate boom! I like the hysteria, it gives me the switch up panic attacks similar with: plastis wafer, you do mutilate?, Georgie's lament, wolf murder, ye renew the plaintiff!
Jordan
You said it. And the first three tracks of this album are a 1-2-3 punch knockout. I'm really loving this album and will definitely be buying it come March. This is my favorite album of theirs since Hissing Fauna.
holysab7
Rick Chapman i feel u rick
Herb Master
march 2015 this was the lastest n greatest in pop
is aq
goonies 2