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.
Old Familiar Way
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or the moonlight on the sea
Have ever looked so blue
And everything looks new again
In that old familiar way
The view from my room
Of the ships on the bay
But they suddenly seem new again
In that old familiar way
The delicate ballet of blossoms falling off a tree
Had long gone unnoticed by me
I'm stunned by what now I finally see
It's amazing the wonders you can find
Just by stepping outside
There's a skip in my step a divine state of joy
In everything I do
Cause I am feeling new again
In that old familiar way
When I'm awoken from my dreams
By a cuckoo on the roof
I always join in too
And every sound sounds new again
In that old familiar way
The life I used to know
When I was busy always on the go
Left me with nothing to show
Now I feel that I can honestly say
I'm living a suitable life
I'm glad I finally got it right
Welcome to the Gay Parade
In Old Familiar Way, Kevin Barnes of the band Of Montreal sings about finding beauty in the mundane and appreciating the world around us. The opening lines describe how even the most common natural sights, such as the flowers on the hill or the moonlight on the sea, can suddenly take on a new, vivid appearance. The song uses this idea to reflect on the importance of staying present in one's surroundings and experiencing life with a sense of wonder.
The song then transitions to the view from Barnes' room, which had previously become a source of monotony. However, in that same old familiar way, the ships on the bay appear new and inspiring. Barnes then describes a delicate ballet of blossoms falling from a tree and realizes that there is so much beauty around him that he had previously ignored.
The song concludes by reflecting on the transformative power of being present in one's surroundings. Barnes's newfound appreciation for life seems to have brought him joy and a sense of fulfillment. By recognizing the beauty of the natural world around him, he has created a "suitable life" for himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Neither the flowers on the hill
The beauty of nature around me has never seemed bluer
Or the moonlight on the sea
Even the shimmering light of the moon on the water is not as lovely as it is now
Have ever looked so blue
The colors around me are strikingly vibrant
And everything looks new again
My perspective on everything has changed and everything seems fresh and exciting
In that old familiar way
I feel the same sense of comfort and familiarity that I experienced before
The view from my room
From my window, I can see the bay with its ships
Of the ships on the bay
I have grown bored with the sight of these vessels
Had come to bore me through and through
This once-interesting view is now dull to me
But they suddenly seem new again
My changed mindset has revitalized my enjoyment of this view
In that old familiar way
Despite this revitalization, the scene feels just as comfortable and familiar to me as it did before
The delicate ballet of blossoms falling off a tree
I've begun to appreciate the small details of nature around me, such as petals slowly falling from a tree
Had long gone unnoticed by me
I've been too busy in my life to take notice of the beauty that surrounds me
I'm stunned by what now I finally see
Now that I'm taking a moment to observe, I'm amazed by the beauty around me
It's amazing the wonders you can find
I'm realizing that there is so much beauty and wonder around us, we just need to take the time to notice it
Just by stepping outside
Simply by leaving my house and taking a moment to appreciate my surroundings, I've discovered new wonders
There's a skip in my step a divine state of joy
I'm ecstatic and feel like I'm walking on air
In everything I do
This renewed joy is present in all facets of my life
Cause I am feeling new again
This newfound appreciation for life has left me feeling revitalized
When I'm awoken from my dreams
I'm often roused from sleep by the sound of a cuckoo on my roof
By a cuckoo on the roof
The sound of this bird has become familiar to me and is comforting in its regularity
I always join in too
I often mimic the sound of the cuckoo, feeling a sense of camaraderie with it
And every sound sounds new again
My heightened senses allow me to appreciate even the most familiar everyday sounds in a new way
In that old familiar way
Despite this heightened appreciation, I still feel the same comforting familiarity that I've always felt
The life I used to know
My old life, in which I was constantly rushing about and not taking the time to appreciate my surroundings, is behind me now
When I was busy always on the go
I was always on the move and didn't take a moment to appreciate the beauty around me
Left me with nothing to show
This fast-paced lifestyle left me feeling unfulfilled, as I had not taken the time to appreciate the world around me
Now I feel that I can honestly say
But now, having changed my perspective, I feel like I'm on the right path
I'm living a suitable life
I am living a life that is fulfilling and satisfactory, and I've found joy in the moments around me
I'm glad I finally got it right
I'm happy that I took the time to appreciate the small moments in life, and I feel like I've finally found my way
Welcome to the Gay Parade
This song is a part of Of Montreal's album named 'The Gay Parade'
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind