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.
Requiem for O.M.M.
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I gave my heart completely -- Vaseline all over the lenses.
Memories don't go away; I remember every day.
I never ever stop wondering, wondering if you still think of us.
I don't need a photograph 'cause you've never left my mind.
No, you've never left my mind.
And you watched as I was sinking, waving sadly from the pier.
Memories don't go away; I remember every day.
I never ever stop wondering, wondering if you still think of us.
I don't need a photograph 'cause you've never left my mind.
No, you've never left my mind.
It's such a burden to carry 'round the vestiges of dead dreams,
And I don't want to make a wake out of my life.
I just had to let you go...
The lyrics of "Requiem for O.M.M.2" by of Montreal describe an experience of unrequited love and the lingering pain of memories. The singer reflects on a past relationship that began when they were both young and innocent. They gave their heart entirely and saw their world through rose-tinted glasses, as represented by the metaphor of "Vaseline all over the lenses." However, the relationship ended, and the singer was left with painful memories. They cannot forget the person who broke their heart and wonder if the other person still thinks of them.
The second verse portrays the singer's feelings of helplessness and despair as their world crumbled around them. The metaphor of a ship without a sober captain illustrates the singer's sense of powerlessness and the other person's passive role in watching the relationship sink. Yet, despite the pain, the singer cannot let go of the memories and the other person. They bear the weight of what could have been, and the dead dreams of their past.
Overall, "Requiem for O.M.M.2" is a heartfelt and poignant reflection on the enduring pain of past loves.
Line by Line Meaning
When I met you, I was just a kid -- hadn't built up my defenses.
I was vulnerable when I met you and hadn't learned how to protect myself yet.
So I gave my heart completely -- Vaseline all over the lenses.
I was fully invested in you, but my perspective on our relationship may have been clouded by my intense feelings.
Memories don't go away; I remember every day.
I still think about you all the time and can't forget the memories we shared.
I never ever stop wondering, wondering if you still think of us.
I can't help but wonder if you still think about our relationship and if it meant as much to you as it did to me.
I don't need a photograph 'cause you've never left my mind.
I don't need a physical reminder of you because you are always on my mind.
I remember feeling like a ship whose captain was too drunk to steer.
I felt lost and unsure about our relationship, just like a ship without a sober captain to guide it.
And you watched as I was sinking, waving sadly from the pier.
You stood by and watched as our relationship began to fall apart, feeling sad but unable to do anything to save it.
It's such a burden to carry 'round the vestiges of dead dreams,
It's difficult to carry the memories and reminders of a relationship that is no longer alive and thriving.
And I don't want to make a wake out of my life.
I don't want to dwell on these memories and let them consume my life and future happiness.
I just had to let you go...
Despite these memories and feelings, I knew I had to move on from our relationship and let you go for my own wellbeing.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PolyvinylRecords
We’re celebrating 15 years of The Sunlandic Twins with a brand new Red and Orange Swirl vinyl edition complete with a re-designed gatefold jacket interior and 5 additional bonus tracks on side D to round out this superlative 23-song 2xLP. Order your copy today from the Polyvinyl Store (ships February 3) and bundle with a new t-shirt collaboration from David Barnes & JLP: https://polyvinyl.ffm.to/the-sunlandic-twins-15
@rodneyedward1064
a tip : you can watch series on Flixzone. Been using it for watching all kinds of movies these days.
@jaykhari2092
@Rodney Edward Yea, have been watching on flixzone for years myself :)
@imranshengineer
these comments r 10 yrs + old so imagine where they r now they probably have kids , imagine if one day they come back to this song and find it the amount of nostalgia they will get is unbelievable ... this is my new life goal now
@ramenfam2108
hell yeah! this band is timeless :)
@HobbyDad251
Still a fantastic song. I sing it for my kids. Keep on rocking Of Montreal.
@y0mamma0413
they're the best thing since queen! those harmonies, synthesizers, and all the other stuff that just brings a tear to your eye!
@izzie481
i hope i dont forget about this song
@themoonrivergalaxy
izzie don’t forget! It’s a beautiful track!
@tlacuacheloko5512
Do you still remember?