Of Montreal is a band that I did not care for until I heard their Sunlandic Twins album. Their previous albums seem to fall outside the range of my normal tastes and never reached a novelty or strength of sound to draw me towards them. This might have been a failure of appreciation on my part but I do consider Sunlandic Twins to be their best work so far (if you don’t mind youtube college weenies for the last one)… by far. Before this album I thought they were fun and interesting but not necessarily that great, but afterwards I realized they are really just that good. With Sunlandic they pulled off a piece de resistance that is not easily matched. However, with their new “Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer” they get as close as they can.

This album does not officially come out until January 23, 2007. However, it has been sufficiently leaked that every song is available online and can be found through the aggregating glory of The Hype Machine and Elbo.ws. So I feel compelled to review it.

While I think this is lesser than Sunlandic it is only barely so. Of Montreal has sidled into their “New Disco” psychadelia groove without looking back at all. However, they have the excellent ability of dodging the triteness of Disco while still emulating the style. While the lyrics can often seem bloated, too personal, and downright weird by themselves, they are given a rich musical background that breathes an air of respectability and downright “grooviness” into them. It would be also important to note that Kevin Barnes, the lead singer, moved with his wife and child from Athens, GA to Norway. The new cultural deluge is apparent as well as a tinge of depression and (of course) introversion. The 12 minute centerpiece of the album “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” is a clear homage and personal, emotional vent to his wife. The emotionally overloaded lyrics, however, don’t falter because they are strung together by unbelievably upbeat music that prompts dancing rather than quiet introversion.

Barnes and his crew have scored big with this album in that it holds its own after Sunlandic’s shining. Too many bands wither in their own radiance after a pinnacle album. The fact that Montreal is able to capture a slightly different vibe, maintain their aesthetic, and still pump out new melodies is a testament to their staying power. Seeing the band live might be the best way to get a really good idea of their verve and energy. I wish I could give a better depiction but it seems that crappy bitrate video from cameras is all you get on youtube. Anyway, go see them live.

Until then, remember that they are a band that loves free market capitalism: