Reviewed by:
Infamou$17, on july 14, 2007
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: Of Montreal is a fairly prolific band, with many albums under their belt, no Frank Zappa but there is still quite a bit to keep track of. You can think of this album as a "gateway album" used to progressively get more and more into of Montreal, as this is one of their more easily accessible albums. Not over-the-top like Hissing Fauna, more of a straightforward indie pop sound that has a few of their quirks. The production value isn't the best, but it's not intolerable. I think these guys have some of the catchiest sounds out there today. None of the tracks are terribly long, either, with only two of them in excess of 3 minutes and one over 5 minutes long. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Kevin Barnes is an excellent singer and lyricist, he usually writes lyrics about personal experiences (romance is a big topic) and he chooses his words very wisely. The song titles that they come up with, if they did not influence Panic! At the Disco in some way then I don't know what the hell did. "Man's Life Flashing Before His Eyes While He and His Wife Drive Off the Edge of a Cliff", I believe that is the longest title for any of their songs. // 10
Impression: Of Montreal are the dominant rulers of the indie pop world and have been for years, as The Gay Parade (1999) proves. Personally I really dig "My Favorite Boxer" and "The Autobiographical Grandpa", but everything on here is worth your time. I even love how the production value is not perfect, don't know why. If I lost it or it was stolen from me, I'd get it again. If it were lost and I found it, then I would have a copy for my car and a copy for whatever else. If you have wanted to listen to of Montreal for a while, start with this and Satanic Panic In The Attic. You will not regret it unless you are one of those UG classic rock/emo/metal purists who refuse to try something new. // 10
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