Of Montreal have announced a handful of British dates to promote their recent `Skeletal Lamping` album.
The band who actually come from Athens, Georgia will begin by supporting Scottish heroes Franz Ferdinand at London`s Heaven before dates in Brighton, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin and Manchester.
Those tour dates are:
January 2009
20 - London Heaven
24 - Brighton Digital
26 - Glasgow Oran Mor
27 - Belfast Kitten Tree
28 - Dublin Button Factory
29 - Manchester Club Academy
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Of Montreal return with their ninth album on 3rd November. The quaintly-titled `Skeletal Lamping` is released through the Polyvinyl label and is preceded by new single `Id Engager` one week earlier on 27th October.
The lamping in question has nothing to do with fisticuffs, rather a technique used by hunters to discover nocturnal animals by dark, so that they can shoot them. The bastards. It is being used, naturally, in a metaphorical sense by the band who, over fifteen tracks, `shine a light on the deepest, darkest corners of their psyche`.
The band play one UK date in preparation for the album`s release at London`s Koko on October 16th.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Of Montreal are one of several bands at the moment who are doing their best to not be labelled as making any one kind of music. Their sound can range from simple drum machines and sythns to almost thrash-worthy heavy guitars and real drums. `Skeletal Lamping` continues in this vein and even takes the band closer to perfecting its signature sound. That being mixing musical experimentation with the basic tenets of pop i.e. catchy melodies and sing-along choruses.
`Skeletal Lamping` is a much brighter and happier album than previous outing `Hissing Fauna, Are you The Destroyer`. Tracks like `Nonpareil of Favor` run the gambit of sounds from a child`s piano to electronic distortion and high pitch melodic coos. `Wicked Wisdom` sound like a hip Scissor Sisters, while `For Our Elegant Caste` sounds like a cross between ELO and The Postal Service. Lead singer Kevin Barnes has a wide vocal range going from Freddy Mercury to Elliot Smith in a moment`s notice. `Touched Something`s Hollow` starts out slow and then delves into an almost Carter USM pop sound. `Plastis Wafer` is my favourite on the album ranging from quiet melodies to wild, almost African tribal drums and back again in a seven minute wild ride. `Death Is Not A Parallel Move` is a very Beatles sound track and has a very simple guitar, bass and vocal harmony. Another one of my favorite songs on the album, `Beware Our Nubile Miscreants` has the wonderful line `he`s the sort of guy that will leave you in a k-hole to go play Halo in the other room`. Ah, good times!
It`s nice to see the band in a happy mode but I hope that they can combine the last album`s more sombre tones with this album`s cheerful side to produce a well-rounded album in the future. `Skeletal Lamping` remains a fun album with serious but often silly lyrics and highly enjoyable music.
Phil Russell (View Original Article)
Something’s a bit a miss here. I am currently listening to a wonderful sunny, trumpet led, psychedelic indie pop song from Athens Georgia natives `Of Montreal` whilst looking out onto a garden that`s covered by about four inches of snow!!
I`m not sure what the record company was thinking by releasing what could become a classic summer anthem in the middle of the UK winter but maybe they should consider doing a re-release sometime around August when this little gem would probably be better appreciated.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
