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Of Montreal
Of Montreal performing in Athens, Georgia, on March 24, 2005
Background information
Origin	Athens, Georgia, USA
Genre(s)	Indie pop, psychedelic pop, indie rock, electronic, experimental
Years active	1997–present
Label(s)	Polyvinyl, Kindercore, Bar/None
Website	www.ofmontreal.net
Members
Kevin Barnes Bryan Poole Dottie Alexander Jamey Huggins Davey Pierce
Former members
Andy Gonzalez Derek Almstead Nina Barnes Jason NeSmith Matt Dawson

Of Montreal (officially capitalized "of Montreal"^[1]) is an American indie pop band formed in Athens, Georgia, fronted by Kevin Barnes. It was among the second wave of groups to emerge from The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 414 pixel Image in higher resolution (805 × 417 pixel, file size: 58 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Rivers Langley, http://www. ... Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, at the eastern terminus of Georgia 316. ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, at the eastern terminus of Georgia 316. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... Psychedelic pop is a musical style inspired by the harder, louder songs of Psychedelic rock but applied more to a pop music setting. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... Experimental rock or Avant rock is a type of art music based on rock and roll which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, and/or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Polyvinyl is a record label based out of Champaign, Illinois. ... Kindercore Records was an independent record label based in Athens, Georgia, which was founded in 1996 by Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller to document the emerging music scene in Athens, Georgia. ... Bar/None Records is a independent record label based out of Hoboken, New Jersey. ... The Late B.P. Helium is the solo recording project and, at times, stage name of Elephant Six musician Bryan Poole, who also goes by Bryan Helium. ... Derek Griffin Almstead is an American musician/engineer closely tied to the Elephant 6 Collective. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, at the eastern terminus of Georgia 316. ... The Elephant 6 Recording Company (or simply Elephant 6) is a collective of American musicians who spawned some of the most notable independent bands of the 1990s, including The Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo and of Montreal. ...

History

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 the 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 Ate the Rabbit's Flower and The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy. Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ... Derek Griffin Almstead is an American musician/engineer closely tied to the Elephant 6 Collective. ... For transport in plants, see Vascular tissue. ... M Coast is an indie rock band associated with the Elephant Six Collective. ... Elf Power is a psychedelic indie rock band. ... The Late B.P. Helium is the solo recording project and, at times, stage name of Elephant Six musician Bryan Poole, who also goes by Bryan Helium. ...

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. Elf Power is a psychedelic indie rock band. ... Marshmallow Coast is an indie rock band currently featuring members of Of Montreal. ...

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. The album cover for Of Montreals Satanic Panic in the Attic, artwork by David Barnes. ...

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 Six spectrum. Kindercore Records was an independent record label based in Athens, Georgia, which was founded in 1996 by Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller to document the emerging music scene in Athens, Georgia. ...

Of Montreal front figure Kevin Barnes playing in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2005

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. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 4821 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Of Montreal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 4821 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Of Montreal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... For other uses, see Gothenburg (disambiguation). ... This article is about the audio format. ...

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 album marked a shift to an electronic bass, with drum machines and synthesizers featured in singles such as "Disconnect the Dots". The tour for that album also saw The Late B.P. Helium (Bryan Poole) rejoin the band, with some bass played by Kevin's partner Nina. Polyvinyl is a record label based out of Champaign, Illinois. ... A Boss DR-202 Drum Machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums and/or other percussion instruments. ... The term synthesiser is also used to mean frequency synthesiser, an electronic system found in communications. ...

This 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 Sunlandic Twins is the seventh album by indie rock band Of Montreal. ... This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ...

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. Barnes also released a companion CD to Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? called Icons, Abstract Thee.^[2] In 2007, Kevin Barnes performed five songs nude during a performance in Las Vegas.^[3] Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is the latest album from indie pop band of Montreal. ... Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, at the eastern terminus of Georgia 316. ... Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is the latest album from indie pop band of Montreal. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Of Montreal's next album, Skeletal Lamping, is scheduled to be released in October 2008. For the tour in support of Skeletal Lamping, the band has enlisted the services of Ahmed Gallab of Emergency Ubrella's Sinkane.

On June 16, 2008, music column "Playlist" named Of Montreal one of the "Five Best Live Acts," writing that "the live listening experience is a circus act of colorful costumes and stages bedecked with animation and Yellow Submarine-like decor."^[4] is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Style

Of Montreal performing live at Baltimore in 2007

The group has a style that is typical of many Elephant 6 bands due to its interest in combining musical experimentation and the basic tenets of pop, such as catchy melodies and sing-along choruses. The band's style has been influenced by not only more conventional indie pop and psychedelic music, but also by vaudeville and music hall on their earlier releases and by afrobeat, funk, krautrock and reggae in their more recent releases. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3264 × 2448 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3264 × 2448 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Elephant 6 Recording Company (or simply Elephant 6) is a collective of American musicians who spawned some of the most notable independent bands of the 1990s, including The Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo and of Montreal. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Look up Melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary In music, a melody is a series of linear events or a succession, not a simultaneity as in a chord. ... A refrain (from the Old French refraindre to repeat, likely from Vulgar Latin refringere) is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the chorus of a song. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... Psychedelia in music (or also psychedelic music, less formally) is a term that refers to a broad set of popular music styles, genres and scenes, that may include psychedelic rock, psychedelic folk, psychedelic pop, psychedelic soul, psychedelic ambient, psychedelic trance, psychedelic techno, and others. ... This article is about the musical variety theatre. ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... Afrobeat is a combination of Yoruba music, jazz, Highlife, and funk rhythms, fused with African percussion and vocal styles, popularized in Africa in the 1970s. ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ... Krautrock, also known as Kosmische Musik, is a generic name for the experimental music scene that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s. ... Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ...

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. Later the band moved to a fuller sound, as seen on the concept albums The Gay Parade, and its follow-up, Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse. These 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. Lo-fi — from Low Fidelity — describes a sound recording which contains accidental artifacts, like distortion, or environmental noise, or a recording which has a limited frequency response. ... This article is about the genre of music. ... Radio drama (audio drama), which had its greatest popularity in the United States and in most other countries before the spread of television, depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the story in her or his minds eye. In the television era, some audio...

2004's Satanic Panic in the Attic marked the result of an evolving change in style. The sound shifted 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.

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 band's most recent album, Hissing Fauna: Are You the Destroyer?, the lyrics are much more personal than previously used, with songs detailing emotions within the speaker. A narrative is a construct created in a suitable medium (speech, writing, images) that describes a sequence of fictional or non-fictional events. ...

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. A hook is a musical idea, a passage or phrase, that is believed to be appealing and make the song stand out; it is meant to catch the ear of the listener (Covach 2005, p. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Loneliness is an emotional state in which a person experiences a powerful feeling of emptiness and isolation. ... For other uses, see Death (disambiguation). ... For the song by Die Ärzte, see Yoko Ono (song). ...

Side projects

True to the style of most Elephant Six 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.
• Kevin Barnes did a comedy tour with his wife, Nina, and his brother, David, called "A Pollinaire Rave".
• Jamey Huggins released an album under the name "James Husband" which featured a cover of The Beatles' "We Can Work it Out".
• Bryan Poole has a solo career as the Late B.P. Helium.
• Kevin Barnes has recently been collaborating with Andrew VanWyngarden from MGMT, on a project called Blikk Fang (formerly Ocelot Fang).[1]
• Derek Almstead has worked with many artists as a musician and engineer including his collaboration with Andy Gonzales M Coast, Elf Power, Circulatory System, and many more.
• Kevin Barnes played keyboard in a song on Bright Eyes' album Letting Off the Happiness.

The song "Wraith Pinned to the Mist (And Other Games)" can be heard on radio and television commercials with words changed for an advertisement for Outback Steakhouse. Similarly, their song "Every Day Feels Like Sunday" was used in television commercials for NASDAQ and Garmin GPS systems. Marshmallow Coast is an indie rock band currently featuring members of Of Montreal. ... Kindercore Records was an independent record label based in Athens, Georgia, which was founded in 1996 by Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller to document the emerging music scene in Athens, Georgia. ... A Pollinaire Rave is a comedy tour by Of Montreal lead singer Kevin Barnes, his brother David Barnes, and his wife, Nina. ... The Late B.P. Helium is the solo recording project and, at times, stage name of Elephant Six musician Bryan Poole, who also goes by Bryan Helium. ... MGMT (formerly known as The Management) are an American musical group based in Brooklyn, New York consisting of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. ... M Coast is an indie rock band associated with the Elephant Six Collective. ... Elf Power is a psychedelic indie rock band. ... For transport in plants, see Vascular tissue. ... Bright Eyes is a band consisting of singer-songwriter/guitarist Conor Oberst, multi-instrumentalist/producer Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott, and a rotating lineup of collaborators drawn primarily from Omahas indie music scene. ... Letting Off the Happiness is the second album released by Nebraskan musicians Bright Eyes. ... Outback Steakhouse is a casual dining American restaurant chain based in Tampa, Texas with over 900 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. ... NASDAQ in Times Square, New York City. ...

Discography

Studio albums

• 1997 Cherry Peel (Bar/None)
• 1998 The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy (Kindercore)
• 1999 The Gay Parade (Bar/None)
• 2001 Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse (Kindercore)
• 2002 Aldhils Arboretum (Kindercore)
• 2004 Satanic Panic in the Attic (Polyvinyl)
• 2005 The Sunlandic Twins (Polyvinyl)
• 2007 Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl, #72 US)
• 2008 Skeletal Lamping (Polyvinyl)

Cherry Peel is the 1st album released by the band Of Montreal. ... Bar/None Records is a independent record label based out of Hoboken, New Jersey. ... The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy is the 3rd album released by the band Of Montreal. ... Kindercore Records was an independent record label based in Athens, Georgia, which was founded in 1996 by Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller to document the emerging music scene in Athens, Georgia. ... The Gay Parade is the third album released by the band of Montreal. ... Bar/None Records is a independent record label based out of Hoboken, New Jersey. ... Aldhils Arboretum is the tenth full-length release by indie rock band Of Montreal. ... Satanic Panic in the Attic is the seventh album released by the band Of Montreal. ... Polyvinyl Record Co. ... The Sunlandic Twins is the seventh album by indie rock band Of Montreal. ... Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is the latest album from indie pop band of Montreal. ... Skeletal Lamping is the tentative title of the ninth studio album by Athens-based band Of Montreal. ...

Compilations

• 2000 Horse & Elephant Eatery (No Elephants Allowed): The Singles and Songles Album (CD/LP, Bar/None)
• 2001 The Early Four Track Recordings (CD/LP, Kindercore)
• 2001 An Introduction to Of Montreal (LP, Earworm)
• 2003 If He Is Protecting Our Nation, Then Who Will Protect Big Oil, Our Children? (CD, Track & Field)
• 2003 Ghetto Kitty Island Records Compilation (7", Split with Chicken on a Raft, Bart Davenport, and The Minders, Ghetto Kitty Island Records)
• 2004 The Gladiator Nightstick Collection (LP, Devil in the Woods)
• 2006 Satanic Twins (limited edition LP/digital release, Polyvinyl)
• 2006 Of Montreal Sampler (free promo CD, Polyvinyl)

Horse & Elephant Eatery (No Elephants Allowed): The Singles and Songles Album is the 5th album released by the band Of Montreal. ... The Early Four Track Recordings is a compilation album by indie rock band Of Montreal. ... An Introduction to Of Montreal is a special-edition vinyl record album by indie rock band Of Montreal. ... If He is Protecting Our Nation, Then Who Will Protect Big Oil, Our Children? is an EP by indie rock band of Montreal. ... The Minders are one of the more popular Elephant Six bands. ... The Gladiator Nightstick Collection is a vinyl-only greatest hits collection from the Athens-based group Of Montreal. ... Satanic Twins is a remix album by the band of Montreal. ...

EPs

• 1997 The Bird Who Ate the Rabbit's Flower (CD/LP, Kindercore)
• 1998 The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower (CD/LP, Kindercore)
• 2006 Deflated Chime, Foals Slightly Flower Sibylline Responses (CD, Polyvinyl)
• 2007 Icons, Abstract Thee (CD, Polyvinyl)
• 2007 Sony Connect Set (digital, Sony Connect/Polyvinyl)

The Bird Who Ate the Rabbits Flower is an EP by indie rock band of Montreal. ... The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbits Flower is the 2nd album released by the band Of Montreal, released on Kindercore Records in 1998. ... Deflated Chime, Foals Slightly Flower Sibylline Responses is a limited edition tour only EP by Elephant Six indie rock band Of Montreal. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Singles

• 1998 "Nicki Lighthouse" (7", 100 Guitar Mania)
• 1999 "Happy Happy Birthday To Me Singles Club: November" (7", Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records)
• 2000 "Archibald of the Balding Sparrows" (7", Kindercore, Split with Marshmallow Coast))
• 2001 "Kindercore Singles Club: September" (7", Kindercore, Split with Ladybug Transistor))
• 2001 "Split With the Late B.P. Helium" (7", Jonathan Whiskey)
• 2003 "Jennifer Louise" (7", Track & Field)
• 2004 "I was a Landscape in Your Dream" (7", Harvest Time Recordings)
• 2006 "Microuniversity" (7", Park the Van)
• 2006 "Voltaic Crusher"/"Undrum to Muted Da" (7", Suicide Squeeze)
• 2006 "She's a Rejecter" (7", Polyvinyl)
• 2007 "Suffer For Fashion" (CD, Polyvinyl)
• 2007 "Gender Mutiny Tour" (7", Polyvinyl)

Label logo Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records is an American independent record label based in Athens, Georgia, whose catalogue is rather heavily weighted towards twee indie pop music, with several of its bands being related to or influenced by the bands in the Elephant 6 Collective. ... Marshmallow Coast is an indie rock band currently featuring members of Of Montreal. ... The Ladybug Transistor is a Brooklyn-based indie pop group associated with the Elephant Six Collective]]. Started in 1995 by Gary Olson, Edward Powers and Javier Villegas, the band quickly released Marlborough Farms on Sit N Spin records, adding and subtracting a couple members and going on an international tour. ... Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, WA-based independent music label that presses a significant number of 7 vinyl singles in addition to the more prevalent compact discs. ...

Soundtracks

• 2005 Music from the OC: Mix 5 (Warner Bros./Wea)
• 2006 Weeds: Music from the Original Series, Volume 2
• 2008 Cloverfield

External links

• Of Montreal's official site
• Of Montreal on Elephant6.com
• Of Montreal on National Public Radio

Interviews

• Lazy-i Interview from April 2004
• Interview with the Cornell Daily Sun
• Interview with Synthesis magazine

Cover of Synthesis National issue 8. ...

References