Well it’s official, Kevin Barnes has lost his goddamned mind. There is something constant about the one man show and that is that his albums have absolutely nothing to do with his previous release. The one man show that is Of Montreal is ever-evolving and changing its sound with the constant being schizophrenic arrangements and the razor wit of Barnes. Paralytic Stalks is absolutely bonkers as far as sonic stimulation goes and a wonderful showcase of the vocal and lyrical talents of Barnes.
What makes Paralytic Stalks such an amazing album is not only that it is unlike anything you’ve ever heard, but it’s written from a personal perspective. Each song’s energy supplies the next allowing the album to flow brilliantly. The lyrics contained within each song are absolutely cutting and narrate a brazen ‘fuck you’ to commercialism (which also helped fuel Of Montreal’s sound and boost their popularity. It’s almost as if Barnes is trying to create music that is so strange that the mainstream could never embrace its sound.
The insane nature of this album will immediately be sunk into the listener with the laser type and other ‘what the fuck was that’ effects present in the opening track titled “Gelid Ascent”. This attack on your conceptions of conventional music leads directly into “Spiteful Intervention” and “Dour Percentage” which are more congruent to the past sound of the band and laced with plenty of bitter and wildly entertaining lyrics. In fact, the whole beginning-middle of the album sounds directly out of the Controller Sphere album but a little bit more introspective and utterly insane.
It’s clear to see that Barnes is extremely engaged in this album which possesses all of the elements that we have come to love in Of Montreal. His experimental form of musicianship, his pop presentation in vocals, and his lyrics laced with plenty of five dollar words with an occasional moment where the lay person can understand what he is saying. There exists a dichotomy within Paralytic stalks that represents the darkest innermost thoughts of Barnes as well as his greatest joys. “Malefic Dowery” is an extremely upbeat track that go crazy far from the dark to the light. He could be saying the sunniest or most horrible things imaginable and you would be happy to hear both.
Near the end of the album, the true epic journey beings. Each song is splashed with a variety of genres and well-enginnered instrument patterns. Many will view this experience as a confusing listening endeavor while others will find it to be the height of experimental avant garde music. The latter is my consensus being that I am a fan of music that goes in a ton of different directions. There may be parts that listeners may find abrasive, but each song always comes back to beauty and the chaos contained within the track only enhances the full spectrum of sound.
“Wintered Debts” may be the best example of what Paralytic Stalks aims to achieve. An emotional introduction leads to a hooky pop melodies driven by bouncing, diverse instrumentals. The song then progresses into a haunting horror soundtrack before all but stopping before concluding with peaceful melodies driven by a piano. “Exorismic Breeding Knife” begins with the horrific movie soundtrack element with cryptically spoken words and creepy background noises-an element that I have only heard in the music of the pAper chAse. Creepy.
“Authentic Pyrrhic Remission” wraps up this insane yet brilliantly conceived album by beginning in classic infectious Of Montreal fashion before hitting the creepy electronic nightmare button. The whole thing is wrapped up by a melody driven by a piano and soothing lyrics are are calming; genuine; perfect.
Paralytic Stalks is not the album who fans of the older Of Montreal albums will immediately embrace, but fans who trust and believe in Barnes’ work will see this as a pure and well thought out album. It’s no surprise that the band has become so experimental that it will turn off a variety of listeners, but it’s also important to remember that Of Montreal has always been about pushing the envelope and not apologizing. Given the complex nature and its originality, it is my view that Of Montreal need not apologize for shit.
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As a huge of Montreal fan (even since Hissing Fuana – I have about 6, 7 of their albums) – I couldn’t agree more… It took me a while to get used to the album once I received it in the mail (was lucky to pre-order it), but once I did – I loved it. I had the chance to see them last night in concert but wasn’t able to… There is always next time…
This album left me content, and a bit weirded-out… Least to say, I want MORE! Barnes, you always know how to leave me wanting more.
Thanks for the comment. Of Montreal has definitely always been a little strange but they really outdid themselves this time. Seeing them in concert is quite the experience, they really put a lot of emphasis on their stage presentation.
This album was unique as it still has elements of indie pop but is completely off the wall. Still, this is probably their best release since Hissing Fauna.