Skeletal Lamping

Of Montreal recently came out with a new CD called Skeletal Lamping. If you heard Hissing Fauna, Are you The Destroyer? then I think you will know exactly what to expect with this album. If you've never heard Of Montreal before, get ready for an album that you will either love to death or hate with a passion (screaming to yourself what the f!@# is he singing about!?).

Just to be perfectly clear, he's singing about being a 40 year old black man who was a woman who was a man, and who also used to be in an Ohio Players-like band in the seventies called Arousal. That's right, understanding the lyrics to this album is not simple for us single-gender folks, but they sure are fun. I don't really know what he is trying to get across, because I'm not really a lyrics person anyway, but they took some of my favourite songs from Hissing Fauna and extended the concepts into a whole album.

Expect lots of very effeminate male singing, lots of 'deep' sounding electronic beats, glitzy keyboard, extremely catchy but not pop-structured songs. Despite all the electronics, the album keeps an organic feel to it, not sounding too slick. They use repetition to great effect and the lyrics are very strange and fun. That being said, some people will probably just find it too weird to enjoy; they throw some random screams in the songs for musical effect, the band mates occasionally ask questions of the singer (which he answers), and they have song names like 'Triphallus to Punctuate!.'

So far I have really been enjoying this album. Do yourself a favour and at least give it a listen. If you don't like it, I would still encourage you to go to one of the band's live shows; they are by far the most interesting band I have seen live. I am not even sure I would like Hissing Fauna and Skeletal Lamping if I had not seen them live first. It's a psychedelic ride, with people in shiny suits dancing around and reading newspapers, and cannons that shoot glitter. The lead singer, along with the rest of the band, looks like a peacock trying to get your attention, all decked up in bright colours and metallic eye-liner. It's weird, but by god, is it ever entertaining.

First impression: 8/10