Discussing the Story of the Eye..

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Grade: A-
Oh my Of Montreal, how you have grown. I mean it hasn't even been that long, but look at you now, really filling in those boots. Those boots of course are the mass potential distributed by this band on most every outing (or record) they've made, but have never followed through with. The thing about Of Montreal is that they've always made half and amazing and breathless album, but never find it in them to add up to a full one. Hissing Fauna is the first time they do this, and in the process not only make a great Of Montreal album, but just a great album. This isn't even the same Of Montreal that I've come to love over the last 5 years of my life through yearly released album and slew of live shows, this is something different. Kevin let's the listener into his world, his thoughts, and especially his fears, for once without any guards during the process. From the religious confusion of Gronlandic Edit, to his mental break in The Past is a Grotesque Animal, to the critique of modern society in Suffer for Fashion, to his struggle with drugs in Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse, to his tension with girls on every other track, this is Barnes first non cryptic lyrical delivery. He means what he says, and owns what he means, and the exercise of full disclosure only leaves us to benefit from the best Of Montreal release in an already impressive and vast catalog. I'll be bold enough to state that, because this is really that great, and not just lyrically, musically as well. Just as the first half of Satanic Panic did, this entire album bleeds into itself, showing no seems between the songs yet still managing to explore a multitude of very different sonic ideas. It's amazing how addictive this disc is, and how much Of Montreal has not just become something much more than the instant party fun band they once were.