The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

Skeletal Lamping a Jumbalaya of the Zany, Ironic and Fantastic

To say that Kevin Barnes, the loopy front man of indie-pop/psychedelic/funk/experimental/twee pop band of Montreal, is weird would be putting it mildly. Best known for wearing colorful war paint and having the musical attention span of a fruit fly, Barnes and his gaggle of merry, brightly-dressed band mates have possessed a contagious, up-tempo, childlike wonder on their previous eight albums. Their latest, Skeletal Lamping, is no exception- the album is a dense virtual grab-bag of genres and sounds. Not that it makes it any less delightful.

 

The album kicks off with the standout track “Nonpareil of Favor,” a danceable tune which soon diverges into a four-part experimental compilation of sounds. The track works as homage to both Barnes’ cluttered mind and in some ways, 70’s rock band Queen, famous for multipartite songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and eerie, hypnagogic harmonies, both of which of Montreal incorporates on the album. Barnes’ boyish voice hits the high notes impeccably and his unique voice adds a dreamlike quality, reminiscent of the vocals of certain tracks from the later Beatles albums, such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Later, the band mellows out a bit with “St. Exquisite’s Confessions,” which is best described as one part Motown, one part solid indie rock.

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Nothing competes though, with “Gallery Piece,” a disco-inspired tune with a steady groove that readily shows off Barnes’ nontraditional vocal talent.

“I want to be your love, I want to make you cry,” he croons. “And sweep you off your feet; I want to hurt your pride.”

It’s a little bit juvenile, yes. But half the fun of the group is the reassuring feeling that they aren’t taking themselves any more seriously than you are.

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