I like my tunes to be free of pretension, so when I heard of an album called, Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?” I said thanks but no thanks. When I was forwarded the first single, “Heimdal’s Gate Like a Promothean Curse,” I said thanks but no thanks. I even listened to it and found it completely inaccessible. That was in January. Then the hype started and I even ran a post on the band responsible, saying that I didn’t care for their original material but their covers were interesting. A commenter pointed out that half of the live tunes I had posted were actually originals, but still I said, thanks but no thanks. Plus, I’d heard their prior album and wasn’t moved by it.

Sometimes, I can be so damn stubborn.

With a dry emusic queue one week, I finally snatched up “Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?”. As soon as I put on “Suffer for Fashion,” I was hooked. I don’t know that I have anything new to say about Of Montreal, but I figured they deserved an eat-my-words post. This is a strong album, with enough hooks to be accessible but not so many that it qualifies as pop. It’s more art pop. I can’t say I’m moved by this one any more than their prior album, but I sure enjoyed this one a lot more. I know, people will say it’s more mainstream, sellout, blah blah blah, but there’s no accounting for taste and this album just hits me better. Plus, unlike a lot of albums that I liked at first but don’t find myself returning to that often, I’ve lived with “HF,AYTD” for months now and I like it more each time I hear it. At the same time, I find its intentional obscurity a little hard to take in large doses. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to it straight through more than once. I tend to listen to about half the tracks and then I need to clear my brain out with something less complicated, like spatial geometry. Or maybe a cover?

Heimdal’s Gate Like a Promothean Curse-Of Montreal (from Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer)

Tropical Iceland (The Fiery Furnaces Cover)-Of Montreal (live)

More Than a Feeling (Boston)-Of Montreal (live)

Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey)-Of Montreal (live) Seems like everyone is covering this tune these days, but this one was done before the Sopranos finale.

Rasberry Beret (Prince)-Of Montreal (live)

Moonage Daydream-David Bowie-Of Montreal (live)

I Need You Tonight (INXS)-Of Montreal (live)

The Live Music Blog has a few live cuts (follow link)

Daytrotter Session has a few more(follow link)

Of Montreal-The Stills

Of Montreal Tour Dates:

Sep 28 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle * AA
Oct 02 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theater ^^^ AA
Oct 03 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club ^^^ 18+
Oct 04 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater ^^^ AA
Oct 05 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (EARLY SHOW) ^^^ AA
Oct 06 – Chicago, IL – Metro ^^^ AA
Oct 07 – Chicago, IL – Metro ^^^ AA
Oct 08 – Oberlin, OH – Hale’s Gym @ Oberlin College ^^^ AA
Oct 09 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre ^^^ AA
Oct 10 – Buffalo, NY – The Tralf ^^^ AA
Oct 11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero ^^^ AA
Oct 12 – Boston, MA – The Roxy ^^^ AA
Oct 13 – New York, NY – Roseland ^^^ AA
Oct 14 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live ^^^ AA
Oct 31 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club ^^^ 18+
Nov 01 – New Orleans, LA – House Of Blues ^^^ 18+
Nov 02 – Houston, TX – Numbers (EARLY SHOW) ^^^ AA
Nov 03 – Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest ^^^ AA
Nov 04 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater ^^^ AA
Nov 05 – El Paso, TX – Club 101 ^^^ AA
Nov 06 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee ^^^ AA
Nov 07 – Tucson, AZ – The Rialto ^^^ AA
Nov 08 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon ^^^ AA
Nov 09 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon ^^^ AA
Nov 10 – La Jolla, CA – Mandeville Auditorium @ UC-San Diego ^^^ AA
Nov 11 – Pomona, CA – The Glasshouse ^^^ AA
Nov 12 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall ^^^ AA
Nov 13 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall ^^^ AA
Nov 14 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall ^^^ AA
Nov 16 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue ^^^ AA
Nov 17 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theater ^^^ 16+
Nov 18 – Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall ^^^ AA
Nov 19 – St Louis, MO – The Pageant ^^^ AA
AA=All Ages
* w/ Psychic Hearts
^^^ w/ Grand Buffet & MGMT