Here are the first 10 of my favorite albums of the decade. Check back for 15 to 11 tomorrow!

25. Destroyer – “Destroyer’s Rubies”

24. Against Me! – “Reinventing Axl Rose”

23. Of Montreal – “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?”

22. Aesop Rock – “Labor Days”

21. Explosions in the Sky – “Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever”

20. Iron and Wine – “Our Endless Numbered Days”

19. mewithoutYou – “Brother, Sister”

18. The Weakerthans – “Left and Leaving”

17. Modest Mouse – “The Moon and Antarctica”

16. The Arcade Fire – “Funeral”

Song of the moment: of montreal wraith pinned to the mist and other games

Let’s pretend we don’t exist.
Let’s pretend we’re in antarctica.
Let’s have bizarre celebrations.

I really wish I was in antarctica…

In the midst of thousands of deadlines pouring down on me, there’s nothing more I would love to do than crawl up besides a fireplace, sip hot chocolate, stare at the crazy storm brewing outside, and pretend to be somewhere else.

Being in school sucks major monkey butt this time of the year. While everyone is getting ready for end of the year celebrations and scheduling holiday parties, I’m stuck here in rainy boston preparing for my final exams, projects, papers, and applying to stupid grad school. just kidding I love you grad school. please love me back.

…

For all of you who are still in school struggling to meet deadlines,
you’re cordially invited to:

Sue’s Bizarre Celebrations

we’ll pretend we don’t exist. and we’ll pretend we’re in antarctica.
sounds like a party doesn’t it?

]]> http://tangledupinwires.com/2009/11/30/best-of-the-2000s-honorable-mentions/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:25:14 +0000 ulyssesworkman http://tangledupinwires.com/2009/11/30/best-of-the-2000s-honorable-mentions/

Picking best of lists for a decade is hard enough for one person, let alone two. While our year end lists (which will begin tomorrow) are pretty solid, each of us had at least one thing for each list that didn’t make the cut. So, we present to you, our honorable mentions:

Video Games
Michael: Wii Sports
When Nintendo announced the Wii, the gimmick of the motion sensor controls was revolutionary in gaming. While Nintendo has struggled to keep up with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, there was a time when Wii Sports, the free game that came with the system, was the most popular and addicting video game out there. Using custom avatars to play baseball, golf, bowling, tennis, and boxing, Wii Sports got players off the couch and into heated matches that could go on for hours. The games aren’t too challenging, but the competitive nature of them, combined with the novelty of having actual control over the movements of you characters was a winner, especially with families. Wii Sports has faded a bit as the novelty of the Wii has, but there still are few things less entertaining then holding your own Wiilympics.

Jonah: Katamari Damacy
With its absurdist concept and whacked-out gameplay, Katamari Damacy was an unlikely candidate to become a gaming phenomenon, but its success marked a new chapter in independent gaming, while its sense of humor provided a nice middle ground between dour shoot-em-ups and cartoony Mario games.

Books
Michael: Richard Russo – Empire Falls
Stuck at a dead end in a small town is not a new theme, yet in Empire Falls, Richard Russo makes it his own in a compelling story of a man forced to face his past, present and future through the power of one woman who’s controlled it all. The book centers around Miles Roby, a restaurant owner in a town depressed by the loss of a textile plant, who has a smart and precocious teenage daughter, an eccentric father, a soon to be remarried ex-wife, a millionaire widow, Mrs. Whiting, that controls his life and the town, and dozens of other townspeople. But Russo doesn’t stop there, delving into Miles’ relationship with his dead mother, her relationship with Mr. Whiting, and even high school bullying. In the end, Empire Falls is a profound exploration of life in a small, closed community, and how we handle the disappointment of ourselves and others.

Jonah: Michael Pollan – The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Fast Food Nation has all the flash and muckracking, but Pollan’s more sweeping book, framed as an examination of the preparation of four meals – ranging from fast food to a meal prepared entirely of food grown, hunted, or gathered by Pollan himself – takes a critical look at what we put on our dinner plates and the hidden cost in environmental damage and hormones. Sustainability may have replaced organic

TV Shows
Michael: Undeclared

After Freaks and Geeks was dumped by NBC and before he became the king of late 2000’s comedy, Judd Apatow served as executive producer on the short lived Undeclared on Fox. The show, about an awkward college freshman and his friends, saw Apatow and protegee Seth Rogen honing the one-liners and improvisation that would lead both of them to success with films The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. The show is a bit dated in some parts (Seth Rogen bragging about his flat screen monitor, main character Stephen losing an important disc), it rather perfectly captures some elements of college and transition so many students make from their high school to college selves. The show debuted after 9/11, not a prime period for comedy, and was bounced around the Fox schedule before being canceled. But there’s a lot of great material in Undeclared which, especially for fans of Apatow, should not be missed.

Jonah: The Middleman
Marooned on a network that no body cares about and tragically cut short due to a total lack of interest, The Middleman’s blend of whimsy and nerdiness made for one of the most fun seasons of television ever. With great performances from Matt Keeslar and Natalie Morales, lightning fast dialogue, and a charming b-movie feel, The Middleman was a throwback to an earlier era of escapist television, but with a post-modern sensibility firmly entrenched in the modern day.

Film Performances
Michael: Nicholas Cage – Adaptation
Of late, Nicholas Cage’s career has mostly been full of popular fluff (National Treasuer, Ghost Rider), but with his Oscar nominated role in Spike Jonez’ Adaptation, he shows off some really great acting chops. Playing actual screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother Donald, Cage plays both the neurotic and confident characters with the same amount of intensity. So much attention was placed on Kaufman writing himself and his neuroses into the script, but the way Cage takes them in and sheds whatever image you had of him is more impressive. Though Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep also shine through in this movie, Cage is front and center giving it all in a truly memorable performance.

Jonah: Thora Birch – Ghost World
Because its set in such a peculiar, idiosyncratic universe, it would have been easy for Ghost World to descend too far into irony and parody. And it would have, were it not for the brilliant actors who inhabited Daniel Clowes characters. While Steve Buscemi gives the film a heart and Scarlett Johansson gives it a smirk, its Thora Birch who centers Ghost World. Her Enid treads the line between disatisfaction, aimlessness, and yearning, without falling into easy, sneering charicature. The result is a character who is a microcosm of the slightly surreal, but not unrecognizable teenage wasteland that Ghost World is set in.

Films
Michael: Elephant
There were certainly a lot of fantastic films over the last 10 years, and even choosing a honorable mention was incredibly hard, but my choice goes to one of the most haunting movies I’ve ever seen. Directed by Gus Van Sant, Elephant is the story of a school shooting told in the most intimate and minimal way possible. Van Sant moves his camera through the school, following a series of students (played by real high school students) as they go through their arbitrary day to day activities. By the time the shooters appear on screen, the film is nearly half over, and very little explanation as to why they go through with such a terrible act makes the film even more frightening. The roving camera and sparse score intensify the film, filling you with a sense of dread from the first shot until the terrifying last. Van Sant struck gold in the 2000s with Milk, and rightfully so, but Elephant shows an auteur letting his camera try to tell a story that words often fail to.

Jonah: Spirited Away
Most of this decade’s greatest animated films have been influenced by Hayao Miyazaki, so it’s only fair to honor the man himself with what could well be his masterpiece. A tender, whimsical piece of filmmaking that doesn’t condescend or idealize childhood, Spirited Away is in many ways Miyazaki’s most emotionally charged work. The spirit world of the film is richly detailed and fully realized, but the film’s real triumph is building a protagonist who actually resonates with what I was like as child.

Songs
Michael: “NYC” – Interpol
With the guitar echoing and Paul Bank’s deep voice filled with reverb, “NYC” is a song that floats from the speakers rather than blasts from it. Released less than a year after September 11, the song is an ode to hipsters who realize it’s time to resurrect the city they’ve leaned on for so long. This may seem like too deep of a reading into it, but “NYC” is not even a typical song by Interpol’s standards. The guitars float and echo and the song reaches a plateau rather than a peak before descending down again, a resolution of either success in fixing the city or a loss of interest. Either way, the song stays with you far longer than anything else like it.

Jonah: “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal” – Of Montreal
The break-up album is nothing new in rock and roll, but Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyed succeeded due to Kevin Barnes’ naked, emotional honesty, nowhere more so than on the records centerpiece song. He throws himself into chemicals, religion, and, ultimately, a number of unfulfilling sexual encounters, but its the album’s epic, stunning nervous breakdown/dance party that still resonates today. A sprawling ode to alienation, “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal” is an unflinching documentation of clinical depression set in a dance club, the moment where you can hear his psyche cracking and breaking. For just under 12 minutes, Kevin Barnes earned all the over-enthusiastic Bowie comparisons.

Albums
Michael: The Wrens – The Meadowlands
By the time the Wrens released The Meadowlands, even they had begun to give up the dream of rock glory. After their hostile label head halted production of their previous records in the mid-90s, their small following dwindled, and The Meadowlands arrived seven years after their previous record, Seacaus, with most of the band going back to day jobs to make ends meet. These seven hard years produced an album that is equal parts anger, regret, and longing. The Meadowlands is the sound of growing old and realizing not all the same opportunities are available anymore. Many of the songs went through various versions before the ones present on the record, but the final product is powerful and a testament to the greatness of a band that had been off the radar for too long. From the pulsing personal narrative of “Everyone Choose Sides,” to the regret ladden “13 Months in 6 Minutes,” and the bitter “Hopeless,” The Meadowlands is an over looked classic from a band that deserves more than what it got.

Jonah: The Avalanches – Since I Left You
A group of foreigners made a record in 2000 that shook listeners, tore down old walls, and presaged the direction music would move in this decade. No, I’m not talking about Kid A (yet), but instead The Avalanches’ Since I Left You. The record is a hazed-out, dreamy triumph, whose eclectic charm coheres in a way that other sample-based music can sometimes feel too piecemeal. The result is an album that feels like its own creation and not just a spin through someone’s record collection. From the joyous start of the title track to the memorable Madonna sample in “Stay Another Season,” Since I Left You feels like the start to an adventure, and in a way, it was, since it served as a launch pad for a lot of what followed in the next ten years of music.

In my first post I said art snob solutions once, well actually it’s a song sang by of Montreal my favorite band.
The song is dedicated to sort of art snob people you know what i mean.
If you see the lyrics you’ll know it by yourself.

Art Snob Solutions

What’s up, directors? Grab your knives!
It’s time to take all all of the lives
Of the people who cannot see
The somnolent genius of Tarkovsky

Come on authors, grab your guns!
It’s time to murder everyone
Who has never heard of Apollinaire
Send them all to hell, it’s only fair

Cast them all into the flames
If they don’t know any names
Of the principles of Arte Povera
Or are unfamiliar with le serpent mascara
That’s right, mascara snake!

Come on painters, alive or dead!
Give all the cretins a boot to the head
If they don’t extoll convincingly
Tempered Elan era Kandinsky

Throw them all into a well
If they cannot tell
An Arto Parv feast of repetition
From a Schoenberg 12 tone composition

Come on artists, the day is here!
And your mission is very clear
Put an end to the bourgeoisie
And death to everyone who’s never heard of me

This is of Montreal live show you can watch:

The live show video ain’t that clear so i give you a clearer sound, enjoy:

or you can just simply download it here

Okay I’ll tell you something…

Tarkovsky - Tarkovsky (Andrei) is a Russian directors, but a lot of people said that its not him, its Tchaikovsky (Pyotr Ilyich) the Russian composer. I’m kindda silly little snobby and I’ll say its Tarkovsky, hence the ‘whats up director’s grab your knifes’ verse. why would of montreal put a composer in a verse about directors?

Apollinaire – Guillaume Apollinaire was a famous French writer.

Arte Povera – It was a term created by an art critic named Germano Celant. It delt with examining 14 key artists whose goals were to come up with a whole new trend of art.

Le Serpent Mascara (Mascara Snake) - I’m pretty sure “le serpent mascara” is just a jest at the way arty types like to say things in French when there is a perfectly accurate equivalent term in English. I assume that line which follows: “that’s right, mascara snake!”. This is an obvious reference, copied VERBATIM, to Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band member The Mascara Snake (Vliet’s cousin from the Trout Mask Replica band).

Tempered Elan era Kandinsky – Kandinsky was a painter, and tempered elan is his masterpiece, here is the pict:

Arto Parv – Typical snob, they think they know it all (just like me). It’s a clear sarcasm. There’s no Arto Parv. Ok who wants to feel like a total pretentious bitch? I do! I believe that what Of Montreal was trying to say instead of Arto Parv was Arvo Part, a most excellent Estonian composer.

Feast of Repetition - I really don’t know what “a feast of repetition” was referring to, but it made me think of one of his pieces, Fur Elana, which repeats the same minimalist composition 3 times in different octaves. Quite a breathtaking piece if you ever get a chance to listen to it. Again I’m being so snob.

Schoenberg 12 Tone Composition – From what I remember from music theory, 12-tone is a musical practice in which one cannot repeat one of any of the 12 chromatic tones until all 12 have been played. The effect is generally completely horrible. Das Mondschein is a classic example. My snobby instinct said it refers to the horrors of the first world war? But, I’m no expert! haha.

Bourgeoisie - It’s a term for middle-up class in French.

Don’t you all get that it’s not some pissing contest of big brains to track down every obscure reference in the song? I’ll say it simply: it’s supposed to be funny. it’s making fun of you. that’s right, all of you (or maybe me) who shouted out “I KNEW IT! I KNEW APOLLINAIRE AND KANDINSKY! I KNEW IT FIRST!” like a bunch of five year old trying to snatch the last cookie were just displaying the exact annoying-as-hell behavior of art snobs that’s being satire.

Maybe ever think that accusing those who are uninformed about your interests as being blundering idiots who can’t tie their shoes just makes them hate you, not respect you? ever think there’s maybe a better way to inform the public without that nose jerking into the air, a smirk on your face, and that tiny inner voice saying “oh god, i am so much better than them”?

Maybe actually listen to the song. Stop trying to use obscure references to validate your own intelligence (honestly I’m still trying too).

It’s music. Listen to it, enjoy it.

The song is telling about Art Snob’s attitudes (which is I apparently have). Here is an example of an Art Snob attitude: You are a huge Beatles fan. You’re in love with them. So you’re talking to someone about the Beatles. And they say, “I’ve never heard of the Beatles. Are they good?” What would you’re reaction be? You would probably be shocked, flabbergasted, and maybe, you might warp it into a personal insult.

This is how Art Snobs feel about people who aren’t either fellow Art Snobs, Artists, Musicians, Art History Buffs, Art Collecters, and et cetera. so this is what this song is about. Everyone, grab your knives, we’re gonna kill all the people who don’t know anything about art!

Peace Out!

Kinara Paramitha

50. Super Tarantas- Gogol Bordello
WonderlustKing

49. Return to cookie mountain- TV on the Radio

48. Pixel Revolt- John Vanderslice

TranceManual

47. Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
Nantes

46. Emotionalism- Avett Brothers

45. Sung Tongs- Animal Collective
LeafHouse

44. Vespertine- Bjork

43. Andrew Bird and the mysterious production of eggs- Andrew Bird
TablesAndChairs

42. Quiet is the new loud- Kings of Convenience
IDon’tKnowWhatICanSaveYouFrom

41. Michigan- Sufjan Stevens

40. ( )- Sigur Ros

39. Yellow House- Grizzly Bear
Easier

38. Hazards of love- Decemberists

37.Extraordinary Machine- Fiona Apple

NotAboutLove

36 Broken Social Scene- Broken Social Scene
7/4Shoreline

35. Antics- Interpol
NextExit

34. Eraser- Thom yorke

33. Lifted orthe story is in the soil- Bright eyes
LoverIDon’tHaveToLove

32. Boxer- The National

31. Everything all the time- Band of Horses
TheFuneral

30. Visitor- Dodos
RedAndPurple

29. Illinois- Sufjan Stevens
Chicago

28.Apologies to the queen mary- Wolf Parade
YouAreARunner

27. Plans- Death Cab for Cutie

26. You forgot it in people- Broken Social Scene
AnthemForASeventeenYearOldGirl

25. Neon Bible- Arcade Fire
AntiChristTelevisionBlues

24. Sea Changes- Beck

23. Feels- Animal Collective
PurpleBottle

22. Mignonette- Avett Brothers

21. Is this it?- Strokes
Someday

20. 3 rounds and a sound- Blind Pilot
OneRedThread

19. Hissing fauna, are you the destroyer?- Of Montreal
HeimdalsgateLikeAPrometheanCurse

18. Fold your hands child, you walk like a peasant- Belle and Sebastian
There’sTooMuchLove

17. Alligator – The National
AllTheWine

16. Dear Science- TV on the Radio

15. Armchair Apocryphia- Andrew Bird

14. Chutes too narrow- The Shins
KissingTheLipless

13. Kid A- Radiohead
NationalAnthem

12. Sharpen your teeth- Ugly Casanova
ThingsIDon’tRemember

11. Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
WhiteWinterHymnal

10. Turn on the bright lights- Interpol
NYC

9. Hail to the thief- Radiohead

8. Give up – Postal Service
SuchGreatHeights

7. Takk- Sigur ros
Hoppipolla

6. Yoshimi battles the pink robots- Flaming Lips
FightTest

5. In rainbows- Radiohead
HouseOfCards

4. Moon in Antarctica- Modest mouse
3rdPlanet

3. Funeral- Arcade fire
RebellionLies

2. For emma, forever ago- Bon Iver
ForEmma

1. I’m wide awake, it’s morning- Bright Eyes
FirstDayOfMyLife

Been on a musical tear lately and one song in particular has caught my interest. Keep Yourself Warm by Frightened Rabbit. Immediately singer Scott Hutchison’s soft scottish voice takes grasp over a repetitively slow beat. What’s not right away apparent is how ugly this song will get. A fast decent into depravity and desperation that leaves you feeling ashamed as if you’ve just witnessed a violent crime unfold and done nothing. So now I have been caught in a mood musical self destruction and depression have decided to share a mini mixtape of songs that fit the bill. Feel free to remind me of those I forgot or neglected.
Frightened Rabbit – Keep Yourself Warm

While there are plenty of songs about alcoholism out there I think the family centric mood of this song is what really drives it through.
Cold War Kids – We Used To Vacation

This band has written the book on mutilation, more than once. It was tough to pick out just one song but being this is my favorite Trio song and the “bathroom surgery” seals it for me.
Alkaline Trio – Queen Of Pain

In my opinion one of the most underrated writers/rappers out there.
Atmosphere – Fuck You Lucy

Possibly more than any other this song exemplifies the tone “self inflicted pain”
Cursive – Art Is Hard

Probably the popiest song about drugs and depression out there.
Of Montreal – Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse

Another band that comes to mind with the idea of gore and mutilation. Definitely one of the most violent songs written in the last 10 years. Angry and bloody Saves the Day at (in my opinion) their peak.
Saves The Day – Rocks Tonic Juice Magic

Awww, can’t embed. Fail.

Oh well, just follow the link.

20 Watts played Annie, Elephant 6 and more on WERW

Eric, Chris, Caitlin AND special guest Mary are in the studio this evening!  We’re playing an hour of new music, an hour of Elephant 6 and an hour of local music.  Tune in by clicking this link — we’ll be here until 1!

Want to talk to us or request a song? IM werw1570, tweet @20_watts or call (315) 443-1278.

New tracks are in bold, local artists are italicized.

And don’t forget to tune in to 20 Watts’ Audiocandy+ shows on Wednesday and Thursday from 9-11 p.m.!

Title: My Love Is Better [16/20 watts -- read the review]
Artist: Annie
Album: Don’t Stop

Title: Me Against the Music
Artist: Britney Spears and Madonna
Album: Greatest Hits

Title: XR2
Artist: M.I.A.
Album: Kala

Title: Disturbia
Artist: Rihanna
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad

Title: Fake Blues [14/20 watts -- read the review]
Artist: Real Estate
Album: Real Estate

Title: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Artist: John Mayer
Album: Where the Light Is

Title: Hong Kong Cockfight
Artist: Euroboys
Album: Jet Age

Title: Baby By Me [14/20 watts -- read the review]
Artist: 50 Cent
Album: Before I Self Destruct

Title: Cappuccino
Artist: The Knux
Album: Remind Me In 3 Days

Title: Norway [read John Cassillo's editor's pick on the single]
Artist: Beach House
Album: Teen Dream

Title: Slow Life
Artist: Grizzly Bear & Victoria Legrand
Album: New Moon Soundtrack

Title: When I’m with You
Artist: Best Coast
Album: When I’m with You 7″

READ THE 20: YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE ELEPHANT 6

Title: Old Familiar Way
Artist: Of Montreal
Album: The Gay Parade

Title: Ghost
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Title: Signal in the Sky
Artist: The Apples in Stereo
Album: Let’s Go!

Title: Popular Mechanics for Lovers
Artist: Beulah
Album: The Coast is Never Clear

Title: Motion in the Ocean
Artist: Nana Grizol
Album: Love It! Love It!

Title: Crayon Box
Artist: The Gerbils
Album: Are You Sleepy

Title: Naomi
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Album: On Avery Island

Title: Define a Transparent Dream
Artist: The Olivia Tremor Control
Album: Dusk at Cubist Castle

Title: The Lovely Universe
Artist: Circulatory System
Artist: Circulatory System

Title: Fun Loving Nun
Artist: Of Montreal
Album: The Gay Parade

Title: Yesterday’s World
Artist: Circulatory System
Album: Circulatory System

Title: Don’t Know Why (You Stay)
Artist: The Essex Green
Album: Cannibal Sea

Title: I Love How You Love Me (Phil Spector)
Artist: Jeff Magnum
Album: Live at Jittery Joe’s

Title: Strawberryfire
Artist: The Apples in Stereo
Album: Her Wallpaper Reverie

Title: Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Title: Saints & Saboteurs
Artist: Why the Wires
Album: Love Elevators

Title: Definitive Gaze
Artist: Magazine
Album: Real Life

Banda com 15 anos de carreira, provavelmente você nunca tenha ouvido falar pois não fazem sucesso, mas é bom acreditem.

Faixas do álbum:

1. Score from Augusta

2. Sunday Under Glass

3. Matter vs. Space

4. Emma Blowgun’s Last Stand

5. Calm Go the Wild Seas

6. Ballad of the Lonely Argonaut

7. Comrade’s Twenty Sixth

8. The Aristocratic Swells

9. Silverado Days

10. Warmer

11. If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart

LINK – When Your Heartstrings Break

Parece com? Of Montreal, The Essex Green.

Vídeo com a música Score from Augusta.

Enjoy o/

Even though we’ve never seen Yo Gabba Gabba on TV, my son and I were introduced to the characters on the Nick Jr. website where there are games, videos and music available.

I received an email from the PR company that’s promoting the new Music Is Awesome CD featuring hit songs from the TV show, wanting to know if I would be interested in reviewing the CD. Since and were listed on the list of artists who are included, I figured this would be music that both my son and I could enjoy.

Music is Awesome

When the CD arrived, my son asked me to put it in right away so on the way to school one morning, we listened to the first 16 songs (it’s a 15 mile drive). My son loved it and couldn’t wait to listen to it again when we got home from school yesterday, which meant that I had to go out to the car to get it so we could play it in the house, download it onto our computer and put it onto his iPod for his listening pleasure.

Be prepared for your kids to want to get up and dance once they hear the music! Be equally prepared to start singing, “Party In My Tummy,” as you prepare dinner.

You can check out the songs on Amazon and download individual songs or the entire CD.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting
Peace Begins in the Home

The Elephant 6 Collective

A record label.  A collection of musicians.  An ethos.  A cult.  The Elephant 6 Collective is all that and more. Based in Athens, Ga. (after originating in Denver), and formed by Bill Doss, Will Hart, Jeff Mangum and Robert Schneider, it started out as a way to record and release their psychedelic influenced lo-fi pop. It soon spiraled and transformed, with other artists joining and band members working on each others’ albums. Eventually, it became less of a recording company than a pool of artists who shared a similar style and philosophy about making music.  And it was from this pool that some of the greatest artists of the genre’s modern era — Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo, of Montreal and The Olivia Tremor Control to name a few — got their start.

So what’s the very best of trip-hop? 20 Watts’ MARC SOLLINGER has the answer in our ninth 20 installment. Watch for new 20s each Thursday, only on 20 Watts, and check out our previous 20s below!

…our film to be beautiful, not realistic.” – Of Montreal

foto: Arthur Elgort

Day 2 of the festival proved to be slightly less pleasant than Day 1.  The morning was nice enough, but a blanket of dark clouds covered the sky by lunch.  By 1 p.m. the rain had come, lots of it.

But just like any good festival, the bands kept playing, and the crowd kept coming.  Standing just behind the mosh pit, we watched Youth Brigade.  Their energy seemed to be fighting the rain, daring it to rain harder.

And it did.

Car Stereo (Wars) performed in front of a packed crowd, and an even more crowded stage.  His mash-ups were entertaining for a while, but the rain had stopped and there was much more to see, including Coalesce, Strange Boys and Health.

The unbearable rain decided to come back just before dusk.  So we decided to take a break from the Fest to warm up, eat and dry our clothes.

When we got back to the Festival, we made our way to the Orange stages to see Crystal Castles and Of Montreal.  The rain had stopped and we all felt a little better about our situation.

Crystal Castles put on a really intense show.  The light show was blinding, and the performance was an unconventional rock show, the Castles were only equipped with a mic and DJ station.  But their sound was as big as a wall of Marshall half stacks.

Of Montreal put on a tamer-than-usual show.  But they still produced an entertaining show featuring background videos and live actors.  Kevin Barnes produced a show that lifted the mood of the festival after a long day of rain.

A few days ago, it was announced on Of Montreal’s official Twitter page that the band would be working together with songwriter/producer Jon Brion on their 10th studio album.

Brion is an extremely talented musician and is best known for his work on composing scores for films such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and I Heart Huckabees.

The album, which the band has already been working on for a few months, is to be called False Priest and will be released sometime in 2010.

I’m pretty eager to see how this all turns out, to be quite honest. I’m a born again Of Montreal fan after catching them at Fun Fun Fun Fest last week and just the thought of Kevin Barnes’ brain working with Jon Brion’s brain to create new and wonderful songs is extremely exciting.

Of Montreal – “For Our Elegant Caste” (Skeletal Lamping, Polyvinyl 2008)

Jon Brion – “Knock Yourself Out” (I Heart Huckabees Soundtrack, Milan Records 2004)

Of Montreal:
Website
MySpace

Jon Brion:
MySpace

  Being the young age I am (under 30) this last decade was really the one where I can intensely focus on new releases, critically analyze and find real magic in modern music.  As much as I wish I was cool enough to say I bought “Slanted and Enchanted” on vinyl the day it came out or smoke a joint and sit around with my friends about to listen to “The Bends follow-up album” with everyone saying “this better not suck!”  But since I never saw Nirvana in a basement and didn’t hear “Loveless” until Billy Corgan recommended it I’ll just stick to this last decade and share what got me through the last ten years.

10. The Unicorns – Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?

     Not a horribly popular top ten of the decade choice but I’m still baffled at why not.  Jump-starting an explosion of lo-fi, boyish child rock in the underground, the year following saw bands like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Boy Least Likely To taking notes from the drug hazed, short attention spanned rock that reminded everyone of easier, much more careless times.  Everything about this album is unexpected at first listen.  The old analogue synths, the fighting within lyrics vocals, the friggin recorder?!  WWCOHWWG spans from life to death in 12 sweet tunes and by the end I remember feeling the same way, subdued and ready to die.

The Unicorns – Les Os

9. Electric President – S/T

     So here’s another selection very unlikely to be absent from lists and I feel sorry for all those lists.  Guiding me through 2006, S/T is the self retrospective view of young Ben Cooper and every other confused young male in the world.  Songs like Insomnia tackle depression with uncompromising lyrics that find every emotion and leave it our to dry.  The album is soothing and instantly relatable, and Ben’s shy vocals and unique percussion roll you through the journey and dump you right off at the end.  By then you might feel as if you’re in the same place but with a simplified clarity.

Electric President – Insomnia

8. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

     Kevin Barnes is the gayest straight man on earth.  And god damn, he should write every album in solitude in Northern Europe.  The genius in this album will never be something Barnes will be able to exemplify again (shown evident in the self absorbed Skeletal Lamping, an album where Barnes basically chews on his ego like bubblegum bugging everyone to watch him blow bubbles.)  The centerpiece here is obviously The Past is a Grotesque Animal, a bi-polar freak out of sorts with all of Barnes A-list lyrics jammed tight in its epic 12 minute sprawl.  Every track is interesting in its own way, and Barnes does a great job of making the album a single statement while never repeating himself.

Of Montreal – We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling

7. The Arcade Fire – Funeral

    What can I say that hasn’t been said a million times about this little gem?  This album wasn’t so much about the great songs inside of it but more about its perfect timing.  It was like the momentum of modern rock music was impatiently waiting for this album in order to push forward.  The 7 zillion arcade fire copycat that managed to squeeze their subpar disco beat driven garbage into the remainder of this decade still doesn’t take anything away from the happiest moments of Rebellion (lies) or the saddest moments of Neighborhoods #4.  I look forward to this band continuing to take us to new places in the next decade.

The Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

6. Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight

   If you’ve never experienced real heartbreak, if you’ve never sat alone in your bedroom feeling ultimately hopeless and desperate, then you’ll never relate with this album.  Scott Hutchison perfectly describes heartbreak from start to acceptance in a power, real, and naked way.  No emotion is held inside here, no disturbing thought bottled up.  Songs like The Modern Leper and Keep yourself Warm much of the time hit too close to home for comfort, but their harsh realities keep you revisiting because when it comes down to it, we all wanna feel something.

Frightened Rabbit – Floating in the Forth

5. The National – Boxer

     In 2007 I knew early on that Hissing Fauna was my album of the year.  No one album was gonna change that, especially not some dark, professional looking, baritone led band called The National!?  But like any National album, repeated listens bring on a fierce addition.  Boxer for me was like cocaine for a confused 19 year old girl saying “I’m only gonna do coke on the weekends” and spiraling into an everyday occurrence.  It’s melodies are haunting, led by Matt Berninger’s deep, hypnotizing baritone.  Matt’s lyrics have always been satisfyingly selfish, but here he seems to take to others, and although hard to clearly identify with what he talks about each line paints his own portrait, colored perfectly by the band of brothers that provide a solid blend of melodic ecstasy, topped of by Peter Katis’s dark production.   

The National – Brainy

4. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

   A billion things have been said about this album, from its difficult release to its beautiful drug tinged americana.  But it will never be enough.  Jeff Tweedy struck fucking gold with every track here.  Every song seems to get better, and the idea of mixing folk rock and sonic electronic noise seems insane (and is!) and could never be pulled off like Wilco did early this decade.  Songs like Jesus Etc. quickly find a place in your heart, with simple yet powerful and brilliant lyrics like “Last Cigarettes” and “Our Love is All of God’s Money.”  

3. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People

    Here is one of those fantastic albums that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you first heard it.  The amount of styles represented in this album are baffling, and prove of the large amount of brilliant songwriters at hand here.  Sexually charged and full of surprises, each song on here has its own style, flair, and fashion.  The jaw dropping Anthems For a Seventeen Year Girl is hypnotic and the lyrics are the perfect mix of vague and overlaid, mixed in and out of phase causing an almost unexplored emotion surfacing from the listener.  I’ve literally seen rooms full of people go dead quiet while this song was playing.

Broken Social Scene – Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl

2. Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antartica

   When I graduated high school I was religiously into Modest Mouse.  Obsessed, wished I was Isaac Brock.  TM&A is the pinnacle of Modest Mouse and as terrible as it is too say I truly believe if Isaac Brock would have killed himself directly after the release of this album they would have been hailed in a Nirvana like fashion, known for this and Lonesome Crowded West, there never would have been a Float On, and Johhny Marr could still focus on playing in his flavor of the month bands.  But even if isaac wrote Float On 63 times, it would take nothing away from the sheltered genius he created in this album.  Starting off with 3rd Planet, Isaac basical drafts his theory of the universe, and by track 2 you’re sold on it.  The drugged out drunken poetry never falters, becomes too indulgent or relaxes, climaxing up to the 8 minute Stars Are Projecters, a hallucinogenic sound scape of alternative theories, believes, and philosophies.  Even while isaac is busy re-writing the history of the universe he manages to find time to bring worthy singles like Paper Thin Walls into the mix.

Modest Mouse – What People Are Made Of   

1. RADIOHEAD – KID A

 There is absolutely nothing I can say about this album that hasn’t been said, yet no one has been able to properly describe it’s genius either.   Fuck this, I’m just gonna go listen to this album. 

Radiohead – Optimistic

The Killers’ finale to Lollapalooza, and in all honesty the best (and probably most expensive) set of the weekend.

Deerhunter at Lolla…I didn’t realize how great they are live until after this weekend.

BOYS NOIZE!

Animal Collective…great, but they cut the set short so Tool could start…bleh.

Depeche Mode.

Kevin Barnes/Of Montreal with the most eclectic set I have ever seen live.

Peter, Bjorn and John starting the weekend off with a performance in the rain.

So November 4, 2009, I gained another year of experience in life. Throughout my day of yearly reflection and festivity, I wondered what my dear friends would do for me on this particular day of days. One of my fellow editors here chipped in with a few others and handed me an origami card. Upon opening it, I found a picture of the inimitable Léon Theremin working his magic and a speech bubble coming out of his theremin and saying: “I am coming for you in the mail.”

What is a theremin, you might ask? It’s a box (mine is white) that senses the position of its players hands relative to two antennae, one vertical, the other horizontal and looped, and emits sounds at varying frequencies and volumes to correspond to it.

The theremin is well-known for being the instrument used to make those really weird, oscillating noises in scary movies. Its filmography includes The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Red House, Spellbound, Ed Wood, The Machinist, and Hellboy. Moreover, pop musicians the world over have used it throughout music history, including The Beach Boys, The Flaming Lips, The White Stripes, Pink Floyd, Pixies, and Of Montreal, among others.

Because of the method behind its operation (waving your hands around the antennae), the theremin is notorious for being difficult to play properly. I know I can’t wait to start learning!

– Eric Vilas-Boas, Managing Editor

actually i don’t think today counts as indian summer. that only lasts through october. this weather is what i call a miracle. it’s nicer than most of the summer was. as a tribute to the sunshine i decided to post few videos from my favorite summer 2009 albums. enjoy.

radiohead kid a: collector’s edition

blk jks mystery- ep

of montreal for our elegant caste- ep

bower birds upper air

edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros up from below
click here for the video.
sorry you have to go to npr.org for the last video but it’s totally worth it.

only 225 days until the first day of summer. how sad. at least it hasn’t snowed yet.

rock on folks,
margaret kaye

Banda totalmente foda, vocais masculinos e femininos muito bons, álbum que não precisa ser pulada uma faixa sequer!

Faixas do álbum:

1. This Isn’t Farmlife

2. Don’t Know Why (You Stay)

3. Penny & Jack

4. Snakes in the Grass

5. Rue de Lis

6. Cardinal Points

7. Rabbit

8. Uniform

9. The Pride

10. Sin City

11. Elsinore

12. Slope Song

LINK – Cannibal Sea

Parece com? Beulah, Of Montreal.

Difícil achar vídeo de qualidade dessa banda, esse é de uma apresentação onde cantam Sin City.

Enjoy o/

As our departure for Austin on Friday draws closer those of us going to FunFunFun Fest (and those of us tagging along for the ride) will be filling you in on what/who we plan/want/are going to try to see at the fest. So please take a look at the list, maybe it’ll lead you in the direction of something you might of missed.

1. Death

By now most of you have read/heard/watched the story about this Detroit band, how they were Bad Brains before Bad Brains picked up instruments, how if they would have changed name they would have cleared the first brush for punks trail. What you haven’t heard is the music, which is fucking great, all pointed lyrics, machine gun drums and driving bass lines charging forward with no regard for where it ends up. I can’t wait.

Death- Politicians in my eyes

2. Brian Poshen

No lie this guy is easily one of the funniest stand-ups making the rounds, and his career being buoyed by his fantastic work on the Sarah Silverman Show means he’s able to score high profile gigs like this. Let’s be honest his work based on heavy metal genre is hilarious, and adding in a festival filled with music, he should be full of great material.

3. GZA

“I represent from midnight to high noon/I don’t waste ink, nigga I think” Nuff fucking said.

Mando Dia- Dance with somebody ( The Hood Internet with GZA and Cadence Weapon)

4. Les Savy Fav

No gonna lie, I’m just hoping to get one of those patented Tim Harrington festival haircuts.

Les Savy Fav- Dishonest Don Part 2

5. of Montreal

The last time I saw of Montreal live I managed to spend $100 on shots, had three girls dance on me 5 feet away from a girlfriend I had broken up with less then three days before, I witnessed a group of roughly 50 girls decide “Fuck it, let’s all grind on each other”, and woke up passed out in the girls bathroom. Needless to say, I’m expecting a lot from these guys.

of Montreal- Cato as a Pun

While music director at WSBF-FM in CLEMSON, SC, we celebrated the release of OF MONTREAL’s latest CD by trying to interview as many band members as possible. By adding BRYAN POOLE to our collection, we had two out of five.

Among his other musical endeavors, Bryan is the guitarist for Of Montreal. Join me on college radio as we talk about gumball machine metaphors, his many musical projects, and how he got his wings.

Note: the interview starts about a third of the way through the file.

Full Transcript: (Audio)

Nichole Bennett: You are listening to WSBF-FM Clemson. I am Nichole Bennett, the music director of the station, and I have something very special for you. In the background you are listening to a track of off Of Montreal’s latest release Skeletal Lamping. The band is currently on tour, and they were kind enough to let us do a phone interview. In a few minutes we will be calling Bryan Poole. He’s the guitarist of the band, but that’s not all he’s been. He’s involved in the whole Elephant Six Collective era of music in Athens. He was the bassist for Elf Power for many years and one of the founding members of Of Montreal. He’s also been involved with Olivia Tremor Control and Great Lakes, to name a few. Additionally, he has a side solo project title The Late B.P. Helium, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to ask him a little bit about that.

Right now I believe they are in Florida. We’ll double check with him. If you want to catch Of Montreal in this area, you can catch them on the television. On December 18, they will be on the David Letterman show. Over winter break you can catch them December 30^th and 31^st at the 40 Watt Club in Athens. That should be an interesting New Year’s show. I’m sure to be there if I can get a ticket. If you miss them at their New Year’s show, you can catch them January 4^th at the Grey Eagle in Asheville. Seems like they are circling around the U. S., and then they are headed to Europe.

The way that Of Montreal has worked lately since the release of Sunlandic Twins, Kevin Barnes has just been doing the records himself, and the band has just been a touring band. We’re mainly going to talk to Bryan about some of the stage stuff. If you’ve never seen an Of Montreal show, it’s pretty theatrical. Personally, I’ve been seeing them since my freshmen year, so over time it’s gotten even more and more bizarre. For instance, Kevin Barnes actually hangs himself during the show.

We are going to give Bryan a call, and see if they are ready for an interview. I apologize because the interview was originally supposed to be at 1PM, but I think that Mr. Poole’s phone was dying.

If you are a fan of Of Montreal, you will probably like his work as The Late B.P. Helium. Elf Power shares some of their psychadelia, but it’s a bit darker. About every person who lives in Athens is in Elf Power. Speaking of bands that everyone in Athens is in, I believe Bryan plays with Dark Meat, and I’m going to ask him about that because hopefully they will be coming to Clemson in the spring.

It’s ringing—good. Well, I will give you sample track while we are waiting for Mr. Poole.

I am here with Bryan Poole of Of Montreal and also The Late B.P. Helium. Hey Bryan, how are you?

Bryan Poole: I’m pretty awesome.

NB: You guys are on some sort of crazy tour right now.

BP: It’s pretty good. It’s like a gumball machine. We keep spitting gum out for people to chew. Only good balls, not like pre-chewed gum. It’s like one of those things at the mall that has a big spiral. It’s a big event. You watch that gumball go around and around, and you finally get it. And you’re really happy, hopefully. Unless you wanted the pink one and then you got the purple one.

NB: I keep checking your tours, and you guys keep coming around here. You guys are actually going to be at the 40 Watt for New Year’s?

BP: Yeah, we actually added a second show because I think that one is almost sold out. We added a second show the day before, on the 30^th, which isn’t technically New Year’s. But if you wanted to celebrate two New Year’s.

NB: New Year’s practice?

BP: No, it’s going to be a totally different show. We have The Gerbils.

NB: OH.

BP: Yeah, The Gerbils are going to play with us, and they are not playing on New Year’s Eve. They are old friends of ours, Elephant 6 compatriots.

NB: We talked with Davey Pierce last week about the stage performance. It looks like it’s gotten even more and more theatrical.

BP: Yeah, since you’ve talked to Davey, we’ve probably added a cannon or two. We’re not shooting out people, though. We’re shooting out objects that keep you warm and satiated.

NB: I was wondering if you guys pick your own stage costumes, because I’m a really big fan of the wings that you have.

BP: Yeah, we all figure it out. Those came to me when I was in Tuscon, Arizona about a year and a half or two years ago. I walked by this girl’s shop and looked inside and there they were. They weren’t open, but she let me in. I was her first customer, and I bought those wings. She’s made me a few other sets since then. She’s really awesome.

NB: So you guys are in Florida now?

BP: Actually, we are still in Athens now. We are leaving slowly…slowly. Oh, I was about to say a bad word. We are driving right now, and my little shortcut got messed up. Detour. Road’s Closed. Yeah, we are leaving tonight and going to Florida. We are playing five shows. Florida always seems to get its own tour because it’s the penis of America. Nobody really likes to go there unless they have to. Wow! I say that, and I’ve come across this big truck that says “humpin’ to please” on the side of it. It’s really awesome. It’s kind of a one-of-a-kind. It’s got a camel with a 66 and the stuff that might come out of somebody’s private parts.

NB: I’m really glad you are on-site to report this for our listeners.

BP: Yeah, this is what is happening in Athens. I’m sure this is happening all over Clemson, you know.

NB: I hope. I really hope.

BP: Do you guys know about Greenwood, South Carolina?

NB: Yeah, it’s relatively close.

BP: We have lots of friends from Greenwood, and there are probably some Greenwoodites that decided to go to Clemson instead of Lander. And I’m saying you probably made the right decision on that.

NB: Actually, a lot of the music lovers from Clemson travel to Athens. It’s only about an hour and a half away.

BP: Now, why doesn’t Clemson have the same music scene that Athens does?

NB: That is a very good question…that we are working on. We have good radio!

BP: Yeah? How many watts are you kicking?

NB: We’ve got three thousand.

BP: We’ve got 26,000. But 3,000 is better than 300. I’ve definitely been on some stations where you couldn’t get it past the parking lot. Or cable FM. I played a benefit once in Richmond, Virginia, and we wanted to tune in. They were like, it’s only on the cable.

NB: A lot of stations are internet-only as well. We went to CMJ this year, and I realized how lucky we are.

BP: There’s this thing called Orange Twin. That’s a group of friends of mine, loosely affiliated. My solo records are on Orange Twin Records, and it’s kind of run by Elf Power. It’s turning into this land conservation project. It’s starting to be a grand eco-village on the outskirts of Athens.

NB: I’m so glad you mentioned that. A couple of weeks back I was at the No Age show in Athens, and I got to meet Jim of Dark Meat. They were talking about the conservation project.

BP: Dark Meat is a band that I play in when I can. You must have partied all night to stay at the Secret Squirrel.

NB: Yeah, we are trying to book Dark Meat for our spring concert. Maybe you’ll be able to visit if you aren’t busy with your things.

BP: Yeah I haven’t talked to Jim lately. They got to open up for Quintron and Miss Pussycat, but I was out of town. Dark Meat, one of Athens’ finest.

NB: This is a nice segue to talk about some of your solo work. How do you balance the many bands you are in?

BP: It used to be that we would just tour in the spring and the fall during the normal times that bands tour when colleges are in session. We’re lucky to have a following that we get offers to tour in other times of the year. Once an album comes out, we tour for at least a year or a year and a half almost straight for each record. Then we’ll finally take six months off and recover and Kevin can work on a new record. And then we do it all again. Before, it was a lot easier to be able to have my own band and play with other bands, but to be honest now it’s kind of hard. In fact, I was talking to my friend Josh McKay of this band, Pancha. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them. They were the great band of Athens from the early to mid 90’s to the 2000’s. We have a band, and we play ESG covers in Athens. It’s kind of a party band. We have an original project that we’ve been trying to get off the ground, but our schedules never meet because he tours with his band too. I told him we have to do it because I’ve been doing interviews, and I’ll be a liar if this doesn’t happen. I miss Athens and my friends and being a part of the scene when I’m not here, so it’s difficult.

NB: Well I guess we were talking about camels earlier. My favorite interview question to ask is if you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

BP: Besides human being or space alien? I think I would be a space alien because hopefully they are smarter than we are. Supposedly the Egyptians and the Mayans were hanging out with them. They probably come down every now and then, but they’r probably hard to spot. They like doing their own thing. They probably like to be voyeuristic gods. I’d like to be a space alien, and I think that qualifies as an animal if they are living matter. I can’t say from what planet or star system.

NB: That’s justified. That’s good. With that, I’ll say I cannot wait to bring in the New Year with you guys, and I’ll let you get on with your busy day. Thank you so much.

BP: Yeah, for whoever’s listening. If you are looking for a good party, we are having one…or two. Spend the night. Hang out at the Secret Squirrel. Take care. Party on.

While working at WSBF-FM in CLEMSON, SC, I was able to do a phone interview with Davey Pierce, bassist for OF MONTREAL.

For my first interview ever, I was live on-air with the bassist of one of my all-time faves. Say what you will about Of Montreal being over-hyped–they put on an art piece of a show.While Kevin Barnes has taken over most of the songwriting, members of the band still play an enormous role in creating their theatrical stage presence. Join me as we talk to Davey about their crazy stage setup, and the surprising secret behind their ideas…alcohol and volleyball.

Note: the interview starts about a quarter-way through the file.

Full Transcript: (Audio)

Nichole Bennett: We are here with Davey Pierce, the bassist from Of Montreal. How are you Davey?

Davey Pierce: I’m doing pretty good. How are you?

NB: Great. I actually caught your show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta last Saturday.

DP: Oh, did you?

NB: I just wanted to say that it was fantastic.

DP: Oh thank you so much. Yeah, that was fun for us, having our friends Limouzine open up for us. We were sort of star-struck by them. They were pretty awesome.

NB: Yeah I really wanted a pair of pink pants like that.

DP: Spandex Man Dot Com.

NB: Noted. I’ve actually caught you guys on each of your tours and this seemed to be the craziest yet. I was wondering how much prep work goes into your stage show?

DP: A lot actually. We worked on the ideas for this tour for a good two months before…trying to get the logistics worked out. Like, you know…Kevin wants to hang himself…how do we do that? It’s still in the process of being perfected. Everytime we go back home we go back to our welder and say “Hey what we have here isn’t working…we need you to make it work a little better.” By the end of this tour, everything should be goin pretty smoothly.

NB: Awesome. Well, I guess that gets me to my next question. So, where do these ideas come from? The hanging himself was Kevin’s own?

DP: Yeah, the hanging himself was Kevin’s idea. It started with Kevin saying he wanted to do that, and everybody threw in ideas of other ways to off yourself. It’s gotten a little bit of negative stuff. Up until the Tabernacle show, we did a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit. People were upset that we would do a suicide scene and then cover Nirvana for some reason. The ideas…We also play volleyball a lot, and there’s a lot of drinking involved. While we are doing it, we all just spout out random ideas. Eventually, half of them come into play.

NB: That makes a lot more sense now…that volleyball is involved.

DP: Oh, volleyball is always involved.

NB: How much do you guys vary the setlist from show to show?

DP: We can’t really vary it too much because of the way the show is set up. It’s weird for us. Normally we would play a different setlist every night. But this one has to be so structured to have all of the little sketches happen on time every time. We can’t vary it too much. We try to a little bit.

NB: What direction does it go from here? Crazier and crazier?

DP: Yeah hopefully. It’s constantly evolving everyday. We’ll say “you know, leading up to this part I want to do this other little thing.” It just kind of snowballs and snowballs. Now we have six performers, and it’s kind of crazy. Hopefully it will get bigger and bigger, but you never can tell.

NB: I’ve heard rumors of a live DVD. What can you tell me about that?

DP: We shot a show at The Avalon in Los Angeles last year at the end of the Hissing Fauna tour. We recorded the Atlanta show at The Tabernacle last weekend. Hopefully it will be a two-show double-disc DVD showing about it. Where we were and what we are now and what’s going to be in the future. I’ve seen the footage from the first one. I haven’t seen the second one yet. The first one looks incredible. Our video guy, the guy who does all our live stuff, is editing it now. I went through and mixed all of the audio. It’s gonna be pretty awesome.

NB: Oh cool. Well, thank you for joining us today. Listeners, once again this is Davey Pierce, the bassist from Of Montreal. Thank you so much for your time.

DP: No problem. Thank you