Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

Of Montreal

Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
(2007, Polyvinyl Records)
7.5/10

I had a hard time rating this album- I remember being absolutely in love with it when it first came out, but since then I have become somewhat jaded (maybe it's because they sucked live at Sundance). It' s a really great pop album, but that's about it. I've never been a huge Of Montreal fan. I usually like about 3-4 songs per release, but I can honestly say I actually enjoy the entire album Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?. The album is slightly darker than earlier Of Montreal releases. Singer, Kevin Barnes, was experiencing a bitter divorce and separation from his new daughter while writing the album which aided him in producing songs such as the new wave-ish "The Past is a Grotesque Animal," which has fairly depressing lyrics. But-even though critics have claimed this Kevin Barnes' darkest album, it's still Of Montreal- which means the music is still dancy, quick paced, and laid back. Barnes' wrote this album almost entirely on his own and poured his broken little heart right into it. If listened to lightly it may seem like a happy no-worries dance album, but if paid attention to you will realize the substance depth in the album. Sometimes it just feels a little too theatrical, like their music video for Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse, which I think is pretty hilarious. It's just so poppy, like drinking straight snow cone syrup, if there was such thing as extra bitter coffee flavored snow cones.

-Sassy Grass