Search - Of Montreal :: Icons Abstract Thee (Dig)

I love you volcanically

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 05/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know about anyone else, but I find that one of the marks of a good album is that you're left hungry for more.



And Of Montreal's latest is one of those albums, but fortunately the kooky twee-dancepop band has dropped a little EP to keep people satisfied. The "Icons, Abstract Thee" is basically a collection of songs that didn't make the "Hissing Fauna" album except as extra tracks, and they make a wonderfully weird accompaniment to the main album.



It opens with a deliciously dancy pop tune flavoured with keyboard, which basically bounces all the way through its love story. "She landed on her feet/and joined this fledgling rock group/as they toured the evil empire/selling T-shirts at the shows/she taught him what was real/she taught him he was OK/that his flaws were not just rubbish/that he had something good to give..."



It continues with the pleading "Voltaic Crusher/Undrum To Muted Da," with its retro keyboard and rollicking alt-rocky sound, only to change radically with "Derailments in a Place of Our Own." It's a slower, darker, more ominous little tune. It's a very different sound for Of Montreal ("Says she is depressed/and I am losing my mind...").



They turn out another different, tragic song in "Miss Blonde Your Papa is Falling," with its gentle guitar and mellow melody. But they get listeners dancing again with "No Conclusion," a pleasant little dancerock number, flavoured with more upbeat lyrics ("the darkness is just a suggestion") and some ripply keyboard. Ah, that's the Of Montreal we know and love.



"Icons Abstract Thee" is a bit surprising as an Of Montreal EP. Two of the songs are rather clearly depressing, and this is reflected in the music. And the final song takes awhile to warm up. But while some wouldn't fit on "Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer," these songs are nicely made and show Of Montreal's other dimensions.



Of Montreal uses a lot of guitar -- folky catchy stuff in the first few songs, but also some spare, mellow acoustic stuff that underlines the moments of pretty psychedelic synth, dancy keyboard and solid drums. The only song that stumbles a bit is the final song, which has moments of musical starkness between the catchy sprinkly dancepop.



Kevin Barnes exerts himself well in this one, when he's belting out "but there's nothing to RESPOOOOOOND" or crooning like Sufjan Stevens. And the lyrics are a mixture of mild neurosis ("I am a flaw!") and deliciously weird songcraft ("someone to love her VOLCANICALLY!... Christ knows she deserves something nice for a change").



But the peak would have to be in the songs about family breakups. One is a sad ballad to his wife, and in the Barnes sings sadly to his kid, "Was I born to give you a name/and then be erased/because I couldn't keep it together?"



"Icons Abstract Thee" is a lovely little accompaniment for the "Hissing Fauna" album. The last song is uneven, but this EP also shows off the different kinds of songs Of Montreal can make."

Better and better...

Francesco Macchia | Los Angeles, CA United States | 12/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know this EP is simply a collection of songs that didn't make it onto the last full-length, but WOW, this is amazing stuff. I've been listening to this EP for two months, and I just can't stop. "Voltaic Crusher" alone is worth the $8. It's bouncy, it's bubbly, and I think it just might be my favorite Of Montreal song ever. Lyrically, it's heart-wrenching, but hey, you can dance to it. And dance you will.



Of Montreal gets better and better with each release, and this EP will leave you salivating for more."

The Logical Extension of "Hissing Fauna"

Cale E. Reneau | Conroe, Texas United States | 06/15/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"NOTE: This album was not yet available on Amazon.com when I wrote this review.



Kevin Barnes and Of Montreal live for the music. Somewhere in the midst of non-stop touring around the world, Kevin still manages to find time to write and record brand new music. Of course, it's never enough to release a great LP every one or two years, as they have consistently done since their inception. No, Of Montreal is also all about the EP, ususally releasing one in conjunction with their main releases. "Icons, Abstract Thee" is the thematic companion to the group's latest release, "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" For those smart enough to preorder the album from Polyvinyl Records' website, you are probably the proud owner of this nice little EP. Everyone else has to either order it separately from the Polyvinyl Records website, or pick one up the next time the band comes through your town, as they will be made available on tour. Is it worth it though?



Kind of. You see, Of Montreal's EPs are largely collections of songs that didn't work on the full LP. For example, the Bonus EP that was released with "The Sunlandic Twins" was thematically similar to the album itself, but the style of the songs just didn't mesh well with the rest of the album. It's the same here. "Icons, Abstract Thee" is a collection of five songs that deserved to be heard, just not on "Hissing Fauna." There area couple songs about depression and relationship turmoil ("Derailments In A Place of Our Own" and "No Conclusion"), as well as your typically joyful songs about a band touring an evil kingdom ("Du Og Meg"). The standout track on the EP is arguably "Voltaic Crusher/Undrum To Muted Da" in which Barnes reflects on a relationship, saying, "You gave me your hand, I gave you a fist. Please don't lose any sleep over me, baby. I hardly exist." Of course, that upbeat dance track is countered quite beautifully by "Miss Blonde, Your Papa Is Failing," an acoustic guitar ballad that has Barnes singing "When I look in your eyes I see me looking back" to what I'm assuming is his own child. It's an extremely touching song that sounds like it could've been ripped right off of "Cherry Peel" due to it's lack of electronic flourishes.



Overall, the EP has a much heavier feel to it, tackling the same subject matters as their latest LP, but doing so much more bluntly this time around. On "No Conclusion" Barnes cries out "Tonight I feel like destroying myself," followed ever so gently by "I'm O.D.-ing on your c**ksucker blues." It probably wasn't a bad idea to leave these songs off of the album. None of them are really all that terrible, and most are actually really good. But musically, these songs would just be a distraction on what is otherwise a fantastic album.



The hardcore Of Montreal fans should definitely check it out, but I have trouble recommending it to anyone else.



Key Tracks:

1. "Voltaic Crusher/Undrum To Muted Da"

2. "Miss Blonde, Your Papa Is Failing"



6 out of 10 Stars"