Music Review: Of Montreal

The last couple albums have proven that indie cornerstones (and obvious non-Canadians) Of Montreal are reveling in a period of prolonged creativity. In 2004, Satanic Panic in the Attic brought an enormous amount of attention to the band's pop-heavy songs and bursting-at the-seams production.

Historically, Of Montreal have borrowed a lot from their Elephant Six comrades (Neutral Milk Hotel, Apples in Stereo, etc.), but their new album, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, shows a whole new level of ingenuity. While it retains the ebullient psychedelic atmosphere and ruthless choral experimentalism of past ventures, clearly Hissing Fauna is a venue for frontman Kevin Barnes' change in perspective.

Barnes and his wife moved in 2004 from his childhood home of Athens, Ga., to far-off Norway; soon after, their marriage was on the rocks, and Barnes fell into a deep depression. Consequently, he focused on writing some of the songs which would later be developed on Hissing Fauna. This shift toward more introverted, personal songwriting comes through on many of the album's tracks, like the jangle-pop anthem "Suffer For Fashion," or the sad and solipsistic "She's a Rejecter."

Barnes also explores the realms of electronica and dance, building on the upbeat and occasionally funky vibe of the group's past work. While the new album isn't lyrically brilliant, Of Montreal continues their trend of lush and original songwriting, and they rarely miss a beat.