Of Montreal

Of Montreal’s sixth album continues the broad horizon of psychedelic pop that made them a part of Athens’ Elephant 6 collective. Led by the defiant Kevin Barnes, the band has proceeded to move their vividly colourful ’60s-tinged pop music into a zone of ’70s and ’80s electronics and Afrobeat rhythms. We’re not talking Kraftwerk and Fela Kuti, but there’s a sense of urgency that Barnes needed to spruce up the music and it’s helped slightly. As with all Of Montreal records, Satanic Panic in the Attic is filled with a wild imagination and is never short of kaleidoscopic visions. "Lysergic Blues” is a grand composition that moves in many different directions and peaks near the end when the vocal workouts and aforementioned rhythm section take over. "My British Tour Diary” manages to preserve the familiar pop sound Of Montreal are known for with some of Barnes’ most creative lyrics yet (including a nice Gary Glitter reference). As E6 seems to fall off the musical radar more and more, it’s refreshing to see that Of Montreal are still at it plugging away their enthusiastic psych-pop.