Paralytic Stalks
Of Montreal
Polyvinyl
Every time I listen to an Of Montreal album, I wonder where exactly the listening experience will take me. Returning with their 11th studio album, Paralytic Stalks, the band transports the listener into the mind of frontman Kevin Barnes through personal lyrics and droning soundscapes.
The indie-pop group from Athens, Ga. (not Montreal) are known for their eclectic, genre-fusing style. Paralytic Stalks takes listeners through uncharted territory while revisiting the extensive mix of genres which brought them success in past albums.
A sense of uneasiness sets in with the echo-laced progressive rock opener, “Gelid Ascent.” Listeners get a glimpse of the darker parts of Barnes’ mind as his lyrics explore somber topics such as misanthropy, death and his struggling relationship with his wife.
The album shifts gears completely on the third track, “Dour Percentage.” With an upbeat nature and a piping flute, it delivers the lyrical content while taking a musical 180 with Barnes’ message.
However, it’s the core of Paralytic Stalks that really makes the album shine as each track takes the listener further into the depths of Barnes’ mind. “We Will Commit Wolf Murder” features a solid groove behind it, while subtly foreshadowing the album’s ensuing chaos. The tone grows ever more maniacal with soaring guitar solos and Barnes’ trademark layered vocal harmonies on “Ye, Renew the Plaintiff.”
“Wintered Debts” opens up with an acoustic guitar interlude before morphing into a honky-tonk country song, and then finally crashing into a dense soundscape of piano chords and atonal strings.
The final 20 minutes of the album are easily the strangest. “Exorcismic Breeding Knife” pushes the album’s experimental nature to another level, featuring Barnes’ listless spoken word vocals coupled with an orchestral section that offers no pleasing melodic sounds.
The 13-minute closing track “Authentic Pyrrhic Remission” features a mix of electronic song fragments which harken to the band’s earlier dance-oriented releases. The atonal orchestra returns full of screeching strings, gradually shifting into a delicate piano and vocal outro.
Paralytic Stalks is an excellent album and and arguably one of the finest produced by Of Montreal. This record may require a few listens to comprehend, but once you do it’s nothing short of genius. Both fragile and ferocious, it’s a joy to see the band push their experimental sound to new heights.
