Of Montreal – Satanic Panic in the Attic
From the acoustic whimsy of The Bedside Drama to the large-scale psychedelic exploration of Coqueliquot Asleep In The Poppies and the concise, lysergic pop-rock gems of Aldhils Arboretum, Of Montreal’s sound has twisted beautifully in a constant flux of evolution and devolution. And with its talented, ever-changing parade of band members, the one golden thread tying everything together has been frontman Kevin Barnes’ idiosyncratic-yet-accessible songwriting. On Satanic Panic In the Attic, he takes control, playing most of the instruments himself. The melodic mastery and indie-pop bliss continue, but with mild-to-heavy injections of glossy ’80s New Wave—minus the brooding darkness of many of the genre’s notable acts. And though cast in a different light, the ’60s psychedelia is still front-and-center on Panic, but Barnes has found some sparkly new keyboard sounds and yet another fantastic muse.