Kevin Barnes - of Montreal

Of Montreal

of Montreal consists of musicians Kevin Barnes, Bryan Poole (the Late B.P. Helium), Dottie Alexander, Davey Pierce, Clayton Rychlik, Kaoru Ishibashi, Nicolas Dobbratz, and Thayer Sarrano. The group has recorded eleven studio albums, beginning with Cherry Peel, and, most recently, Paralytic Stalks, which was released on February 8, 2012 on Polyvinyl. While melodic pop has always been Barnes' primary vehicle, his style has managed to transform significantly since the 1997 release of Cherry Peel. The acoustic tendencies of early albums gradually transformed into a more electronic, funk, and overall eclectic sound. One of the features which often appears in Barnes' songwriting is his penchant for composing upbeat melodies to gloomy lyrics and morose subject matter. At different periods in the band's career he has dealt with subjects both personal and fictional. He is a prolific lyricist with a tendency to employ unusual words and phrases, as well as complicated wordplay.