Monday, March 19, 2007

(03.19.07) Recommends:

Of Montreal, "The Past is a Grotesque Animal" from "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" (Polyvinyl, 2007).

2007 has been a very strong year for new music releases. Nearing one-fourth of the way through the year, it seems like a good time to stop and reflect on all this goodness. Today, I put forth my front runner for Track of the Year. Of Montreal really puts it all together on this track. The song is a Dylanesque effort: a lyrical bender that clocks in at 11:53. And the lyrics on this thing are just fucking incredible. There are at least a half-dozen lyrics that are now in competition for Greatest Lyrics Ever. Including:

"I fell in love with the first cute girl that I met
Who could appreciate George Bataille
Standing at Swedish festival discussing the 'Story of the Eye'"

"Things could be different but they're not" (repeat)

"It's so embarrassing to need someone like I do you
How can I explain I need you here and not here too."

"But you know, no matter where we are
We're always touching by underground wires"

But none of those compare with the song's greatest line:
"But it's like we weren't made for this world
Though I wouldn't really want to meet someone who was"

And then there's the music. It's some kind of psyche-techno-synthe-disco-indie rock. It could equally track a great dream or a nightmare. I imagine it's the preferred party music for German scenesters and robots. In fact, it could be played at a German scenester/robot party that took place in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and neither the German scenesters nor the robots would be able to tell that the song was released in 2007. Timeless, is what I'm getting at.

Talking about this song does it no justice. Listen to it; you'll be mesmerized:

Of Montreal-The Past Is a Grotesque Animal

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