---Brandon Howard
-----Released 17 January 2020 on Polyvinyl Record Co.
Out of the brilliant Elephant 6 collective, indie rock royalty of Montreal seem to be the only act with consistent new releases. Their contemporaries, bands such as Neutral Milk Hotel or The Apples in Stereo, respectably preferred to rest on their laurels and let their legacies speak for themselves. of Montreal's songwriter and band leader, Kevin Barnes, has chosen quantity over quality, having amassed 16 studio albums since their origin in 1996. It's safe to say that the band's golden years are behind them; their trio of albums in the late 2000's achieved chart success and helped create a much firmer foundation from which the band continues to operate. But fortunately for them, it seems that they've avoided stomping on their old success by releasing albums that plateaued at a certain standard rather than deteriorate over time. In other words, while the new albums don't seem to attract new fans, they continue to satiate the faithful.
UR FUN is remarkably modern sounding for an of Montreal record. While their lo-fi aesthetic and quirks haven't completely disappeared, it's very clear that this record tries very hard to adapt to the current sound in a way that I haven't heard from them before. It's a creative decision made to help them stay relevant, but when it comes to the arrangements of the songs, it doesn't always work out. The albums opening track and first single, "Peace to All Freaks" maintains the lyrical eclecticism we've come to recognize through their career, however the arrangements sound like run-of-the-mill 2000’s indie pop and the songwriting is predictable compared to the twists and turns that Barnes has proven himself capable of.
Funny enough, I found the album improves dramatically as it goes on, with tracks like "Get God's Attention by being an Atheist" and "Deliberate Self-Harm Ha Ha" being songwriting highlights buried among the record. The second single, "You've Had Me Everywhere" is a great blend of old and new; it maintains the streamlined modern aesthetic while capturing the heartfelt character that makes the band so endearing. Much like the crescendo in quality through-out it's track list, I found I enjoyed it more upon continuous listens. of Montreal releases have been consistent stylistically, so even when they attempt to sonically "freshen up," it's easy to fall into the mindset of knowing what to expect—but beneath the monotony of what the band's sound has become there's still great songwriting to be found if you can focus on the album as an individual work rather than byproduct of what has already existed.
Unlike most bands past their prime, I'm happy to see of Montreal keeping at it. I doubt any new efforts will ever reach the success of 2008's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer or their follow up classic Skeletal Lamping, but fans of their 20+ year career won't be disappointed. The exceptional creative drive of a younger Kevin Barnes hasn't faded out entirely, and while the later records may not be as innovative, he still bears the mark of mastery and experience. The times and band members may have changed but the core of what we love about of Montreal has thankfully stayed the same.
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