Search - Of Montreal :: Gay Parade

More than just "cute"

Rob Damm | 01/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of Montreal are not a novelty act. They are musical visionaries. With "The Gay Parade", they have crafted what is easily one of the best "concept" albums since Jethro Tull's "A Passion Play". It's just a mark of how times have changed to realize that 30 years ago, "Passion Play" was a #1 record and "The Gay Parade" will probably only be heard by a few thousand people. Frustratiing, huh?Anyway, be glad that you are one of the few that cares enough to discover this record. Is it odd? you bet. Quirky, weird, psychedelic. Probably. Cute? No. That does it a disservice. It is a brillinatly conceived song-cycle of character sketches. The characters are, of course, an eccentric lot. A guy obsessed with a certain mean boxer, a widower with his "dogs for friends" awaiting death, a French firemen pining for heroism, an ecstatic dude waxing poetic about mowing the lawn while his wife knits. While the vocals approach giddy and cartoonish, the songs themselves can range for hilarious to rather disturbing--- often with one turn-of-phrase. There is indeed a intangible saddness looming over this private world, despite the Crayola surroundings.The sound of the record is fascinating. The best thing about bands like Of Montreal, Olivia Tremor Control, etc. is that they know exactly the sonic landscape they wish to create and accomplish it with minimalist recording technology. The result is a sonic juggernaut of an album that sounds at once high-concept and low-fidelity... hiss, tape saturation, drops-outs--- all part of the sound. And it's damn near brilliant. Horns, tape manipulations, choirs of mice, saws, kazoos, plastic guitars--- many of the instruments barely in tune. To my ear, it sounds like a benediction. At the end of the record Kevin Barnes advises his listeners that they now know the way into the world of "The Gay Parade" and can return any time they like.... Can't I just set up camp and *stay*, Kev?"

Come join the "Parade"

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 01/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of Montreal has built a career on exuberant, sweet concept albums that bounce with life and love. "The Gay Parade" is a snapshot of them at their best -- it has the strangeness of "Cocquelicot," but is more accessable. These songs cheery oddball pop, but it sounds so uncalculated that it never quite sounds twee.



The acoustic/piano-ballad "Old Familiar Way" starts off the album, but it mostly focuses on how "It's amazing the wonders you can find/Just by stepping outside." Only at the end does Kevin Barnes greet listeners with "Welcome to the Gay Parade!" The album then switches to a bunch of songs about the glorious people, such as the bouncy dancey "Fun-Loving Nun," singsong "Tulip Baroo," and "The Miniature Philosopher."



While describing boxers, grandfathers and stuttering organ grinders, Barnes and Co. don't stray away from their typical little sweet songs: there's a carnival sound to "March of the Gay Parade," a goofy little sweet song. Elsewhere Barnes sings eagerly about the "Domestic Life," longs for special friends, and chronicles the story of Niki Coco, before finally bidding farewell in "The Gay Parade Outro."



The entire album more or less revolves around the Gay Parade, and how much happier the people in it (and near it) are. The general feeling is that it's not so much a real gathering as a state of mind -- enjoying the little things, "making friends with trees and animals," and seeing the magic of the world.



The songs rely heavily on Barnes' acoustic guitar, and the sweet piano pop that comes into the intro and outro. Little chimes and psychedelic swooshes give it an even more whimsical feel. And an electric organ gives a sort of dancey fun feel to "Fun Loving Nun," to the point where it's hard to notice Barnes' weird lyrics.



Kevin Barnes has that sort of likably offbeat voice that really sounds good in oddball pop. Sort of like Jeff Mangum, but a bit less nasal. And the songwriting is either goofy ("I'd be a yellow feathered loon for you baby/Be a German shepherd on the moon for you baby") or brilliant ("He would suddenly appear at Meg's door/He'd rent a mariachi band and respectfully demand/His dear Meg to take his hand/And to be his forever more"). You make the call -- often they're both.



Somehow the most enjoyable part of the whole thing is where where Barnes solemnly informs us, "Now that you know the way/And perhaps someday/You'll be able to stay with us/Forever inside the gay parade." In other words, hit repeat."

Simply amazin, one of the best themed albums ever...

Shaggy | Sioux Falls, SD USA | 07/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard Gay Parade I was a bit unsure what to think. They were songs that I quite enjoyed immediately (My Favorite Boxer, Old Familiar Way) and some that made me feel like pushing the Skip Track button (The March of the Gay Parade). The second time I started to enjoy every song more and more, until now, where I love every song on this album completely. The mixture of simple and complex songs, the voice of Kevin Barnes, the theme, everything, it's all pure musical gold.This album isn't for everyone, it definitely has a children story like quality in many places, but don't let it bother you. If you can learn to get to used to such a theme, it'll make you appreciate this musical masterpiece even more."