Of Montreal And Elf Power
I almost gave up on Elephant 6. Then Of Montreal's Satanic Panic In The Attic appeared on my desk and after a dozen listens, I wanna move to Athens.
I think my favorite E6 disc is Olivia Tremor Control's Black Foliage. Of Montreal doesn't come close to OTC's unconventional song structures or wild tape splicing, but it's definitely got that familiar psych-pop vibe. Certainly as poppy and Pet Sounds-inspired as the entire Apples In Stereo catalog.
Like that album cover? If you've got $100 and a headshot David Barnes will personalize a portrait of you in that style.
Download Of Montreal - "Chrissy Kiss The Corpse" and Of Montreal - "Disconnect The Dots".
Also recommended: Elf Power's Walking With The Beggar Boys. You can read a review by Liv Tyler here.
Download Elf Power - "Never Believe"
Posted at 2:47 PM
Tags: Elf Power | of Montreal | Olivia Tremor Control
nothing on kurt cobain? is it too cliche?
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http://www.stereogum.com/archives/001385.html
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1. I just wish their name wasn't Elf Power. There's something just so precious and twee about it, when really their music sounds like more sincere and lower-fi gin blossoms. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure that this sound is making a comeback. I mean, if the trashcan sinatras can have a come-back album, elf power will surely be fine. Oh, and the song is good. I like it. Seriously.
2. However, I can't really get into the "of montreal." The surf-styled guitar riffs do make me want to shake my head back and forth like a peanuts character, but, like with the apples in stereo, I'm just not a fan of the powerpuff-girl style. I can see why people like it, but it's just not for me yet. The breakdown with the faster drumrolls and thumping bassline is very promising, so maybe the rest of the album is better.
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oh, stereogum, you disappoint me! or is it too dull and predictable to dub neutral milk hotel's "the aeroplane over the sea" as one's favourite E6 album?
if that's the case, the apples in stereo still reign supreme over of montreal, as do fringe E6'ers beulah.
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The new Elf Power album is stellar. They appear to get better and better with each album. Same with Of Montreal, who kicked out a great album with Aldhis Alborateum or however you spell it.
While OTC never did it for me, the Apples in Stereo are one of my faves. They're touring with Apollo Sunshine right now, too, who are great.
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I'm a fan of Apples and Beulah and wasn't trying to diss them.
Everyone goes apeshit for that Neutral Milk Hotel disc. I like it, I just don't LOVE it as much as y'all.
Perhaps I picked an unrepresentative OM song to stream. "Eros' Entropic Tundra" is pretty too.
We should all make lists of our 6 favorite E6 albums. That would be a good waste of Friday afternoon.
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oh, you're so diplomatic! totally charming. i know you weren't dissing the other E6'ers. (:
that being said, i'm all for wasting time on a friday when the markets are closed, and i have nothing better to do:
*neutral milk hotel -- the aeroplane over the sea
*beluah -- yoko (it pains me not to list "when your heartstrings break", but "yoko" kicks major ass)
*apples in stereo -- the discovery of a world inside the moone
*olivia tremor control -- black foliage
*elf power -- when the red king comes
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merde! that's only five! apparently, in addition to being bored, i can't count!
well hell, that means I CAN add beulah's "when your heartstrings break"
i also meant to mention this as well: i've never been much for of montreal -- they've never quite clicked for me -- but i'm always up for giving them another shot.
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I hope Eliza Jane chimes in with another Beulah defense as she is the biggest Beulah fan I know.
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I thought E6 "died" in 2002 (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/02-10/22.shtml). Does the new Of Montreal disc have the E6 logo on it?
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I'll always associate these bands to E6, even if it is defunct.
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>I'll always associate these bands to E6, even if it is defunct.
Same here. I was just wondering if they had officially revived the collective recently or something.
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wait, is that review really supposed to be by liv tyler, or is it a joke? i'm confused. (no way in hell did she write that review.)
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Lapatron, you DON'T want to move to Athens. Believe me when I tell you.
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Chrissy kiss the corpse- sounds like a theme song to a 70's Sid and Marty Kroft kids show.
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my friend joe got david barnes to do his picture. it's in his friendster profile - here:
http://www.friendster.com/user.jsp?id=569636
absolutely amazing.
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1. Of Montreal - The Gay Parade
2. Neutral Milk Hotel - In an Aeroplane Over the Sea
3. Beulah - When Your Heartstrings Break
4. Of Montreal - Horse and Elephant Eatery (No Elephants Allowed)
5. Olivia Tremor Control - Dusk at Cubist Castle
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Aeroplane is definitely the best by far, in my opinion. Although it took me over a year after I purchased the album to figure this out. That album is amazing concerning how your initial reactions (mine was ejection after the second track and shelved) evolve into a deep love. It explains why the first Pitchfork 90's list had Aeroplane at 80-something and how last autumn's 90's list suddenly pushed it up to #4.
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spent about 5 years in athens during the late 90s/early 00s, when all this E6 stuff was coming to a head. i'm in colorado now (an attempt at grad school: i bailed), but my wife and i are moving back about this time next year (i intend to open a record store...or at least buy into one of the existing stores). during my time in athens, attending UGA, i was so heavily into this syrupy, lovable nonsense i began choking on it...i used to wake up every morning to of montreal's debut, CHERRY PEEL. yikes. several years later, there is a handful of the coule dozen E6 albums i bought that i can still listen to. the top 6 would have to be:
6) gerbils - ARE YOU SLEEPY (the great songwriting almost makes up for the bob-dylan-by-way-of-a-helium-balloon vocals)
5) of montreal - CHERRY PEEL (though the subsequent EP, THE BIRD WHO CONTINUES TO EAT THE RABBIT'S FLOWER is better, just too short)
4) elf power - A DREAM IN SOUND
3) olivia tremor control - ...DUSK AT CUBIST CASTLE (the last song of which--"nyc-25"--is probably my favorite E6 song ever)
2) neutral milk hotel - IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA (pretty safe bet that i was the only kid at my high school in macon that had this album)
1) chocolate usa - SMOKE MACHINE (julian koster's band...he was the singing saw player/mascot of OTC, NMH, and the gerbils)
by the way, this is my first real visit to your site. very cool. i intend to return regularly. you're doing good things.
~davy
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