From the middle of the band’s world tour, Kevin Barnes from of Montreal found the time to answer a few questions from Jude Clarke, sharing his thoughts on lyric writing, album packaging and his major influences and favourite collaborations. There’s also news of an exciting new project for early next year.
FeaturesAuthor Jude Clarke
Envy – Recitation
Despite being signed in Europe to Mogwai’s Rock Action label, this is not a band that can be simply filed away under Post-Rock, nor indeed Hardcore – Jude Clarke tries to describe the majesty of Envy.
The Posies – Blood/Candy
An album demonstrating just how varied, diverse, beautiful crafted and deceptively complex a band can become while still producing songs that lift the heart.
Of Montreal – False Priest
Kevin Barnes’ flamboyant, experimental, fascinating band returns with album number ten: a loved-up, witty, wordy and yet somehow quite grounded confection featuring two of R&B’s most exciting up-and-coming divas.
TLOBF Interview // The Posies
With Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer, the band’s “musical polymaths” back working together for the last five years, the second act of The Posies’ ongoing and far-reaching career is continuing and thriving.
On the eve of the release of their much-anticipated 7th album Blood/Candy, Jude Clarke put the same set of questions to the pair, and got these thoughtful, detailed and fascinating answers, providing great insight into their influences, history, and how they collaborate to produce their brand of “moderate, brainy, literate, melodic indie rock”.
The Burns Unit – Side Show
A collaboration of eight Scottish and Canadian musicians that really pays off: producing wise, weary, and grown up tales worth telling.
TLOBF Interview // Villagers
Hot on the heels of his Mercury Music Prize nomination, Jude Clarke got a chance to fire some questions at Conor O’Brien aka Villagers, about said nomination, lyrical inspiration and festivals.
Cambridge Folk Festival – 29/07 to 01/08/2010
Jude Clarke experiences one of the UK’s most established festivals, in her own back yard, witnessing the great and the good of the Folk world.
WOOM – Muu’s Way
A fiendishly uncategorisable debut from this befuddling, beguiling, engaging and quite charming Oakland duo.
Richard Youngs – Beyond The Valley Of Ultrahits
The experimental and prolific Youngs’ “pop” album reveals itself as a tranquil, subtle, understated success.
Micah P Hinson – … And The Pioneer Saboteurs
On this fourth album of original material, Micah P Hinson produces a grave, sometimes stern and serious, but frequently beautiful piece of work. By giving the music and arrangements equal weight to that of his superlative vocal talents, he has produced and album of depth and resonance.
Roky Erickson feat. Okkervil River – True Love Cast out All Evil
This collaboration between Roky Erickson (of legendary and heavily influential 1960s psych rockers 13th Floor Elevators) and modern-day Pitchfork-indie heroes Okkervil River is one of those projects that cannot be listened to, or indeed reviewed, simply at face value.
