The brainchild of singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes, euphoric indie popsters Of Montreal were among the second wave of bands to emerge from the sprawling Elephant 6 collective out of Athens, Georgia. Of Montreal is not, however, predictable. After several albums on Kindercore, Bar/None and Track & Field, Of Montreal has exploded from cult appeal to international popularity in the U.S. With its union of Kinks-inspired, late-'60s rock send-up and '80s-era synth stylings, the 2004 album (the first one one on Polyvinyl Records) Satanic Panic in the Attic planted the seeds for a new audience. The dance-inducing, idiosyncratic electro-pop masterpiece Sunlandic Twins cultivated that expanded and ever-enthusiastic audience, letting a growing legion of fans flourish. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? arrived in January 2007, the darkest, most personal and most ambitious album to date.

Pop, Progressive, Rock aus London