Of Montreal’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Of Montreal
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl Records; January
2007)

Indie quintet Of Montreal – who are, by
the way, from Georgia – has returned for round eight in the form of
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? The name of this
album sums it up pretty well. It has no discernible meaning aside
from whatever impression you get from first glance, and if you
don’t appreciate that, then in all likelihood you won’t appreciate
the music. Perpetuating the lo-fi, cartoony sound that is the
hallmark of the Elephant Six group, Hissing Fauna sports beeping
Pac-man sounds, droll lyrics, and sing-along choruses, such as that
in the first track, “Suffer for Fashion.” There is, however, a sombre undertone
to a few of the tracks. On “A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger,”
frontman Kevin Barnes sings, “I spent the winter on the verge of a
total breakdown while living in Norway.” But with carnival sound
effects and dizzy instrumentals in the background, the intended
effect on the listener is just not clear. Pick it up if you’re a
fan, but newcomers be warned.