The past few tumultuous years for Of Montreal's do-everything frontman Kevin Barnes have been well-documented through his music, a trend that continues on his band's new release, Skeletal Lamping. On the group's past two albums, Barnes shared the problems of his marriage, as well as his liberal ideas on using multiple personalities, resulting from his off-stage troubles and newfound freedom. These personalities notably include a forty-something, African-American transgender named Georgie Fruit.
It makes sense, therefore, that he follows such a deeply personal and trying time with this eccentric album that provides him space to go anywhere and say anything through his music.
With his search for creativity and freedom in mind, Barnes formed Skeletal Lamping with a wide variety of short clips that could not stand as songs by themselves. As a result, there are very few tracks on the album that adhere to typical song structures. Instead, it is apparent throughout that he organized different segments of music together where he found intriguing connections, creating structured pop songs in only the few instances where the idea developed in a way that could sustain itself. Two good examples of more developed songs, For Our Elegant Caste"" and ""Gallery Piece,"" also serve as good examples of another blaring theme on this album: sexuality.
Barnes, in his post-marital freedom, has struck a new level of sexual flamboyance that he is not shy about expressing through his music. Some of the lyrics are so blunt and forthright that there is no room for personal space, as his association of sex and love are anything but endearing. Even on ""For Our Elegant Caste"" when Barnes' delivery comes across as courteously remindful when saying, ""We can do it softcore if you want / But you should know I take it both ways,"" the lyrics' level of intimacy can be deafening for the first couple of listens.
Luckily, these intimate phrasings become intriguing once absorbed. For example, on ""Gallery Piece,"" his expressive pleas are captivatingly paradoxical, such as ""I wanna hurt you bad / Make you paranoid / And say the sweetest things,"" and as a testament to Barnes' developed writing they maintain this element as they become more obscene throughout the song.
These two overarching themes, unique structure and overtly sexual lyrics, provide enough intrigue to keep Of Montreal fans happy and occupied. Even more, there are some quality songs that combine erratic production with Barnes' unique style perfectly. The only problem is that it takes a few quality listens before the extremes of this album become more familiar and understandable. Once the madness is sorted out, however, Skeletal Lamping has plenty of fun and personality to sustain itself as the next chapter in Kevin Barnes' newly established, autobiographical discography.
