Once upon a time of Montreal was a psychedelic twee pop band with Beatles-inspired melodies. Over the years, however, frontman Kevin Barnes has repeatedly flipped the script both on the band’s sound—from whimsical vaudeville to coquettish glam funk—and his own identity—Skeletal Lamping saw Barnes as a black she-male named Georgie Fruit. Now pushing their 12th studio album, it’s clear that despite their protean tendencies, of Montreal’s common denominator is inventive and hummable tunes and borderline ridiculous live shows involving everything from lobster claw props to real, living horses.
