May 16, 2024 By Mark Redfern

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, is releasing a new album, Lady on the Cusp, this Friday via Polyvinyl. Now he has shared its third single, “Soporific Cell.” More

Apr 16, 2024 By Mark Redfern

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, is releasing a new album, Lady on the Cusp, on May 17 via Polyvinyl. Now he has shared its second single, “Rude Girl on Rotation,” via a music video. More

Mar 05, 2024 By Mark Redfern

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, has announced a new album, Lady on the Cusp, and shared its first single, “Yung Hearts Bleed Free,” via a music video. Of Montreal has also announced some new tour dates. More

Jul 08, 2022 By Mark Redfern (with Joey Arnone)

Welcome to the 26th Songs of the Week of 2022. We didn’t do a Songs of the Week last week as pickings were slim in the run up to the long July 4th weekend, so this week’s list covers songs from the last two weeks. Thus we have a supersized Top 15. The list includes two pro-choice songs. More

Jul 07, 2022 By Joey Arnone

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, has shared an animated video for their new single, “Blab Sabbath Lathe of Maiden.” It is the latest release from their forthcoming album, Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck, which will be out on July 29 via Polyvinyl. More

Jun 03, 2022 By Mark Redfern (with Joey Arnone)

Welcome to the 22nd Songs of the Week of 2022. Thanks to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, it was a fairly quiet week for new singles (or at least new singles we loved). We even considered skipping Songs of the Week this week, but found enough we liked for a Top 10 list. More

Jun 01, 2022 By Joey Arnone

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, has announced the release of a new album, Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck, which will be out on July 29 via Polyvinyl. Barnes has also announced a tour and has shared an animated video for a new album single, “Marijuana’s a Working Woman.” More

Feb 13, 2020 By Christopher Roberts

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, released a new album, UR FUN, in January via Polyvinyl. Now they have shared a strange video for the album’s “Get God’s Attention By Being An Atheist.” It features pre-school aged kids (including Barnes’ own nephew) fending off demons. More

Jan 17, 2020 By Christopher Roberts

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, have released a new album, UR FUN, today via Polyvinyl. Now that the album is out, you can stream the whole thing here. More

Jan 10, 2020 By Christopher Roberts

Welcome to the first Songs of the Week of 2020. We haven’t done a Songs of the Week in a month, since December 6, but this list still mainly covers songs released in the last week or so. There weren’t too many new songs of note released in late November. More

Jan 09, 2020 By Christopher Roberts

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, are releasing a new album, UR FUN, on January 17 via Polyvinyl. Now Barnes has shared another song from the album, “You’ve Had Me Everywhere.” More

Dec 05, 2019 By Christopher Roberts

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, are releasing a new album, UR FUN, on January 17, 2020 via Polyvinyl. Now Barnes has shared another song from the album, “Polyaneurism,” via a video for the track. More

Nov 15, 2019 By Christopher Roberts

Welcome to another Songs of the Week. Lots of big songs this week from some notable artists, so the pickings weren’t slim. More

Nov 14, 2019 By Christopher Roberts

Of Montreal, the project of Kevin Barnes, have announced a new album, UR FUN, and shared its first single, “Peace to All Freaks.” More

Apr 17, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

If you support Under the Radar‘s Patreon page at the minimum contribution of at least $1.00 a month you get access to our Patreon-only feed featuring exclusive content only available to Patreon supporters and you will also help keep one of the last print music magazines strong and vital. More

Mar 21, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal released a new album, White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood, a couple of weeks back via Polyvinyl. Last night they stopped by Comedy Central’s political satire talk show The Opposition with Jordan Klepper to perform two songs. More

Mar 09, 2018 By Lee Adcock

For this week’s album of the week, we could begin in a tired tirade on how we should forefront any dialogue on resistance, and especially from people of color. And that’s true, but to label Cocoa Sugar as “protest music” would overlook the electrified soul of Young Fathers that swerves in a love-drunk stupor through their 10-year output. More

Feb 16, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

This week Under the Radar favorite Courtney Barnett announced her new album and shared a new song and fellow favorites Beach House announced that a new album was coming and shared a new song. More

Feb 15, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood, on March 9 via Polyvinyl. Previously of Montreal shared the album’s first single, “Paranoiac Intervals/Body Dysmorphia.” (It was one of our Songs of the Week.) Then there was a video for the song. Now they have shared another song from the album, “Plateau Phase/No Careerism No Corruption,” via a colorful video directed by Christina Eleni Schneider and Clayton Rychlik. More

Feb 05, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood, on March 9 via Polyvinyl. Now they have shared a cover of Molly Drake’s “Love Isn’t a Right,” but it’s not a track from the new album. More

Jan 31, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood, on March 9 via Polyvinyl. Previously they shared the album’s first single, “Paranoiac Intervals/Body Dysmorphia.” (It was one of our Songs of the Week.) More

Jan 19, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

2018 is coming on strong with lots of fantastic new tracks this week in our second Songs of the Week post of the year. Like last week, it was definitely a challenge to narrow it down to only 10. Preoccupations, The Spook School, Hinds, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, St. Vincent remixed by Kelly Lee Owens, Eels, and Hinds all could have easily made the Top 10, but it was a competitive week. More

Jan 16, 2018 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal have announced a new album, White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood, and shared its first single, “Paranoiac Intervals/Body Dysmorphia.” More

Jan 13, 2017 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal released a new album, Innocence Reaches, last August via Polyvinyl. Now the band has surprise-released a brand new EP. Rune Husk contains four songs and can be streamed below via Spotify and Apple Music. More

Nov 11, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

The great Champaign, Il based indie record label Polyvinyl turns 20 this year. To honor that, on November 25th they are putting out a new compilation, Polyvinyl Plays Polyvinyl, in which its artists cover other artists on the label. More

Sep 09, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of our 2016 Protest Issue (out September, October, and into November), which is out now both digitally and on newsstands. We’ve done a Protest Issue every U.S. Presidential election year since 2004 and as before this issue features articles examining the intersection of music and politics and photo shoots with musicians holding protest signs of their own making. Then in mid-October we will be launching our charity Protest Auction, in which we auction off all the protest signs in the issue, with all profits going to the American Cancer Society. More

Sep 01, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal released a new album, Innocence Reaches, last month via Polyvinyl. The band previously shared the album’s first single, the fantastically produced pop song “it’s different for girls,” as well as a great dance party of a music video, “my fair lady,” and danceable album opener “let’s relate.” More

Aug 04, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, Innocence Reaches, on August 12 via Polyvinyl. The band previously shared the album’s first single, the fantastically produced pop song “it’s different for girls,” as well as a great dance party of a music video, “my fair lady,” and danceable album opener “let’s relate.” Now you can stream the whole album below via NPR First Listen. More

Aug 03, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, Innocence Reaches, on August 12 via Polyvinyl. The band previously shared the album’s first single, the fantastically produced pop song “it’s different for girls,” as well as a great dance party of a music video, and “my fair lady.” More

Jul 21, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, Innocence Reaches, on August 12 via Polyvinyl. The band previously shared the album’s first single, the fantastically produced pop song “it’s different for girls,” as well as a great dance party of a music video. More

Jun 29, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal are releasing a new album, Innocence Reaches, on August 12 via Polyvinyl. The band previously shared the album’s first single, the fantastically produced pop song “it’s different for girls.” More

Jun 22, 2016 By Joshua M. Miller

of Montreal has announced a massive Fall US tour. More

Jun 01, 2016 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and of Montreal seem to release a new album every year these days, but what’s even more impressive is that most of them are fairly great records. Now 2016’s offering has been revealed, of Montreal has announced a new album, Innocence Reaches, which is due out August 12 via Polyvinyl. More

Aug 06, 2015 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and his of Montreal band have shared a new video for “Last Rites At the Jane Hotel.” Matthew Cooper directed the creepy but colorful stop-motion animated clip that includes a skeleton riding a bicycle and cats and spiders in skeleton masks. The song is taken from the band’s latest studio album, Aureate Gloom, which came out back in March. More

Jul 06, 2015 By Marie Noble

Last weekend, Gdynia, Poland hosted Open’er Festival—the country’s largest four-day music event. More

Jun 03, 2015 By Christopher Roberts

Kevin Barnes and his of Montreal band have announced some new U.S. tour dates. Their full run takes them from late August to early November. The band’s latest studio album, Aureate Gloom, came out back in March. More

Mar 29, 2015 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar‘s own Wendy Lynch Redfern and Laura Studarus were down in Austin for SXSW last week. Here’s a selection of their live photos from the Under the Radar Daytime event at The Flamingo Cantina on Thursday, March 19, 2015. More

Mar 11, 2015 By Laura Studarus

We’re not going to try to explain of Montreal’s new video for Aureate Gloom cut “Bassem Sabry.” More

Mar 06, 2015 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar magazine is excited to reveal the full lineups, poster, and set times for our two SXSW 2015 events. This year we are having a day party at the Flamingo Cantina on Thursday, March 19, and an official nighttime showcase at Central Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 21. Our events are set to feature performances from of Montreal, Mew, Torres, San Fermin, East India Youth, Matthew E. White, Jacco Gardner, Boxed In, SOAK, Amason, Springtime Carnivore, Pompeii, Talk in Tongues, and Dinner. More

Mar 06, 2015 By Mike Hilleary

On the heels of their brand new album Aureate Gloom, of Montreal have announced the Record Store Day release of a brand new live album titled, Snare Lustrous Doomings. More

Feb 23, 2015 By Mike Hilleary

Next week, of Montreal return with their newest album Aureate Gloom. More

Jan 07, 2015 By Laura Studarus

of Montreal, a.k.a. the band that never sleeps, is at it again. More

Dec 19, 2014 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of the Best of 2014 Issue, which is about to hit newsstands and will be out all of January and February. It features St. Vincent on the cover and interviews with some of the artists behind 2014’s best albums. More

Dec 09, 2014 By Mike Hilleary

Following last year’s lousy with sylvianbriar of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes recently revealed that the band’s follow-up Aureate Gloom would soon see the light of day. More

Oct 02, 2014 By Cody Ray Shafer

In an interview with Stereogum’s Chris DeVille, Kevin Barnes, the notoriously eccentric mind behind of Montral, discussed the band’s upcoming 13^th LP, Aureate Gloom. More

Mar 05, 2014 By Laura Studarus

Oh come on Record Store Day, like you couldn’t get any cooler. What is that you say? of Montreal is releasing a remastered vinyl of 2004’s Satanic Panic In The Attic? More

Jan 28, 2014 By Mike Hilleary

Releasing their latest album Lousy With Svlvianbriar last year, of Montreal have announced plans for a new round of touring behind the effort. More

Jan 27, 2014 By Mike Hilleary

Last year the ever-prolific Kevin Barnes and his band of Montreal released their latest record Lousy With Svlvianbriar. More

Oct 22, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. More

Oct 16, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for three days this week we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Here’s part three. More

Oct 15, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Here’s part two. More

Oct 14, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Lousy With Sylvianbriar was released last week on Polyvinyl. More

Oct 11, 2013 By Mike Hilleary

Recently releasing his twelve album Lousy With Svlvianbriar musical reinventionist Kevin Barnes and his band of Montreal have premiered a new music video for record’s opening track and single “Fugitive Air.” More

Oct 03, 2013 By Matt Fink

It has been nearly 10 years since he pulled off one of the most unexpected mid-career reinventions in recent rock history, stripping of Montreal down to its psychedelic twee foundation and rebuilding it as an electronic pop band, but Kevin Barnes has never stopped reimagining his sound. More

Sep 12, 2013 By Laura Studarus

On October 8, capitalization challenge collective of Montreal will release their new album lousy with sylvianbriar via Polyvinyl. Take a listen to new track, “Belle Glade Missionaries.” More

Aug 13, 2013 By Mike Hilleary

This fall singer/songwriter Kevin Barnes and his band of Montreal return with their newest album lousy with sylvianbriar. More

Jul 31, 2013 By Mike Hilleary

Recently announcing the forthcoming arrival of the band’s new album lousy with sylvianbriar, frontman Kevin Barnes and of Montreal have made plans for an upcoming tour. More

Jul 10, 2013 By Laura Studarus

Fancy that, a new of Montreal album! More

Mar 08, 2013 By Mike Hilleary

Releasing a new album and rarities collection last year, Kevin Barnes and of Montreal have announced that they will embark on another round of performances this coming spring. More

Nov 29, 2012 By Laura Studarus

of Montreal recently shared a split-single with Deerhoof in honor of Record Store Day. Their contribution, a simmering pop balled “Feminine Effects,” was recently given new vocals by singer Rebecca Crash and a sufficiently whacked-out video. More

Oct 26, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

Following the release of their new rarities compilation Daughter of Cloud psychedelic disco pop collective of Montreal have come forward with a music video for one of its standout tracks “Sails, Hermaphroditic.” More

Oct 23, 2012 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar magazine’s Protest Auction ends in one hour at 2:00 p.m. EST. The auction features all of the autographed protest signs created by musicians for the magazine’s The Protest Issue, which is on newsstands now. All profits will go to the War Child charity. Musicians who are taking part include Janelle Monáe, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Dan Deacon, The Drums, of Montreal, DIIV, James Blake, Okkervil River, Tom Morello, Liars, Matthew Dear, Dum Dum Girls, EMA, Menomena, Amanda Palmer, Laetitia Sadier, Reggie Watts, Youth Lagoon, Zola Jesus, and many others. More

Oct 23, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

As prolific as he has demonstrated himself to be Kevin Barnes was bound to have leftover songs that were worth grouping together one day for a compilation. More

Oct 22, 2012 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar magazine’s Protest Auction ends tomorrow, Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. EST. The auction features all of the autographed protest signs created by musicians for the magazine’s The Protest Issue, which is on newsstands now. All profits will go to the War Child charity. Musicians who are taking part include Janelle Monáe, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Dan Deacon, The Drums, of Montreal, DIIV, James Blake, Okkervil River, Tom Morello, Liars, Matthew Dear, Dum Dum Girls, EMA, Menomena, Amanda Palmer, Laetitia Sadier, Reggie Watts, Youth Lagoon, Zola Jesus, and many others. More

Oct 21, 2012 By Christopher Roberts

Under the Radar magazine’s Protest Auction is now on and ends Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. EST. The auction features all of the autographed protest signs created by musicians for the magazine’s The Protest Issue, which is on newsstands now. All profits will go to the War Child charity. Musicians who are taking part include Janelle Monáe, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Dan Deacon, The Drums, of Montreal, DIIV, James Blake, Okkervil River, Tom Morello, Liars, Matthew Dear, Dum Dum Girls, EMA, Menomena, Amanda Palmer, Laetitia Sadier, Reggie Watts, Youth Lagoon, Zola Jesus, and many others.

Oct 10, 2012 By Julia Underwood

Last weekend Echo Park, California hosted the third annual Culture Collide Festival. We sent photographer Helen Boast down to cover the action. Check out her shots of Niki & the Dove, of Montreal, Patrick Wolf, School of Seven Bells, The Big Pink, and Icona Pop. More

Oct 03, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

Following tracks “Sails, Hermaphroditic” and “Our Love Is Senile” of Montreal have unveiled yet another portion of their forthcoming rarities compilation Daughter of Cloud. More

Sep 26, 2012 By Cody Ray Shafer

In Under the Radar’s Protest Issue, which is on newsstands now, we examine the intersection of music and politics. The issue includes an article titled “Barack Obama: The First Indie Rock President?” in which we talk to of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra, Andrew Bird, The New Pornographers’ Carl Newman, Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello about President Barack Obama’s first term, and the erosion in support from musicians versus the 2008 election. More

Sep 12, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

Next month Athens, Georgia native Kevin Barnes and his arty pop ensemble of Montreal will a rarities compilation entitled Daughter of Cloud, made up of previously unreleased and out-of-print tracks recorded from the past five years. More

Sep 05, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

As prolific as of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes has been through his career it comes as little surprise that the man has had some leftover songs in his library that never made it onto a finished album. More

Apr 24, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

of Montreal have debuted an appropriately odd and colorful music video for their new Paralytic Stalks single “Spiteful Intervention.” More

Apr 17, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

South by Southwest’s Canadian brother North by Northeast has announced its return on June 11-17 in Toronto. More

Apr 04, 2012 By Cody Ray Shafer

A charity auction is currently under way, and several musicians have donated rare items and collectibles to be sold off. The money will go to help Asa Adams, a child born last December with a congenital heart defect. Asa has had three heart surgeries, and though his prognosis is good his parents are now faced with the inevitable cost of these life-saving procedures. More

Mar 22, 2012 By Laura Studarus

FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out. At a festival the size of SXSW, the terror that someone—somewhere—might be having a better time than you is an ever-pressing concern. Well, everywhere but at Under the Radar’s three-day parties. I realize my option is somewhat suspect, seeing as they sign my paychecks, but believe me when I say that, for at least three days of the fest, there was nowhere else I would have rather been than The Flamingo Cantina in Austin, Texas. More

Mar 20, 2012 By Wendy Lynch Redfern

Check out photos from Friday’s Under the Radar SXSW 2012 Day Party including shots of Django Django, Lost in the Trees, Cymbals Eat Guitars, La Sera, Deerhoof and of Montreal. Photos by Wendy Lynch Redfern. More

Mar 16, 2012 By Margot Cooper Gruen

Under the Radar’s SXSW party at Flamingo Cantina is packed. More

Mar 10, 2012 By Laura Studarus

On March 16 Shure presents Under the Radar’s third of three free SXSW day parties. Leading up to the event we’re letting you know about each artist playing. Today we’re spotlighting of Montreal. More

Mar 09, 2012 By Cody Ray Shafer

Of Montreal have released a stream of a previously unreleased song, “Feminine Effects.” It’s part of a split 7” record with Deerhoof. Don’t forget that both of Montreal and Deerhoof are playing our Friday SXSW party. More

Mar 02, 2012 By Laura Studarus

As part of Under the Radar’s three free SXSW day parties, of Montreal is set to play 2005 album The Sunlandic Twins in its entirety. More

Feb 29, 2012 By Mark Redfern

Under the Radar magazine is excited to reveal the full lineups, poster, and set times for its three SXSW 2012 day parties, taking place on Wednesday, March 14th, Thursday, March 15th, and Friday, March 16th. The Friday party, which is presented by Shure, will feature headliner of Montreal performing their beloved 2004 album The Sunlandic Twins in its entirety, the only SXSW 2012 performance of the album. The lineup also includes Chairlift, The Drums, Reggie Watts, Deerhoof, Bear in Heaven, Youth Lagoon, La Sera, Taken By Trees, and more. More

Feb 09, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

Last night Kevin Barnes and of Montreal stopped by the set of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon performing the track “Dour Percentage” off the band’s latest album Paralytic Stalks. More

Jan 25, 2012 By Laura Studarus

As previously reported, of Montreal is set to put out their eleventh full-length on February seventh. Now you can listen to it in full. More

Jan 06, 2012 By Mike Hilleary

Leading up to the release of their eleventh album Paralytic Stalks, Kevin Barnes and his of Montreal cohorts have decided to share yet another track from the record entitled, “Dour Percentage.” More

Dec 23, 2011 By Mark Redfern and Laura Studarus

Under the Radar‘s Best of 2011 Issue has shipped out to subscribers and will be hitting newsstands soon. The issue features three unique covers, each featuring an artist behind one of our Top 5 albums of the year: M83, The Horrors, and Bon Iver. The issue also takes a look back at other artists who have made a splash in 2011, including Beirut, Anna Calvi, EMA, Florence and the Machine, Gang Gang Dance, Neon Indian, PJ Harvey, R.E.M., SBTRKT, Slow Club, St. Vincent, Summer Camp, tUnE-yArDs, and Yuck. More

Dec 12, 2011 By Mi Tran

With their latest album, Paralytic Stalks set to release in February, of Montreal has released tour dates for the months of March and April. More

Dec 05, 2011 By Mike Hilleary

Of Montreal have announced the official release date of its upcoming eleventh LP Paralytic Stalks. More

Nov 23, 2011 By Laura Studarus

The digital version of Under the Radar‘s 10th Anniversary Issue includes the same articles that appear in the printed version—plus 70 extra pages of editorial content not found in the print version, including extra full page photos, 13 bonus articles, and 11 bonus reviews. The digital version includes exclusive bonus articles on Arab Strap, Clinic, The Dears, The Delgados, DNTEL/The Postal Service, The Fiery Furnaces, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes vs. Joanna Newsom, Mogwai, of Montreal, Okkervil River, Saint Etienne, Elliott Smith, and Sonic Youth. More

Nov 22, 2011 By Kyle Lemmon

Glammy psych-pop band of Montreal posted a new track, dubbed “Wintered Debts,” on their website this morning. More

Nov 17, 2011 By Margot Cooper Gruen

In celebration of 15 years of releasing great music, Polyvinyl have announced A Brief History in Moving Pictures, which features 60 music videos from 26 Polyvinyl artists. Check out the tracklist here. More

Oct 19, 2011 By Mark Redfern

Under the Radar is excited to announce the release of the indie music and entertainment print magazine’s 10th Anniversary Issue which hits newsstands next week. The extra-sized 10th Anniversary Issue features cover artists Joanna Newsom and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold together in an exclusive photo shoot and joint interview. Exclusive video taken during the cover shoot of Robin Pecknold and Joanna Newsom arm wrestling can be found here. More

Sep 20, 2011 By Mi Tran

In honor of their 15th anniversary, Polyvinyl Records is celebrating with a show featuring the labels past and current artists and giving out a free sampler. More

Sep 14, 2011 By Laura Studarus

Because there’s no such thing as rest in of Montreal land, today the Athens, Georgia collective announced a box set and a new album. Sheesh…sleep much?

More

Jul 30, 2011 By Laura Studarus

There’s a whole lotta music going on to benefit Japan. Two major complations were announced today featuring (among others): Love is All, Casiokids, Ariel Pink, Chairlift, Deerhoof and more. We have the detials. More

Jul 13, 2011 By Margot Cooper Gruen

Polyvinyl have released a compilation to help raise money for Japan, which suffered a devastating tsunami in March of this year. More

Jul 01, 2011 By Mike Hilleary

Staying true to his inner weirdo, of Montreal‘s Kevin Barnes unveiled a new video for the track “L’age D’or,” which is featured on the band’s new EP thecontrollersphere. More

Apr 11, 2011 By Laura Studaus

of Montrea offer a first listen of “Flunkt Sass vs. The Root Plume,” from their forthcoming album. More

Jan 14, 2011 By Laura Studarus

Every issue of Under the Radar includes a free digital sampler that can be accessed via the download code printed in the issue. Our Year-End issue’s sampler (which is sponsored by Shure) includes exclusive unreleased tracks by Motorifik, Rose Elinor Dougall, and Club 8, as well as songs by of Montreal, Plants and Animals, The Radio Dept., Tame Impala, Wild Nothing, Sufjan Stevens, Twin Shadow, Lost in the Trees, Beach House, Avi Buffalo, and Owen Pallett. We have the details. More

Nov 03, 2010 By Laura Studarus

Of Montreal released the video today for False Priest cut, “Famine Affair.” More

Oct 28, 2010 By Laura Studarus

of Montreal want your take on glam track, “Famine Affair.” We have the contest details. More

Nov 10, 2016 By Matt Fink

There’s a quote—now considered apocryphal—from legendary film critic Pauline Kael that for years stood as damning evidence of the extent to which people could exist in their own cultural and social bubbles. More

Oct 03, 2016 By Matt Fink

In the 12 years since Kevin Barnes hit the reset button on of Montreal with 2004’s Satanic Panic in the Attic, his muses have pulled him in an almost unimaginable variety of directions. More

Mar 19, 2015 By Matt Fink

The indie rock culture wars are finally over. That’s the only real conclusion you can draw when indie bands win Grammys and underground music publications routinely give their most glowing reviews to Top 40 pop stars. For anyone who came of age in the post-Nirvana era of Pavement, Guided by Voices, and Yo La Tengo—bands that could flirt with mainstream approval but never quite escape being placed in the “other” category—this is a strange watershed moment, one that seems to have washed away a whole culture with its arrival. Count of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes as one who is still getting used to the new terrain after the flood. More

Feb 18, 2015 By Matt Fink

For Under the Radar’s 12th annual Artist Survey we emailed some of our favorite artists a few questions relating to 2014. We asked them about their favorite albums of the year and their thoughts on various notable 2014 news stories involving either the music industry or world events, as well as some quirkier personal questions.

Oct 21, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. More

Oct 16, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for three days this week we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Here’s part three. More

Oct 15, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Here’s part two. More

Oct 14, 2013 By Matt Fink

For our Track-by-Track feature, we go in-depth with an artist about each song on their new album. This week we are featuring of Montreal‘s Lousy With Sylvianbriar, and for the next three days we’ll post commentary by frontman Kevin Barnes on all of the album’s songs. Lousy With Sylvianbriar was released last week on Polyvinyl. More

Oct 03, 2013 By Matt Fink

It has been nearly 10 years since he pulled off one of the most unexpected mid-career reinventions in recent rock history, stripping of Montreal down to its psychedelic twee foundation and rebuilding it as an electronic pop band, but Kevin Barnes has never stopped reimagining his sound. More

Feb 13, 2013 By Under the Radar Staff

For Under the Radar‘s 10th annual Artist Survey we emailed some of our favorite artists a few questions relating to 2012. Pick up the Best of 2012 issue to read many of the responses. We are also posting additional web-exclusive bonus answers to the website. These are from artists whose surveys are in the print magazine, but are extra answers that didn’t fit in the issue. Here are bonus answers from of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes. More

Nov 30, 2010 By Matt Fink

As the 21st century dawned, of Montreal were ready for their breakthrough. Having already completed one indisputable (though overlooked) psychedelic pop classic in 1999’s The Gay Parade, they had staked out territory as the most whimsically kaleidoscopic, playfully childlike, and innocently asexual band in the then-fading Elephant 6 Recording Company. More

Sep 29, 2009 By Kevin Barnes, Intro by Frank Valish, Moderated by Mark Redfern

If you were anywhere near a radio in the ‘80s, you are likely familiar with Daryl Hall and John Oates. The duo’s string of hits is remarkable—“You Make My Dreams,” “Private Eyes,” “Maneater,” “Out of Touch,” and more. On the surface, Hall & Oates couldn’t be more different from Athens, Georgia’s of Montreal. But of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes grew up on Hall & Oates and harbors a not-so-guilty liking for the pair’s music. Under the Radar hooked up Barnes with Daryl Hall and John Oates to discuss the band’s history and what makes Hall & Oates tick. This is part one of our interview, in which Kevin Barnes interviews Daryl Hall. More

Sep 29, 2009 By Kevin Barnes, Intro by Frank Valish, Moderated by Mark Redfern

If you were anywhere near a radio in the ‘80s, you are likely familiar with Daryl Hall and John Oates. The duo’s string of hits is remarkable—“You Make My Dreams,” “Private Eyes,” “Maneater,” “Out of Touch,” and more. On the surface, Hall & Oates couldn’t be more different from Athens, Georgia’s of Montreal. But of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes grew up on Hall & Oates and harbors a not-so-guilty liking for the pair’s music. Under the Radar hooked up Barnes with Daryl Hall and John Oates to discuss the band’s history and what makes Hall & Oates tick. This is part two of our interview, in which Kevin Barnes interviews John Oates. More

Aug 22, 2009 By Mark Redfern

Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes is currently in his Athens, Georgia, home studio working on the band’s tenth album, which will be titled False Priest and is tentatively due out next spring. We briefly spoke to Barnes this past Wednesday about his progress on False Priest, which he says is influenced by Parliament and the ‘80s No Wave scene. “We’re kind of making this psychedelic, No Wave, funk album,” says Barnes. More

Sep 02, 2008 By Lorraine Carpenter

“Everybody involved is so emotionally invested in Of Montreal that it’s become like a cult,” says Kevin Barnes, Of Montreal’s master of ceremonies. He’s assessing not only the status of his band in the public eye—due to mount with the release of the band’s exceptional new album, Skeletal Lamping, to be promoted on tour with a “show to end all shows”—but the drive among its members and in the extended family that makes all their DIY dreams come true. More

Aug 25, 2022 By Scott Dransfield

Last year saw of Montreal mastermind Kevin Barnes following up their most simplistic album yet (2020’s synth-poppy UR FUN) with the experimental and screwy I Feel Safe With You, Trash. More

Mar 07, 2018 By Michael Watkins

Of all of the subjects in modern day society to write an album about, the political discourse of the last 18 months has been one of the most fruitful. Artists on both sides of the political aisle—mostly on the left, but some on the right as well—have had pieces to say about the increasing popularity of right wing politics in the western world since 2016. More

Aug 12, 2016 By Nate Rogers

What happens to an artist that specializes in youthful exuberance when they’re no longer young? On “Suffer for Fashion,” the first track from of Montreal‘s landmark 2007 album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, Kevin Barnes put it thusly: “If we’ve got to burn out, let’s do it together.” More

Mar 30, 2015 By Mark Redfern

“We played a show at 7’oclock this morning, which is entirely too early to be playing a rock ‘n’ roll concert,” said Matthew E. White. The Richmond, VA-based singer/songwriter/guitarist was up on stage at the Flamingo Cantina, for a second-on-the-bill 12:45 PM set at Under the Radar‘s SXSW day party. More

Feb 27, 2015 By Scott Dransfield

Of Montreal doesn’t give a shit about first impressions. Each album (out of a pretty dense discography, no less) is not only impossible to nail down and succinctly summarize, but also completely different in focus and sound than its predecessor. More

Jul 15, 2014 By Paul Bullock

Director Jason Miller’s fantastic new documentary investigating musician Kevin Barnes and his primary creative outlet, Of Montreal, presents a frank, complex portrait of an artist who has been pushing the limits of his medium for almost two decades. More

Oct 07, 2013 By Billy Hamilton

Kevin Barnes is clearly not a man for taking a break. Over the last 16 years, of Montreal’s leading light has rattled off close to a record a year. And these are never just any old long-player; each is antithetical to its predecessor, a bleeding statement of Barnes’ thirst for forward-thinking pop melodies. More

Nov 08, 2012 By Dan Lucas

Rooting around in an old attic stuffed full of junk can be a hit and miss process: Homer Simpson found a “Stradawhovius,” I found a signed picture of David Cassidy; Can found The Lost Tapes, Oasis found The Masterplan. So when of Montreal went rooting around their discarded odds and sods collection, they would have known that the odds of finding anything worth releasing were pretty well 50/50. More

Mar 23, 2012 By Laura Studarus

FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out. At a festival the size of SXSW, the terror that someone—somewhere—might be having a better time than you is an ever-pressing concern. Well, everywhere but at Under the Radar’s three-day parties. I realize my option is somewhat suspect, seeing as they sign my paychecks, but believe me when I say that, for at least three days of the fest, there was nowhere else I would have rather been than Under the Radar‘s three day parties at The Flamingo Cantina in Austin, Texas. More

Feb 08, 2012 By Ryan Reed

On dance-prog epic “Ye, Renew the Plaintiff,” of Montreal freak-genius Kevin Barnes nearly screams himself hoarse: “I’m desperate for something, but there’s no human word for it/I should be happy, but what I feel is corrupted, broken, impotent, and insane.” More

Nov 04, 2010 By Laura Studarus

Someone needs to cast of Montreal bandleader Kevin Barnes in a revival of Rocky Horror Picture Show revue. After 12 years of gender bending, Technicolor, costumed pop, this seems like the only logical career arc. It probably goes without saying that seeing of Montreal live in concert is a damn good time. More

Sep 17, 2010 By Laura Studarus

“You fetishistize the archetype,” of Montreal ringleader Kevin Barnes chides on track “Like a Tourist.” Perhaps he’s scolding himself. On False Priest, Barnes once again calls on the cabaret king archetype he’s carefully constructed over the past nine albums, inhabiting the role of glitter-dipped, master of ceremonies with the ease of an old shirt. More

Aug 08, 2009 By Lorraine Carpenter

No amount of rain or cloud could’ve obscured the beauty of Chicago’s Grant Park on the first day of Lollapalooza, which despite less than welcoming conditions drew tens of thousands of mostly happy, mostly well-behaved music fans. On day one we caught Fleet Foxes, Crystal Castles, Of Montreal, and Depeche Mode. More