By Livy 

Last week, the much anticipated documentary “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” arrived at my house. The movie follows the story of Kevin Barnes band, of Montreal and captures the early days of his youth to the production of his most recent album.

“THE PAST IS A GROTESQUE ANIMAL is a personal, accessible portrait of an artist – of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes – whose pursuit to make transcendent music at all costs drives him to value art over human relationships. As he struggles with all of those around him, family and bandmates alike, he’s forced to reconsider the future of the band, begging the question – is this really worth it?”

It confirmed a lot of my beliefs about the band and delivered a hard blow about all the sadness that goes into making such amazing music. I would consider Kevin as the most innovative and talented lyricist and musician of the last two decades. I find it really hard to convince people to listen to of Montreal. Typically my friends find one song fantastic but don’t bother looking into all twelve albums. So, here is of Montreal for dummies, a list of songs to awaken your inner emo weirdo.

Absent Plot

Drachnids

(Young Froth/ Taypiss) I listened to this album religiously last year. Everyday walking to and from school I would be trying not dance and sing while listening to these songs.
The Party’s Crashing Us

Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games

(The Sunlandic Twins) The songs are awesome. Wraith… was used in an Outback Steakhouse commercial so it’s obviously marvelous.
Chrissie Kiss The Corpse

City Bird

My British Tour Diary

Rapture Rapes The Muses

(Satanic Panic In The Attic) I love this album. It’s hilarious but also dark. A song about necrophiliac Chrissie and another about Brit Pop Haley.
Dour Percentage

We Will Commit Wolf Murder

Wintered Debts

(Paralytic Stalks)
Icons, Abstract Thee is absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. My dad used to play this album everyday at dinner time. Have a listen and get back to me about how messed up that is.
Coquet Coquette

Enemy Gene (Featuring Janelle Monae)

Famine Affair

Sex Karma (Featuring Solange Knowles

(False Priest)
Feminine Effects

(Daughter of Cloud)
Pancakes for One

A Question for Emily Foreman

Jennifer Louise

(Aldhils Arboretum)
Jigsaw Puzzle is a record store day single, but it also came with a remix of Triumph of Disintegration by Yip Deceiver which is equally awesome.
I Was Watching Your Eyes

(Cherry Peel)
Just Recently Lost Something Of Importance

(The Bedside Drama A Petite Tragedy)
Beware Our Nubile Miscreants

For Our Elegant Caste

Gallery Piece

Wicked Wisdom

(Skeletal Lamping)
Gronlandic Edit

Bunny Ain’t No Kind Of Rider

The Past Is A Grotesque Animal

A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger

Suffer For Fashion

(Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?) I listened to Suffer for Fashion all the time when I was ten and still adore this record.
Lousy With Sylvianbriar is the newest of Montreal album and every single song is gold.
So there you have it. Now google that shiz.
Me and Kevin