Kevin Barnes returns in all of his "purple one" obsessed glory, and for that I can't complain. It is not like the "Of Montreal" front man/principal songwriter/album performer is doing a Prince impersonation like Lenny Kravitz would, I truly believe he is the indie-rock second coming to the purple throne and I welcome him with open arms. Take Prince's vocal harmonies and synthy instrumentation, add some weird subject matter, but subtract all of the Jesus nonsense and you may have a better updated version. Sorry buddy, Prince, but I LUV Of Montreal, and if you haven't guessed where my head has been in my early "life in pastel" years, I too, have gone through my own Prince obsessions.
Now on to, "False Priest," titled from a lyric off their last effort (Skeletal Lamping), gets the party started from the opening line "I see you, girlfriend," and a quick drum fill into the album opener, "I Feel Ya' Strutter." A great opening track, with its Bowie-esque versus, Queen-esque breakdowns, and sing-a-long-chorus. You cannot help to hope that we may have another "Sunlandic Twins" or "Hissing Fauna" record here, especially after the last progressive trip the band took us on w/Skeletal. "Our Riotous Defects" follows, and Barnes chats his way through the rhyme-y versus about a "crazy girl" which becomes the howling chorus, layered with the Barnes's signature multiple harmonies. "Couquet Couquette," is next track, and the album single, going back to rock territory and I like it, however, it wouldn't be my choice for the single. There are so many better tunes on this record.
"Enemy Gene" takes you to a lounge somewhere beyond middle Earth, an extremely catchy and shared chorus with help on vocals by "Janel Monae." "Sex Karma" is another track with an extremely catchy chorus, and much more pop sensibility than I've heard from them in awhile, but I kind of get lost in the versus. They are a little boring and bleak and I hate to say it but "Solange Knowles," yes her, (and yes I am shocked too) saves the song on the chorus with yet another dual call and response vocal trade off with Barnes. Probably, my favorite tune is the odd time, new wave rock tune "Famine Affair." Sending nods to "the Cars," during the verse, and a chunky power chord chorus, taking the listener even further to another signature Of Montreal beautifully melodic breakdown, and back to another verse for another go around. This is great tune.
The album's weaker songs "Like a Tourist," or the funky slap bass of "Girl named Hello," the dreary piano ballad "Casualty of You," just don't go anywhere exciting, but aren't un-listenable. Even on the album finale "You Do Mutilate," where "1999/Controversy Prince" is channeled yet again, Barnes's recited lines do border to walk the line of being "preachy," but for an artsy band with an artsy guy, I'm not bothered. "False Priest," definitely lands in my top 5 of their extensive catalog, and that is saying a lot.
The Score: 8 out 10 bells
The Math: Hissing Fauna x Skeletal Lamping - the mathematics + guest females = False Priest
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