Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

If you’re looking for a sonic documentation of schizophrenia (outside of Wesley Willis, RIP), you need look no further than Skeletal Lamping. In the middle of every electropop outburst could lurk an acoustic dirge, a completely different electropop outburst, or Kevin Barnes commenting on the esoteric nature of his lyrics. The core of the LP is a libidinous answer to 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, where the troupe of misfits opt to throw the songwriting rulebook out the window, cutting up and interspersing snippets of sultry songs that engage listeners on cerebral, emotional and sexual levels. Opinions may be split over whether this approach borders on pretentious (possibly reinforced given the available formats of the album include CD, vinyl, badges and...lamp) but the band have created an artistic and ambitious pop record here – diffused yet cohesive and credible, and among the best of the year. [Jason Morton]