Of Montreal
's 1997 mini-album,
The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower
, stands alone as the
album that seems not to be built around a unifying concept of some sort. That makes it seem like a throwaway of sorts when compared to the rest of the
catalog, but
contains some standout moments. The
Kevin Barnes
original
"On the Drive Home"
and the covers of
the Who
's
"Disguises"
and
Elf Power
"Secret Ocean"
are the highlights, played with joyful earnestness and not a shred of irony. Before distinguishing themselves from the rest of the
Elephant 6
collective by releasing several eccentric, unapologetically bright, concept albums,
were just another band essentially copying the early
Beatles
formula with a
lo-fi
twist. This is not such a bad thing, but those looking to capture what makes
such a unique and ambitious
pop
group will not find that here. This is a starting point for
, worthy in and of itself, but merely the building blocks for stellar albums to come. ~ Scott Sepich