Albums to watch

Paralytic Stalks

of Montreal

Paralytic Stalks

Album number eleven from the Georgia indie pop five-piece fronted by the extrovert Kevin Barnes

ADM rating[?]

6.4

Label
Polyvinyl
UK Release date
06/02/2012
US Release date
07/02/2012
  1. 9.0 |   Tiny Mix Tapes

    At the end of the day, Kevin Barnes is really trying to make good pop. Paralytic Stalks is just that, bombast and all
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  2. 8.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Both despite and because of its complexity, it’s completely fascinating: not only for its eccentric musical brilliance, but as an insight into one of modern music’s most singular minds
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  3. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    Chasing that thread through the galactic id of Paralytic Stalks feels like a marathon at times, but it’s a trek worth repeating
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  4. 8.0 |   Under The Radar

    Musically, Stalks is a tour de force, filled with colorful new sonic tricks
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  5. 8.0 |   Rave Magazine

    If you’re looking for a record to love but only have an hour to spare, this probably isn’t the best choice; once you take the time to accept the eccentricity for what it is though, it’s hard to turn off
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  6. 8.0 |   DIY

    This is a jarring record, its charms only revealing themselves after a few listens, the light shining through the murky gloom of the album’s dense, dark tones
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  7. 8.0 |   The AU Review

    Although extremely challenging on occasions, I feel that with time, Paralytic Stalks may gain the critical acclaim that Hissing Fauna has, and it deserves to, too
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  8. 7.2 |   Paste Magazine

    of Montreal’s experiments make Paralytic Stalks one of the more compelling efforts in the band’s long discography
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  9. 7.2 |   Beats Per Minute

    A step in right direction
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  10. 7.0 |   Bowlegs

    Of Montreal have found their way back to a more meaningful form of chaotic pop – and are all the better for it
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  11. 7.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    More than a decade and half into his career, Paralytic Stalks is a fascinating listen, for both old fans and new
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  12. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    Spiralling flute lines, cosmic rock and deranged show tunes
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  13. 6.0 |   NME

    Will probably play well with an established fanbase. Print edition only

  14. 6.0 |   Uncut

    In this mood, 57 minutes with Barnes is exhausting. Print edition only

  15. 6.0 |   Rolling Stone

    The music is dense and jittery, jumping from brittle robobeats to sunshiny psychedelic soul to spaced-out majesty
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  16. 6.0 |   Q

    Georgian oddballs get their freak on. Print edition only

  17. 6.0 |   The Quietus

    An unabashed account of Kevin’s issues laid out as explicitly and as clangorously as possible
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  18. 6.0 |   No Ripcord

    There are some truly great moments here where the band crash around making glorious, daft, noisy pop music, but they stand at a stark counterpoint with the cloying experimental tendencies
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  19. 5.8 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    Barnes gives us crystallizing glimpses of raw emotion he normally smothers with superfluous noise. Taken in context, this album may be his best work yet
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  20. 5.0 |   musicOMH

    Started as though it had somewhere to go. Unfortunately, by the end, it’s hard to work out exactly where that was
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  21. 4.6 |   Pitchfork

    The thoroughly unenjoyable Paralytic Stalks might be a sign that Barnes should take some time off and let the inspiration come to him
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  22. 4.0 |   PopMatters

    These experiments in atonality and soundscapes are perfect for a Barnes side project, but as music from Of Montreal they’re completely out of sync with anything he’s put on an album to this point
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  23. 4.0 |   Mojo

    Is not an easy listen, but neither is it a good one. Print edition only

  24. 4.0 |   Spin

    Barnes must have patiently sweated out countless studio hours to simulate his chaotic psyche so intricately
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