Clearly Canadian?

Kevin Barnes – the chief member in Of Montreal – is a peculiar mix of contradictions. His music is jaunty, funky and glamorous, yet his personal life and off-job demeanour are anything but.

His most recent album – the highly acclaimed Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? – was recorded in the midst of deep depression and anxiety, and Barnes himself admits that he has “always been sorta unhappy, my whole life”.
Lyrically, he can be as dark as his own moods, though not always. He has a tendency towards escapist fantasy, but at other times (Hissing Fauna… for one) he can be remarkably open about his personal problems. Is there a reason for these pronounced changes of approach?
“I think the impetus for it is really just necessity,” Barnes explains, in his soft American burr. “While I was recording Hissing Fauna…, I was going through a very difficult emotional period. So, I think that’s why I relied on music as a sort of catharsis. At other times in my life, I feel more stable and secure, and I don’t really feel the need to write about my personal life.”
But doesn’t he feel a little self-conscious, singing about matters so close to his heart in front of strangers? Barnes does not think so; on the contrary, he feels that there is an artistic duty to detail these emotions and experiences.
“To me, it’s our responsibility to be open, and share our feelings,” he avers. “These things I went through: everyone goes through them from time to time, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. At first, it seemed like it would be weird to perform the songs live every night, but I’ve realised pretty quickly that these are universal themes.”
Throughout Of Montreal’s career, they have exhibited a great contrast between their musical and lyrical styles. There is always a darkness present in Barnes’ words (regardless of whether it is explicit and honest, or distant and indirect), yet the sonic backdrop is usually sunny and exuberant. Given his well-documented personal problems, how does he account for this tendency towards cheery melody?
“It comes down to who you are, and who you wish you were. Musically, it represents what I wish I was; I wish I was a lot happier. Lyrically it’s inspired by what’s actually happening in my life, and in my mind.”
Barnes began taking antidepressants during the recording of Hissing Fauna…, a decision which proved to be beneficial, despite his fears that they would “turn me into a zombie.” They had little creative influence, but helped to convince him that “things I thought were impossible to handle are not that impossible.”
A happy ending, then? Unfortunately not. Barnes is firmly of the belief that music is no more than a temporary distraction from his grave personal issues.
“I always hoped that making music would be a cathartic experience, and in a way it is,” he muses. “But once you’re finished, you still have to deal with your problems. It’s definitely cathartic while you’re creating, but it can’t remove all of the demons.”