Written by Fense

So, Id Engager by Of Montreal (MySpace) isn’t necessarily an album, though it will be categorized as such. It’s a single. And boy was I excited to see it in a small pile of singles when I was at Everyday Music in Bellingham last week. There it was, sitting precautiously on the counter top as I picked up $50 for selling them a bunch of old crap. I turned right back around and dished out four bucks for the orange-ish wax.

“Id Engager” finds Of Montreal, for the most part, continuing where Hissing Fauna left off, but adding a descent dose of disco. In many ways, I find the song more intriguing and honest than several tracks off their last album—and the B-side follows suit. Then again, I felt the same about “She’s A Rejecter” when I picked up that single in the days before Hissing Fauna originally hit stores.

“Id Engager” may have some similarities to that last album, but it is an overall departure from much of their library—including much off Fauna—including Sunlandic Twins. By all means, this is not a bad thing; a band without dynamic progressions as time passes quickly becomes stale and Of Montreal would never be that.

The transition into the B-side, “Alter Eagle”, is flawless. But “Alter Eagle” is an obvious B-side, though a viable accomplishment nonetheless. The song follows “Id Engager” in the electronic and disco fashion, but has a bit more of the awkwardness Of Montreal likes to throw into their non-singles. Still, toward the end where the song dives into some drone-y guitars, the single concludes on a massive high point.

Yes, it’s another goodie from Of Montreal—and we only have another month to wait for the LP, Skeletal Lamping, hits stores. That album will arrive on October 7.

Of Montreal: Id Engager [mp3]

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Polyvinyl [7" Single, 2008]

1. Id Engager
2. Alter Eagle