Popscreen: Of Montreal

Of Montreal

“Requiem of O.M.M.”

Dir. Kirby McClure and Julia Grigorian



Of Montreal’s psychedelic pop songs have always seemed to require psychotropic drugs for full enjoyment, and the same goes for their latest video, “Requiem for O.M.M.2.”

Hallucinogenic drugs are necessary, despite the fact that the saccharine songs of the Athens, GA, indie-dance outfit sometimes seem geared toward six-year-olds, or at least those who are six at heart.

And it’s not a bad commercial move either. Since Of Montreal’s fanbase has significantly increased after teenyboppers heard their music on “The OC,” it’s safe to conclude that many of their listeners are still prepubescent.

The video follows an animated suit-of-armor on its trippy quest for its one true love: a sword. Viewers indulge in a dangerously large dose of childlike wonder as they watch that suit-of-armor—which is inexplicably and awkwardly worn by an orange elephant—traverse bizarre landscapes replete with lions, tigers, and­—wait for it—bears.

The youthful simplicity of the video belies the moving-on maturity of the lyrics, which mourn a failed relationship and lament: “And I don’t want to make a wake out of my life / I’ve just got to let you go.”

In their video, directors Kirby McClure and Julia Grigorian emulate the production philosophy of Of Montreal by using their abundant technical proficiency to make art about a stupid subject. The approach works well for both parties, but while there’s no other band out there that sounds quite like Of Montreal, there are plenty of quirky animated music videos that look like “Requiem.”

Nonetheless, “Requiem” is a cute toss-off, and at only 2 minutes and 16 seconds, it’s not likely to waste much of your life. Unless, of course, you decide to enhance your experience chemically—then you might waste some brain cells.

—Jake G. Cohen