So this is what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna give em to you. Two tickets to see Of Montreal at Higherground on July 31st, to one lucky person, cause we love our fans and we know our fans love Of Montreal. We’ll be choosing the winner at random from our Facebook Fans, so if you’re a fan, thank you – all you need to do is comment on our facebook wall that you want the tickets to be eligible! – if you’re not a facebook fan you might want to be!

The Winner will be decided early next week!

This past weekend fellow Pure Popper Amelia and I went to UVM to check out Of Montreal. As usual, they played their songs well, offering a bizarre and entertaining visual component, complete with psychedelic animations and costumed dancers. I really enjoyed a moment towards the end of the show when one of the dancers, dressed as Death, set up a chess board and proceeded to play with Kevin Barnes as he sang.

Unfortunately, the performance was at a gym. Every two years or so, I go to a gym concert just to remind myself to avoid them. Everything ends up sounding blown-out and muddy. Even with a great band like Of Montreal, I just don’t think shows in that kind of setting are worth it. I’m frankly baffled it’s standard practice to host music at gymnasiums. It’s analogous to playing baseball in an opera house.

The crowd seemed to really enjoy the show. They danced in that inept-but-charming New England college student way. (No offense to New England college students. You could all “serve” me.) As anything that takes place outside the confines of my bedroom usually does, the show made me feel old and out-of-touch. What is the relationship undergrads have with Of Montreal? Did their older siblings show them Satanic Panic in the Attic when they were in middle school? Do they love the Outback version of “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games“?

Over the course of the show, I observed someone wearing a tie-dyed Depeche Mode shirt, which is ridiculous. There were two gentlemen dressed identically down to their shoes, the most interesting thing about that being how innocuously bland they were dressed, like bankers on casual Friday. Someone threw an apple with one bite taken out of it by our feet. A girl wearing just a bit too little circled our area like a satellite, dancing for a few minutes as she looked around, seemingly yearning for someone to notice. (I did, sweetie.)

I look forward to seeing them again at a proper venue that will do them justice.

I seem surprisngly in-tune with the latest top 10 sellers at the store this week, so I thought I’d drop a line of knowledge on 6 that I’ve been rocking heavy.

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park – Featuring a couple of the guys from Grizzley Bear, it isn’t hard to get it mixed up with their other band, but the lengthy driftoffs are traded in for more concise tunes. Takes 3 listens to get hooked.

Ryan Adams – Cardinology – The guy releases friggin’ 17 albums a year so it’s definitely hard to keep up, but this one has some of the best tracks he’s released since Heartbreaker.

TV on the Radio – Dear Science - The most popular indie band in the world seems to have finally realized that people are paying attention and decided to batten down the hatches a little bit. I feel it lacks, but have gotten into serious debate about it. Definitely a must-hear.

Kings of Leon – Only By the Night – I don’t care if teenage girls think they’re dreamy and older fans bitch about them giving up their southern roots, this album is amazing. Huge, catchy, rock songs. They’re the biggest band in the world right now, except nobody in the U.S. has realized it yet. Probably in my year’s top 3.

Of Montreal – Skeletal Lampings – You’re either in or out with this band, and if you’re in then this album will only bring your passion deeper. Kevin Barnes is a nut, and has a way of turing his lunacy into logic. You gotta see em’ live, but this album is a good place to start.

Kanye West – 808 + Heartbreak - Ok, I haven’t heard it yet, but Herb’s poste intrigues me. My open minded love for music urges me to push past Kanye’s pompous b.s. and give it a shot. Hey, I finally stopped thinking about Chris Martin being in Coldplay, and now I love the new album! So anything’s possible. Except for my ability to post youtubes, let’s try again…