of Montreal is thrilled to announce release details for brand new album ‘Paralytic Stalks’, available 6th February in the UK, worldwide 7th February via Polyvinyl Records. The album will also be released via partnerships with Contrarede Records in Japan and with Baram Records in Korea. ‘Paralytic Stalks’ was written, performed, engineered, and produced by Kevin Barnes at his own Sunlandic Studios in Athens, GA; and mixed at Chase Park Transduction with the assistance of engineer Drew Vandenberg (Deerhunter, Toro y Moi).

You can hear/download the album’s 7+ minute teaser track, ‘Wintered Debts’ below:

 ‘Paralytic Stalks’ is a stimulating array of densely packed ideas presented with stunning agility. Never before has an of Montreal record moved so fluidly from one song to the next — each track feeding off the last in what seems a singular album-long movement that never allows you to rip your ears away.

After the addition of classically trained violinist Kishi Bashi to of Montreal’s touring line-up, Barnes embraced the idea of working with session musicians (many of whom were Kishi Bashi’s friends) for the first time in his career. During this period, Barnes forged a special connection with Zachary Cowell, a session musician who subsequently arranged all of the album’s brass and woodwind parts (and is now the band’s newest member). The experience also emboldened Barnes to venture into previously unexplored territory with his songwriting.

As a result, ‘Paralytic Stalks’ at times resembles modern classical with its intricate compositions, while at others echoes of neo-prog, pseudo-country, and 60s pop can be heard. Examples of these new elements abound throughout the record, notably on ‘Wintered Debts’, which witnesses its hushed vocal and acoustic guitar intro giving way to a country shuffle replete with pedal steel guitar, as well as the flute-driven, ELO-inspired single “Dour Percentage.”

of Montreal offered fans a sneak peek of ‘Paralytic Stalks’ by posting the 7+ minute album track ‘Wintered Debts’ on their website. The track earned notices and raves from the likes of SPIN.com, Stereogum, Pitchfork, BLURT, New York, NME, Exclaim, Paste, MTV Hive, Nylon (for Guys), Under The Radar, Consequence of Sound, You Aint No Picasso, Prefix, We Listen For You, The Needle Drop, Pretty Much Amazing and more. Within a week of its debut, ‘Wintered Debts’ hit #1 on the Elbo.ws Hot Tracks chart.

Spin.com says of ‘Wintered Debts’, “Once little more than Kevin Barnes’ lo-fi solo project, the Athens, Georgia band has glammed out to become one of the most extravagant live acts in not only indie rock, but all of pop music. And yet the group can still throw a seven-minute, all-over-the-place orchestral-pop number called ‘Wintered Debts’ up on its website, with no explanation. It’s an impressive one, jumping from unplugged confessional to atonal weirdness and then back to sunny ’60s-style psych-pop, all while still taking aim at fake idols.”

Track listing

‘Gelid Ascent’

‘Spiteful Intervention’

‘Dour Percentage’

‘We Will Commit Wolf Murder’

‘Malefic Dowery’

‘Ye, Renew The Plaintiff’

‘Wintered Debts’

‘Exorcismic Breeding Knife’

‘Authentic Pyrrhic Remission’

Preorder ‘Paralytic Stalks’ here.