of Montreal will release their 20th studio album, aethermead, on June 5 via Polyvinyl Record Co., alongside a 36-date North American tour kicking off later that month. The band has also shared a new single, When, which arrives ahead of the album as its first preview.
The record marks three decades of the Kevin Barnes-led project, which has shifted lineups and styles while maintaining a steady release schedule. aethermead was recorded in Brooklyn at The Honey Jar studio with engineer Drew Vandenberg and members of the current touring band, including drummer Clayton Rychlik, keyboardist Jojo Glidwell, and bassist Ross Brand. The sessions move away from the electronic focus of recent releases and lean into a more direct band setup.
Barnes describes the album as highly personal, written during a period that followed both a relationship breakdown and a move from Vermont to New York. The relocation placed Barnes in Brooklyn, near family and in close proximity to Prospect Park, where daily routines began to shape the writing process. The album title references the Nethermead area of the park and reflects that shift in environment.
The lead single, When, centres on a short-lived relationship from that period. It frames physical desire as a stand-in for something less easily articulated, with Barnes pointing to a gap between what is said and what is actually needed. The track’s tempo and structure lean toward a faster, more stripped-down approach compared to the band’s recent catalogue.
The tour begins June 19 in Athens, Georgia, and runs through early August, covering major U.S. markets including New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Support acts include Cormae on the early dates and Sloppy Jane for the later leg. No Canadian dates have been announced.
The album arrives as the band continues to operate at a pace that has outlasted most of its peers, with aethermead adding to a catalogue that now spans 20 full-length releases.
Photo – Bảo Ngô
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