Additional personnel: Bryan Helium (vocals); John Fernandes (violin); Laura Carter (farfisa).

Of Montreal's 1997 mini-album, The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower, stands alone as the Of Montreal album that seems not to be built around a unifying concept of some sort. That makes it seem like a throwaway of sorts when compared to the rest of the Of Montreal catalog, but The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower contains some standout moments. The Kevin Barnes original "On the Drive Home" and the covers of the Who's "Disguises" and Elf Power's "Secret Ocean" are the highlights, played with joyful earnestness and not a shred of irony. Before distinguishing themselves from the rest of the Elephant 6 collective by releasing several eccentric, unapologetically bright, concept albums, Of Montreal were just another band essentially copying the early Beatles formula with a lo-fi twist. This is not such a bad thing, but those looking to capture what makes Of Montreal such a unique and ambitious pop group will not find that here. This is a starting point for Of Montreal, worthy in and of itself, but merely the building blocks for stellar albums to come. ~ Scott Sepich