In a moment that feels a wee bit surreal, of Montreal have announced their mind-blowing 20th studio album. Entitled aethermead, the record (which is sans a tracklist as of press time) arrives on June 5th via Polyvinyl Record Co.
On the surface, aethermead is a breakup record. However, as a press release clarifies, it’s also an “account of personal rebirth” for head honcho Kevin Barnes. As the story goes, Barnes not only split up with his then-fiancé in recent years but also moved out of the “isolated surroundings of Vermont,” heading for Brooklyn for a little personal time and recuperation.
Barnes said he has “always had a romantic fascination with New York, but for forever I couldn’t figure out how to make it work.” Until this time, of course, where Barnes leaned into two “sources of healing” that directly inspired the record: “The Nethermead area within Prospect Park where he takes his dog for daily walks and his newfound meditation practice.”
From there, Barnes recorded the LP at New York’s Honey Jar alongside engineer Drew Vandenberg and several members from the of Montreal live band (drummer Clayton Rychlik, keyboardist Jojo Glidwell, and bassist Ross Brand). Community is seemingly yet another pillar of aethermead as Barnes’ nearby family members served as “a balm for this current phase in his life.”
Our first taste of this newly-rejuvenated Barnes comes with the first single, “When.” This rollicking, punk-ish number is about a rebound relationship Barnes started upon moving to the Big Apple, and all the personal insights gleaned from said brief-but-important entanglement.
“It’s more a song about yearning, sadness, confusion, frustration…than it is a song about having sex,” Barnes said. “Clearly all of the things listed in the verses are the things I actually desire. I’m hiding behind a shield of sexual bravado and pretending as if my only needs are physical. It’s very transparent that I’m longing for much more than just libidinal fulfillment, but those other things are being withheld. It’s much easier to say, ‘When can I fuck you again?’ than it is to say ‘When will you be loving, affectionate, and emotionally generous and make me feel whole again?'”
Pre-orders for aethermead are available here.
As previously reported, of Montreal will tour behind the record this summer. Revisit their full schedule below. Grab your tickets now via Ticketmaster or the band’s website.
aethermead Artwork:
of Montreal 2026 Tour Dates:
06/19 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club ~
06/20 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle ~
06/21 – Norfolk, VA @ The Annex ~
06/22 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club ~
06/23 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall ~
06/24 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair ~
06/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts ~
06/26 – Buffalo, NY @ Asbury Hall ~
06/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls ~
06/28 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick ~
06/29 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Café ~
06/30 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall ~
07/01 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall ~
07/02 – Chattanooga, TN @ Barrellhouse Ballroom ~
07/03 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle ~
07/04 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Pour House ~
07/21 – Nashville, TN @ The Mil at Cannery Hall
07/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall *
07/23 – Wichita, KS @ WAVE *
07/24 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
07/25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Metro Music Hall *
07/26 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall *
07/27 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *
07/28 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
07/29 – Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall *
07/30 – Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post *
07/31 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
08/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater *
08/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *
08/03 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister *
08/05 – Dallas, TX @ Trees *
08/06 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk *
08/07 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea’s Live *
08/08 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn *
~ = w/ Cormae
* = w/ Sloppy Jane
