Radio V Classic - Bran Van 3000 "Montreal"

The music business can be a rather cold, fickle world, so it's always heartening to see one of our favorite bands (who hasn't sold a bucketload of records) returning to active duty.

It's been more than a hot minute--in fact six years plus--since the last time Montreal's greatest export since the lap dance threw it down on wax. In honor of Bran Van 3000's third album, "Rosé" getting released on Tuesday, we honor a Radio V Classic from their prior album, Discosis, "Montreal."

Discosis saw the Bran Clan returning with a sophomore album that went miles beyond the almost in-crowd feel of their debut record, Glee. Discosis was Bran Van leader Jamie DiSalvio using the social capital of his UK No. 1 single "Drinking In LA" to turn his heroes into comrades. The album featured the last vocal of Curtis Mayfield's life; a rap from long dormant 80s rapper Big Daddy Kane and legendary reggae artist Eek-A-Mouse.

In a strange twist, the newly deepened pockets and bigger little black book didn't destroy the music. In fact (since we in all honesty joined the party late) Discosis was the best pop album we heard in 2002.

Three tracks deep lies the album's masterpiece, "Montreal." Though never plucked as a single, perhaps due to the eventual closure of their label (the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal imprint), the track had all the earmarks of a massive summer hit. "Montreal" is a sun-saturated, electro-kissed, slice of hip-pop that blasts out of the speakers and hooks itself right into the brain. Kermit The Frog even gets a shout out! The slick, somewhat propulsive groove is the constant that guides you from DiSalvio's relaxed flow to his interplay with the sugary female vocals, to the Youssou N'Dour led tribal singalong that closes the proceedings. As Jamie sings later on the record "Ain't no party like a Bran Van party, cuz a Bran Van party don't stop." The beauty of this band is that you really never know exactly where you're going, but it's always a helluva ride.

Discosis takes a little work to find, but it is more than worth the effort. Rosé gets a Canadian release October 30.