Montaigne explains why 'it's hard to be a fish' on their new album

The true musical mastermind of Montaigne is back with their fourth album it's hard to be a fish, the soundtrack for all who have ever questioned their position on this planet or felt excluded from those closest to them. it’s hard to be a fish marks a transitional phase in Montaigne’s life and career, standing as their first fully independent album after parting with their label in 2023, as well as being an album created during the course of “two years, two partners, three houses, two continents, and a lot of learning (both technically and emotionally)”. Montaigne shared on their Patreon that the motifs of fish and the ocean have been used throughout the album as “an analogy for being queer, being “other” in your family, and for the sheer mystery and majesty that is the ocean and its unfathomable depths”. This album hosts deeply introspective moments of self-realisation and distance from the concept of perception, packaged in strongly “meticulously handcrafted” sound and production with influence from the soundtracks of Kingdon Hearts II and Final Fantasy X.

Montaigne suggests that it’s hard to be a fish is best enjoyed in the original track order, and with headphones for the ultimate listening experience. The album opens with ‘keep going!’, and the video game inspirations are evident within the first 30 seconds. Atmospherically setting the tone for the sonic wonder of this album, ‘keep going!’ is a reflection on the strain of being a writer and a creator in this demanding social space. ‘talking shit’ was the first single released from this album, standing as an anthem for anyone who has faced bullying or belittlement. In true Montaigne style, ‘talking shit’ is full of charm, from the angelic chorusing of “you’re a dick” or the funky opening that you can’t help but to boogie along to. A simple base of piano chords leads us into ‘get older’, a song which depicts the increasing suffocation that disapproval can have on someone.

‘beyond the glass’ is one of the best tracks on the album to play loudly through your best headphones.  Made in collaboration with their partner Nick, Montaigne sings of “an ocean out beyond the glass”, an idea of a positive alternative to the reality some find themselves in, and the fact that taking a step away from your overly structured belief system can be salubrious. ‘everybody else’ was one of the first songs made for it’s hard to be a fish, and is the go-to versatile scream in the car or dance away your lifelong trauma tune. Written about the generational cycles of disapproval, ‘everybody else’ stands lyrically as a trauma response to a troubled upbringing, but the bright and electronic timbre manipulate this narrative of hurt into an almost freeing reflection on this experience.

‘somewhere…?’ is an instrumental interlude placed strategically between the emotional weight of both ‘everybody else’ and ‘swim back’. A track that Montaigne states will “devastate the nation”, ‘swim back’ conveys the pure relief that comes with fleeing a controlling relationship, accompanied with a gorgeous string arrangement from James Tarbotton. ‘so fast in the water’ is a soft, poetic spoken track with a lurking eeriness below the surface, emulating an origin story discovered deep into a character’s journey.

Capturing attention from the boldly dissonant yet oddly musical opening chaos is the lead album single, ‘best case scenario’. With a piano chord progression that etches its way into your memory and a beautiful vocal performance, ‘best case scenario’ is the search for a silver lining that feels like pure gold in itself.

On an Instagram Live, Montaigne shared that this album feels like a return to the energy of the early albums, “like an update but sort of going back to original instincts”, but adds that the closing track, ‘it’s all about the money’ would likely surprise their younger self due to how confessional and direct it is lyrically.  ‘it’s all about the money’ stands as one of my favourite moments of this whole album and most anticipated performances of the tour, with theatrical energy aplenty and a glimpse into the reality of the broke indie musician life and the toxicity of parental expectations.

As a long time Montaigne fan, this album is all I could wish for and more. To see an artist make major career changing choices and still produce such a strong body of work is very admirable, and it’s hard to be a fish feels both demonstrative of the Montaigne journey whilst also being a breath of fresh air in a discography that has become so familiar to me over the years. Feelings that are buried deep inside are guaranteed to rise to the surface during this album experience, though the lyrical richness, depth of production, and purely magical vocal performance will diminish any upset by turning it into pure awe.

If you’re loving it’s hard to be a fish, you can best channel that support directly to Montaigne through their Patreon, with varying subscription tiers ranging from free-$170 packages. If you’ve enjoyed this album as much as I have, you can purchase a ticket to the it’s hard to be a fish tour in Meanjin (Brisbane), Naarm (Melbourne), or Gadigal (Sydney) in late July/early August this year!