Describing MGMT's new self-titled album as a psychedelic masterpiece would be fitting. But two words cannot even start to describe this complex and trippy album. The songs on the album really giving the impression that a wave runs through each song connecting it to the next, makes it easy to forget where one song starts and the next ends since the colourful wave runs on.
Combining quiet, thoughtful songs such as "I Love You Too, Death" with happy, powerful songs like "Alien Days" and even a song sounding like a spaceship taking off ("A Good Sadness") makes listening to the album a voyage through different spheres of MGMT's sound.
The song "Plenty Of Girls In The Sea" will no doubt be a big sing-along during the chorus at the US band's live shows. This may also be down to this song sounding like what I imagine the Beatles would have sounded like had they been tripping out on acid with modern technology around them.
Although with many different layers to discover and each listening experience providing new elements to each piece, the album lacks the sort of song that sticks in one's mind and opens up the treasure that is MGMT's music to listeners from other genres. This obviously isn't bad, but shows that MGMT have moved on from electro-pop hits from their first album "Oracular Spectacular". The new album also sounds a lot securer than their second album "Congratulations", with the band stating that they felt more at ease when recording the new album.
This album isn't in any way about individual songs, though. You get the feeling that with "Oracular Spectacular" you could just pull out your iPod and press play for any song. This album requires you to get your record player and listen to the album from start to finish - just as Andrew and Benjamin would have wanted you to. In hindsight "psychedelic masterpiece" is probably an understatement.
Written by - Benjamin Brown
MGMT - MGMT
Out of 10: 8/10
October: UK TOUR
12th Glasgow, UK - ABC1
13th Wolverhampton, UK - Civic
14th Manchester, UK - Apollo
16th London, UK - Forum
Follow / [FACEBOOK]
Combining quiet, thoughtful songs such as "I Love You Too, Death" with happy, powerful songs like "Alien Days" and even a song sounding like a spaceship taking off ("A Good Sadness") makes listening to the album a voyage through different spheres of MGMT's sound.
The song "Plenty Of Girls In The Sea" will no doubt be a big sing-along during the chorus at the US band's live shows. This may also be down to this song sounding like what I imagine the Beatles would have sounded like had they been tripping out on acid with modern technology around them.
Although with many different layers to discover and each listening experience providing new elements to each piece, the album lacks the sort of song that sticks in one's mind and opens up the treasure that is MGMT's music to listeners from other genres. This obviously isn't bad, but shows that MGMT have moved on from electro-pop hits from their first album "Oracular Spectacular". The new album also sounds a lot securer than their second album "Congratulations", with the band stating that they felt more at ease when recording the new album.
This album isn't in any way about individual songs, though. You get the feeling that with "Oracular Spectacular" you could just pull out your iPod and press play for any song. This album requires you to get your record player and listen to the album from start to finish - just as Andrew and Benjamin would have wanted you to. In hindsight "psychedelic masterpiece" is probably an understatement.
Written by - Benjamin Brown
MGMT - MGMT
Out of 10: 8/10
October: UK TOUR
12th Glasgow, UK - ABC1
13th Wolverhampton, UK - Civic
14th Manchester, UK - Apollo
16th London, UK - Forum
Follow / [FACEBOOK]