On the Dial: MGMT

Congratulations - MGMT

When MGMT released a free download of "Flash Delirium", one of the tracks off their new album Congratulations, fans of their first album Oracular Spectacular were less than happy. Ben Goldwasser, one of the two full-time band members, released a statement saying in short, "I'm sorry." But what is he sorry for? This album is good, maybe even great.  It hasn't had the mainstream success that Oracular Spectacular had with the singles "Kids" and "Time To Pretend" but that doesn't mean MGMT is suffering from a sophomore slump.  They simply broke the mold after their first album and started fresh with all new sounds.

  I'm a huge fan of the synth-laden feel good party tunes from their first album, but this second effort has me really paying attention to MGMT. They put down the synthesizers and picked up just about everything else laying around the studio.  Now, instead of churning out a handful of radio hits, they ended up with a geat example of modern psychedelic rock. In my opinion, "Siberian Breaks" is either going to be the track that reels you in or throws you back. It's a twelve-minute journey that will leave you speechless.  

If synch is your thing, feel free to listen to bands that only deal in the synth world, but with Congratulations, MGMT is showing everyone they're capable of a whole lot more than that. I think it's a solid second effort from the duo (turned quintet on the road) and I can't wait to see them in concert!

Sounds Like:
  The Flaming Lips
  Hot Chip
  The Klaxons
  LCD Soundsystem