So I've been listening to the new MGMT album off of whoismgmt.com. Initially it was really hard to get into. The music seems so smooth and blended together that it is hard to decipher any catchy-ness in it. This album is like the first time I listened to Animal Collective, really hard to get into. But, give it a chance...listen to it like 3 or 4 times through because you will change your mind and come to love it. It is like the beach boys mixed with psychedelic awesomeness mixed in and all sorts of other vibes from other obscure genres. I've sorta come to classify this kind of music as Acid Indie (AKA MGMT, Animal Collective, Passion Pit.) Be warned though, this album has absolutely no song like "Time To Pretend" or "Kids" that will immediately get you caught up in its catchy synths. Instead there are songs like "Flash Delerium" and "It's Working" that has beach boy choruses that are actually pretty catchy.
"Flash Delirium" shifts from this beach boy vibe to a classic mgmt vibe, then back to a beach boy vibe and finally culminates to a Grease vibe. It is the most musically interesting song I have heard all year.
"It's Working" is obviously about MGMT tripping on what ever stuff they take, but the musical build up in this song is awesome. There is a point where they add in organ which sounds awesome. Then you once again get a surfing vibe at its culmination.
"Song For Dan Treacy" Is also one of my favorites. It doesn't really have the beach boys vibe. It almost has a tidge of Arctic Monkey vibes at the beginning. Ultimately you really get a unique MGMT psychedelic vibe.
Really I think if you have listened to MGMT's first album and you liked the later half of the album after "Kids" that was more psychedelic like "Future Reflections" and "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters, you will have an easier time liking this album.
The new album is really a new musical treat to me, and I love it. I plan on buying it once it comes out as a true fan of MGMT and music in general. Music is really tricky. Sometimes a song can immediately catch you, but other times it takes time for the listener to comprehend contents of a song. I find that songs which take time to decipher are really much more rewarding to the listener and stick with you longer once comprehended. MGMT's sophmore album is full of these type of songs that with time you will realize that this is gonna place as one of the best albums of the year to everyone who truly appreciates music as a whole.
SHMU will be buying this album.
VERDICT? APPROVED
FINAL THOUGHTS: This album is a good sign to the quality of musicians nowadays. To SHMU, 2010 has been the year of artist reinventing themselves. Vampire Weekend, Gorrilaz, and MGMT have all really broken off from their past sounds and moved into new areas that have really made SHMU respect these artists a lot more. Vampire Weekend was impressive because i thought they were a one trick pony. Gorrilaz was awesome because have presented me with the most meaningful and catchy enviromental statement of the year. MGMT, which I guessed would head in a new direction and not be a mainstream sell out, went in an entirely new direction which i would never of guessed they would take.
