Album Review: MGMT - Congratulations (3.5/5)

In late 2007, early 2008, fresh-from-college indie rockers became the toast of the town with Oracular Spectacular, their cheeky debut of pop-leaning, psychedelic rock. They won over fans and critics alike with danceable stuck-in-your-head tunes like "Time to Pretend" and "Kids."

Well, Congratulations, the difficult follow-up to that successful debut, ain't that. Rather than mine their enjoyable pop instincts, they've gone full throttle into the weirder side of their sound. It makes for some nice moments, but there are few, if any, standout singles this time (and in fact, the band has said they don't intend to have singles for this album). Consequently, there's nothing here I expect would corner alternative and pop radio or have them flattered with a remake, a la "The Opposite of Adults," Chiddy Bang's recent take on "Kids."

A few songs do rise above the others though. I quite like "Brian Eno," a quirky tribute to the famous producer of bands like U2 and Coldplay ("We're always one step behind him, he's Brian Eno"). I also like the opening track, "It's Working," which goes for some high drama with its big guitars, harpsichord, echo-chamber vocals and intermittent tempo pauses. Ambitious "Flash Delerium" layers horns, multiple voices, over a shifting base of guitars and synths.

Elsewhere, some songs are better than others. "Song for Dan Treacy," another tribute, although to someone far less well-known, is sinister and weird in an enjoyable way. "Someone's Missing" builds slowly to a Motown-ish climax. The closing title track is pleasantly acoustic with revealing lyrics about the desire for approval ("I'd rather dissolve than have you ignore me").

But then there's the 12-minute, multipart, "Siberian Breaks," which manages to be not nearly as interesting as the band probably thinks it is, making it just pretentious, actually. I like the acoustic guitar opener for about 30 seconds, and then the song loses me. "Lady DaDa's Nightmare" seems pointed at Lady GaGa, but I don't see what she'd supposedly find so objectionable about this meandering instrumental.

This album required a close listen to appreciate it. I was actually going to give it a lower rating until I listened to it more carefully and found more to like than I'd heard at first blush. Still, that it requires such effort may be off-putting to some, especially those that enjoyed the band's first go-round most for the jumping joy of "Kids."

Best: Brian Eno, It's Working, Flash Delerium

April New Releases

Wasn't March great? Broken Bells, Two Door Cinema Club and Goldfrapp were all winners. And although they didn't win me over completely, Alphabeat and Ellie Goulding weren't bad either.

April, in contrast, is relatively tame.

MGMT - Congratulations. The most anticipated album of the month is the sophomore release from New York-based MGMT, the uber-hyped duo were 2008's indie band to love, winning over audiences with pop-leaning songs like "Time to Pretend" and "Kids," the latter of which has been a favorite by others to cover (including the Chiddy Bang remake, "Opposite of Adults"). I've read that this album will be less "pop" than Oracular Spectacular. I've also read that, in a Kid A-like move, there won't be any singles released (although in the digital age, that doesn't really mean anything). These could be red flags--signs the band's fame has quickly gone to their heads--or perhaps not. Perhaps this will be brilliant. Stay tuned, and for the time being, check out first taste, "Flash Delerium." (April 12/13)

Hole - Nobody's Daughter. It's been 12 years since Hole released Celebrity Skin, during which time the band was kaput from 2002 until last year, when it re-formed. During that time, it's famous lead singer Courtney Love spent some time in rehab, which, at Linda Perry's encouragement, gave her time to write some new songs. Love sounds like she's in fine form on first single, "Skinny Little Bitch." (April 23)

Scouting for Girls - Everybody Wants to Be on TV. The British band, known for hits like "She's So Lovely" and "Elvis Ain't Dead," returns with their second album. (April 5)

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim - Here Lies Love. David Byrne of Talking Heads fame and Fatboy Slim teamed up with a bevy of female singers (Cyndi Lauper, Tori Amos, Nellie McKay, Sia, Santigold, etc.) on this concept album about....Philippino Imelda Marcos. No joke! (April 5)

B.o.B. - B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. Atlanta rapper releases his debut featuring the better-everyday single "Nothin' on You" featuring Bruno Mars. (April 27)

Bonus: Natalie Imbruglia - Come to Life. Last year's fantastic album gets a UK release April 26.

Album Review: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (4/5)

Good music takes confidence. In rock, it's often the result of either hard-won success or the boldness of youth. MGMT (say "M-G-M-T" not "management") derives theirs from the latter, as demonstrated on their debut, Oracular Spectacular, a modern, poppy set that shows its '70s and '80s influences on its sleeve. To just look at the band--two young men often shirtless or costumed--says a lot about what must be their current state of mind. Ready to take on the world, they've given themselves a fantastic launch.

"Time to Pretend" is the brilliant opening track, starting off with a swirl of synth effects and establishing an optimistic melody that quickly transitions to the song's upbeat melodic core. Playful lyrics about dreaming of fame ("this is our decision to live fast and die young") mix well with the layered '80s-sounding synths that are currently in vogue.

In contrast, "Weekend Wars" sounds like '70s progressive rock, kissed with spacey synth riffs. Keyboard sound effects are even more prominent on atmospheric "The Youth." Elements of these songs remind me of The Flaming Lips album I reviewed a few weeks ago, as do the weird closing tracks "The Handshake" and "Future Reflections" (lo and behold, both albums were produced by Dave Fridmann). "Electric Feel" also features a heavy does of '70s-ish keyboards, but is influenced more by funk than prog rock.

"Kids" is the album's second obvious highlight after "Time to Pretend." It has a similar '80s electro sound, with a repeating keyboard refrain over a plodding bass-driven rhythm. With deeper voices they could be Depeche Mode here. This is very danceable stuff. The tempo remains fast on "4th Dimension Transition," whose experimental grandeur recalls Muse's recent album.

It's not all cool '80s synths and psychedelica though, as the mostly acoustic "Pieces of What" shows MGMT has other interests too. Drums, electric guitar and even strings (though they may be synths sounding like strings) kick in about halfway through this earnest, Oasis-like ballad. "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters" takes another trip through the '70s--trip being the key word here, with lyrics like "even a bird would want a taste of dirt from abyssal dark." Huh?

Lyrical confusion abounds through a lot of the band's songs. Some of them, like "Time to Pretend" are easy to understand, but others are very bizarre, and may not need to be understood lyrically (if that is even possible) to be enjoyed musically. I'm not much of a lyrics guy anyway, so I don't mind. I'd rather focus on good hooks and melody, which Oracular Spectacular, as the title implies, delivers.

Best: Time to Pretend, Kids, Weekend Wars, Electric Feel, Pieces of What

Introducing: MGMT

Indie/electronic rockers MGMT (pronounced "M-G-M-T" not "the management" as erroneously reported by The Rolling Stone and other publications) are the only artist to appear on both the BBC Sounds of 2008 and Rolling Stone's "ten artists to watch" lists. The band released its debut album, Oracular Spectacular, this week (it had been previously released only on-line). "Time to Pretend" which was a recent freebie on iTunes, is a great single, scheduled for release in the UK on February 25. Best yet, my my friend has met the band. Check out the video for "Time to Pretend" here.