Let’s get this out of the way immediately. I don’t like MGMT. They’re bland psychedelia with an extra helping of bland for good measure. Their initial charm for me was in their EP with “indie rokkers.” I was able to get behind the workings of that song and the musical directions present therein. With Oracular Spectacular, they went in the direction of their song “Kids,” and lost my interest completely. Did their new album Congratulations change anything for me?
Absolutely not. The new album is a bust, with every song bleeding into each other without anything to distinguish them apart from each other. The first track shows promise in much of the same way as “indie rokkers” did, but the interesting sound pretty much ceases after that and the whole affair becomes the familiar psychedelic whining that we were given in the first album. The band has stated that this was a “no singles” album, and it shows. Here’s hoping they grow and mature some in their next outing. You can check out the “Oracular Spectacular B-Sides” over at NPR, where they have an advanced preview. The album goes on sale on April 13.
If you want something along these lines that has a more of a unique sound, you might consider the Islands’ Vapours.