MGMT - 'Oracular Spectacular' (Columbia) Released 10/03/08

Just a few months before The Jesus and Mary Chain and Rage Against the Machine reformed last year, another less publicised reformation took place. The members of MGMT had graduated from college in 2006 and following that came the economic necessity of having to find work. That was that for MGMT, but a few months later Columbia Records offered them a deal off the strength of a long lost EP, MGMT accepted and made 'Oracular Spectacular'.
             
'Time to Pretend' is a strong opener, with it's catchy keyboard hook and road-map for rock-stars lyrics..."I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin". If you're into heroin, don't you just walk round the corner to get some, rather than move to Paris? This is the latest song in the current Paris craze for musicians, alongside Friendly Fires "One day we're gonna live in Paris" and Digitalism's 'Pogo (On the road to Paris)'. 'Time to Pretend' is possibly the most cynical introduction ever by a band... "We'll choke on our vomit, that will be the end".

'Weekend Wars' next, is a look back on innocence, not cynicism..."Tried to amplify the sound of light and love" We even get an 'All You Need Is Love' type bass-line and the swing-time beat puts the icing on a lovely song. 'The Youth' is the first mis-fire, leaving you wanting back the cyncism of 'Time to Pretend', the chorus is so twee..."The youth is starting to change. Are you starting to change? Are you?" 'Electric Feel' gets things right back on track with a tight-trousered, high-pitched vocal and a bass-line so good you can almost see the strings flex. 'Electric Feel' is even more disco than those other New Yorkers, the disco-happy Hercules and Love Affair. 'Kids' carries on the dance vibe, albeit in a modern, electro way. 'Kids' is begging out for a remix to make it a club banger, just a slight tweaking would be required.

Given the knowing nature of 'Time to Pretend', it's difficult not to think of '4th Dimensional Transition' as a hippy send-up, the lyrics are ridiculous..."My liquid silver arms extended". Can't fault the authenticity of the music though, the tabla-playing is tight. 'Pieces of What' is more musically cautious, starting with just singing and an acoustic guitar. One day it will probably be set to footage of the Twin Towers..."Burying all of the pieces falling from the sky". It even features tasteful strings for some default emotion.

'Of Moons, Birds and Monsters' sees MGMT try their hand at AOR, which doesn't sound appealing on paper, until you actually hear it coming on like a classy lost track from Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours'. Even better is the album closer, 'Future Reflections' with it's seamless quick to slow tempos and lyrics that sum up the adventurous spirit of MGMT..."Off of the trail and off of your hands and onto a new plan".
 
It was said that after gentrification, New York would become musically sterile, that the astronomical cost of living would lead to an exodus of the creative people. MGMT are one of the many bands proving this theory wrong. Something good might have come out of the Dollar crashing.