MGMT-Oracular Spectacular

I feel bad. Like i've let someone down. I mean, I mean I'm fairly positive 0 to 3 people read my blog, but I feel bad because I didn't get my weekly review in on time. I've let myself down, but seeing as that's definitely not a first, I'll try to spit out two reviews this week and act like nothing happened, trick. Can't tell me nothin.

You know the feeling you get when you hear about how awesome something is, and you just feel like it doesn't live up to its label? Sure ya do. It sucks. Like when you hear that you're going to Six Flags and later find out it's that crap one in Kentucky with some spinning teacups and a fixed ring toss. Well, that's kinda how I feel about MGMT.

8 years ago, Ben Goldwasser and Andrew Van Wyngardens were just two freshman ay Wesleyan, learning to make a way for themselves in the world and, most likely, taking a lot of drugs, and when I say a lot, I mean way more than you're thinking of right now. And now. The band started playing shows with very minimal backing (cassette recordings, backing vocals, synthesizer drones), allowing the frontman's punk-ish aura to dictate the show. However, the band aged well, eventually picking up backing instrumentalist to fulfill their futuristic rock dreams, all the while mellowing out their stage presence that solidified MGMT, originally The Management, to gain a record deal for graduation. Eventually the band ended up with Columbia, and released Oracular Spectacular. Since then, MGMT has been shot out of the critic's guns to the top of the alternative spectrum, playing with MGMT, landing festival slots, and doing a lot of more drugs.

It's just a little unfair to say MGMT did not completely live up to my standards. I do believe they a re a small precursor to what a lot of music is heading towards. However, while the band is very Oracular, spectacular is stretching it a bit. The band rarely strays very far from its sound it establishes on the first track. "Electric Feel" is the mother-base, the home-ship, that the band tends to hide under. It's a pleasant sound, but that's all; not awe inspiring, not revolutionarily original. In fact, the song makes me think of Under The Influence of Giants on acid. A very warbly softened "Mama's Room". While MGMT's track does breathe some life into disco, which is no easy task, it doesn't sustain it.

As "Electric Feel" is the home of the album, many other tracks poke their toes out of the cabin and try to venture into new territory, only to quickly scuttle back in its comfortable abode. "Future Reflections" and "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters" are just new flavors of the same ice-cream. Even with the first's upbeat gallop, the song never goes anywhere farther than an electro haze of voices, korgs, and a snare drum.

If there is a track that is the best of this group, it's got to be the hit "Kids". It doesn't try to be anything more than it is. Listening to the song gives me the feeling that I'm walking down some Brooklyn side-street, passing the mammoth buildings while soaking up the quirk floating through the air. It's like a march for the ongoing development of alternative music, taking steps farther and farther from the reality of the 90's grunge movement with every step of the drum. I wish that I could title this as the albums basis, but it is the only one of its kind (theres one exception on the disc) that is a notch above the rest, unrivaled by the meh music encompassing it.

You remember where I said "there's one exception" any where from 5 seconds to 3 minutes ago according to how fast you read? Gee wilickers Batman, is it an exception. The saving grace, pulling this albums from the pile of "potentially, but not". "Weekend Wars" is an incredible Dylan-esque ramble. Something about the way the tin punching guitar trickles around while a static-y click reminds the song of rhythm, all the while spouting whimsical prophecies of nothing. Slowly, the onslaught of synth begins to invade the song, throwing a punch here, a slur there. The song ends in a frenetic mess of sound; a utopia of crazy. The song fades at its climax, harshing the chill with the forgettable "The Youth". "Weekend Wars" has the best lyrics, because they sound like Memoirs of a homeless crack addict. "Try to break my arm, I'll drive to Arizona. It might take a 100 years to grow an arm." Fantastico! No clue whats happening, BUT IT'S AWESOME! The song works. It works very well.

I'm not going to put off MGMT. I'm honestly really excited for their next LP, coming out April 13. I'm intrigued. I'm not denying that they could be the next John Conner of alternative music. I hope that they are. I just see Oracular Spectacular as a good portion of wasted potential, with a few huge steps towards the next stage of music. I hope these oracles predict a lot more "Weekend Wars" and "Kids" and a lot less "Future Reflections". Please.