Album Review: MGMT “Congratulations”

One can imagine how difficult it is to deal with instant stardom. From the huge hit ‘Kids’ to their infectiously sexy ‘Electric Feel’ MGMT’s first album Oracular Spectacular swept the world of indie music in 2009. Singer Ben Goldwasser ended his description of an interview with Spinner with an apology about the direction of the new album Congratulations set to be released on April 13.

While many MGMT fans need no apology, there are some listeners that will be sincerely disappointed with the new album. A far cry from the simplistic indie pop of the first album, Congratulations takes the band’s music in an entirely different direction. Much to the chagrin of some listeners, the alternative dance club sounds of Oracular Spectacular have been replaced with a blend of garage rock and psych pop. It’s debatable what Goldwasser meant by his apology, it’s the opinion of many listeners that it was a bit faux.

The first few tracks of Congratulations including the light-hearted ‘It’s Working”‘, Song For Dan Treacy”, and “Flash Delirium” encompass a wide variety of mod rock and psychedelia backed by the signature airy and echoing vocals of Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. Congratulations picks up in the second half with the garage sound of “Brian Eno”, the spacy “Siberian Breaks”, and the somber “Congratulations”

Setting out to captivate listeners and create a diverse and cohesive album, Congratulations succeeds admirably. Had it not been for the astronomical success of their first album, their second album would be praised as one of the top releases of 2010. It’s true, those looking for the viral and club-worth dance hits from Oracular Spectacular will be let down, but an objective listen to the album will undoubtedly hook listeners.

It’s difficult to say why MGMT has deviated from their original formula. Even so, the talent is still unmistakable, the songwriting razor sharp, and the instrumentals well engineered. It’s not going to work for everyone, but for those that it does, it will work exceptionally well. Sort of a narrative and introspection of their rapid rise to fame, Congratulations involves a lot more self examination, and a little less perk. Perhaps this is a deliberate attempt to polarize their fans, but nonetheless, it’s hard to say with any certainty that MGMT owes anybody an apology who deserves it.

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