Funky, psychadelic delight! (Oracular Spectacular - MGMT)

Member Name: flodombey

Product:	Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
Date:	28/01/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kids, Electric Feel

Disadvantages: None

This is a very enjoyable album from New York based electro-pop duo MGMT. I first stumbled across them after being totally mesmerised by the video for Electric Feel which was getting occasional play on MTV2 back in early 2008, I did the research and found the album online and boy am I glad that I did.

The best thing about it (I think) is that they have managed something quite significant in that they really dont sound much like anything else around at the moment. Sure you can clearly here the influences of seminal artists such as Bowie and Ultravox, but they manage to create a strangely beautiful and distinct sound of their own.

This album was well received by the critics on its release in January 2008 but was a bit of a slow burner with the public, on its first UK release their debut single Time to Pretend only made #35 in the charts, it has just been re-released following the much better chart positions of follow up singles Electric Feel and Kids (#22 and #16 respectively) and is getting frequent airplay from the likes of Radio 1 and 6 this time round which is likely to ensure it improves its standings on this second outing.

I really love the album and found it to be one of those few you encounter where from the very first play I never skipped through it to my favourites but enjoyed every track. The songs represent a wider skill set than you might imagine off the back of the singles, Pieces of What, for example, is much more mellow and pensive than the upbeat Electric Feel or the chirpy Time to Pretend. It shows a depth which you might not think them capable of for ones so young and (relatively) inexperienced.

I predict great things for these guys, not necessarily releasing under their own name either, I have a feeling that with their knack for effects and everything electronic they may well be doing more behind the scenes wizzardry and will become in demand producers in their own right.

Having seen them live last year on their headline tour I was a little disappointed, it didnt quite translate as well on stage as it does on CD, maybe they just need more time to develop this side of MGMT and it certainly wont put me off seeing them again.

A great album for your collection and one which I do believe will be considered a classic in years to come.

Summary: Very of its time, future modern classic