Oracular may be a complex effort, but the verdict is simple--it's brilliant.
Oracular Spectacular is a triumph of conceptual ambition, a series of fantastic voyages that avoids any of the navel-gazing such notions normally provoke.
In typical Fridmann fashion, Oracular Spectacular is a glamorous mega-production through and through.
The competition for best debut album of 2008 has thus far been fierce, but with Oracular Spectacular MGMT have tossed their hat into the ring in extravagant style.
Developing their noisy electronic live soundscapes into definable songs has taken them through various outfits and art projects until they finally felt comfortable to commit their work to tape. Their debut album Oracular Spectacular is the result: a swirling collage of ideas born on instruments and computers in their Brooklyn homes.
Oracular Spectacular is a fine record. A blissful blend of gurgling psychedelia, proggy synth and acid-fried ‘70s west coast hippiness, it’s as playful, uplifting and involving a record as you’d hope to hear this early into the year. What it doesn’t do though, is assure you that this is an essential album that demands long-term replays and loving care.
MGMT find kindred spirits in Muse and Mew by dressing their melodies in the fanciful trappings of 1970s British prog, but unlike their contemporaries the duo also weaves in lessons from disco, new-wave synth-pop, and early 90s Britpop.
It's about time electro-glam stopped taking itself seriously. So while hype sweethearts MGMT have made some unfortunate stylistic choices on their debut, Oracular Spectacular, at least they're charming about it.
The two Wesleyan graduates pick Dave Fridmann as their producer, put together a five-piece touring band, and then they make Oracular Spectacular and it is logically a bloated, uncomfortable, saturated throwback to no genre, time period, or movement in particular.
This album is carried by Time To Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids
But honestly those songs are SO FUCKING AMAZING so do you really need any more than that!?
One of my favorite albums of all time.
The kind of recordings that will stay here long after we're gone.
Some good stuff, but it does feel like the band's heart wasn't really in it when making this album.
The Time to Pretend EP caught the eye of Columbia Records, who signed MGMT onto the label in 2006. The label wanted more of the sounds featured on the EP, which was not the best news for the band. At this point in their career, MGMT started to grow tired of the satirical take on pop that they had been doing for the past few years. They never really wanted to be known for that kind of music, but ... read more
Time to pretend and kids carried, the rest of this is boring/nothing crazy (i can't take electric feel seriously bcs of that guy jumping)
1 | Time to Pretend 4:21 | 94 |
2 | Weekend Wars 4:10 | 81 |
3 | The Youth 3:48 | 80 |
4 | Electric Feel 3:49 | 92 |
5 | Kids 5:02 | 94 |
6 | 4th Dimensional Transition 3:58 | 76 |
7 | Pieces of What 2:43 | 72 |
8 | Of Moons, Birds & Monsters 4:46 | 85 |
9 | The Handshake 3:39 | 77 |
10 | Future Reflections 4:00 | 76 |
#1 | / | NME |
#6 | / | The Guardian |
#7 | / | FACT Magazine |
#7 | / | musicOMH |
#10 | / | Spin |
#13 | / | Q Magazine |
#20 | / | PopMatters |
#28 | / | Drowned in Sound |
#28 | / | Paste |
#31 | / | Rolling Stone |