A lot of people aren't going to like this album, and most of those people were fans of Oracular Spectacular. However, if you weren't on the MGMT bandwagon before this album, I wouldn't hop on here, either. This album is strictly MGMT; a very immersive, and overindulgent affair by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, that is as self-aware and paranoid as its predecessor, yet far more personal, and adventurous.
It starts off with the first transition listeners will have into MGMT's far more folk-driven experience, which is It's Working. It's one of the less experimental efforts on the album, and feels more like something on Oracular Spectacular than anything else; at the same time, it's lush landscape, and beautiful vocals make this a grand introduction to what's about to follow. The "surfer-rock with gothic undertones" vibe starts with this song, and never lets up. If you threw The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, The Flaming Lips, and Nine Inch Nails into a blender, you might be able to come up with half of the elements that the following 8 tracks of this album is about to comprise of.
A Song For Dan Treacy, based on Television Personalites frontman, Dan Treacy, follows. Here's where the album really starts to distanct MGMT from its roots; if anyone remembers that scene in Tim Burton's Ed Wood where Vampira waves her hands frantically to entrance viewers while that demonically groovy music plays in the background, this is basically that, but with MGMT.
Someone's Missing & Flash Delirium follow, and these two songs are possibly the most single-ready of an album with no singles. The former is a beautiful, yet tragically short song that takes all of the best elements of the bands sound, and has Andrew tell a great story lyrically over one of the album's most beautiful arrangements. The latter is the first song leaked from the album, and it's just fucking fantastic. Like a bad-trip gone awkardly right, Flash Delirium is one of the most hauntingly funny songs I've heard in my twenty-one years, including lyrics such as the "hot dog's getting cold," followed by self-aware lyrics like "you'll never be as good as the Rolling Stones." I'll be damned if they aren't trying.
I Found A Whistle maybe the least grabbing song on the album, although it is also one of the more eclectic ones. It stood out to me more than most of the songs on first listen, however, it's lacking the power that the rest of the album really charges with. Siberian Breaks follows, and it's a 12 minute opus. Some people say that this track feels bloated, and I can emphasize. However, in that twelve minute running time, MGMT manages to include almost all of the elements of their past work, and run with it in a song that is just extravagent more-so than self-indulgent.
Brian Eno follows, and it's probably my favorite song on the album. Based on the super-producer who helped expand the ambient music genre, Brian Eno sounds like a dark retelling of the Munsters theme thematically, and tells an absolutely hilarious, and depraved tale lyrically. Brian Eno is something of a God in MGMT's world, and this song honestly reminds me, at least lyrically, of early Primus records. A goofy song that neither satires or parodies anyone or anything, and still goes about it in a very serious, and enjoyable way. Brian Eno is like MGMT's Mr. Krinkle.
Lady Dada's Nightmare, which is awarded with the best song title of the year, is an instrumental piece of work done by the band. Perhaps inspired by Lady GaGa (y'think?), although this song sounds nothing at all like her music; it provides a sparse, surrealistic sound in the beginning, and gets downright demented in the second half, which is filled with gruesome screams of terror. Although the band doesn't provide any lyrics in this song, this is one of my personal favorites from the album; this does sound like a soundtrack to anyone's nightmares, and most of mine do include Lady GaGa.
Congratulations ends with the title track, which is one of the easiest listens of the whole album. Very laid back, and celebratory, this is basically the bend looking back at the past two years of their career, both scathingly, and with reluctance. It's obvious that MGMT never wanted to end up where they're at in their career, and hope to change their stance as hipster demigods with this album by half-alienating their fanbase, and half revealing who they really are. It's a fantastic song that caps of an absolutely breathtaking album.
Congratulations isn't for everyone. To keep it short, it's absolutely FUCKING WEIRD. Magestic at the same time, this is MGMT's most cohesive effort yet, and they completely derail the idea of a sophomore slump. I'd suggest checking out OS if you haven't listened to the band yet, as it's far, far easier to digest than it's successor. However, after you're familiar with the band and their eccentricities, give Congratulations a few spins. This maybe the early album of the year in any genre.
great
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