MGMT - Congratulations [REVIEW]

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.

Meth, Ghost & Rae - Wu-Massacre [REVIEW]

I love the Wu-Tang Clan. One of the very first hip-hop acts I ever listened to; Enter the 36 Chambers also being one of the first albums I've ever heard. Their debut, and every album leading up until their second group effort, Wu-Tang Forever, is classic, almost flawless displays in what hip-hop is capable of when fully utilized. GZA, RZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man were always at the forefront of the group, while Masta Killa, U-God, and Inspectah Deck played the lesser known, but still great soldiers; the first sect of that group, the cousins, have changed a lot during the years. ODB unfortunately passed away, while GZA fell off into monotony and RZA decided to film movie scores instead of focus on albums, since the former career is far more lucrative. The second is the group we'll be discussing today.

Ghostface Killah has always been the most consistent of anyone on the Wu-Tang; he really has never released a bad album, and yes, I'm including Ghostdini. His oft-P.I.C. Raekwon has two classics under his belt, the landmark Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and its sequel. Method Man is probably the most well known of all the Wu-Tang, as he has become something of a household name since "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man" dropped 18 years ago. In 2010, they're really the best the Wu has to offer. Which is what makes this album rather dissapointing.

Now, is it their fault this album doesn't live up to expectations? Not completely, no. A lot of the blame rests on Def Jam's shoulders. They rushed the project along, and hyped it up in epic proportions. They're really expecting great sales, or media attention from this album, so they've released FOUR singles, 3 alternate album covers, one music video, and one promotional mixtape since this project was announced three months ago. All of these covers were designed by famed comic book artist, Chris Bachalo, of Generation X & Death fame. Four singles were released, that makes up one-third of this 12 track album; and two of those tracks are 30 second skits.

So, yes, there's around 30 minutes, at most, of music on this project. 6 of the 10 songs clock in at under 3 minutes long; which hurts the product extremely, especially with tracks like Criminology 2.5 and Mef Vs. Chef 2, both of which are only 2 minutes long. I suppose they live up to the "2" in their names.

None of the songs really grab you, at all. A part of the problem really is the incredibly-aggitating length of the records, which, I don't understand how they completely blame Def Jam for. Did Def Jam really cut Criminology 2.5 in HALF because of time restraints? I doubt it. I have no idea why Raekwon's verse was cut off, nor why Ghost's was taken from No Man's Land, a bonus cut off of OB4CL2. Mef Vs. Chef 2 has the best production on the album, but 2:01 is NOT enough. It feels like an interlude. In fact, most rappers' interludes are longer than most of these songs. This is hard to classify as genuine MUSIC at this length. I understand that They wanted to show off their liquid swords, but damn guys, HOW HARD IS IT TO ADD A FUCKING HOOK?

And talk about more than fucking guns already, huh? We know, you're raw. You're hard. You're the hardest rappers out there. But honestly, you criticize Waka Flocka for not having lyrics, and saying rappers of your ilk are outta touch, when you're not covering any ground that Waka or any of these other young "trappers, not rappers" are covering, and you can't even afford the time to write a hook. Honestly, you guys ARE out of touch, no matter how much it hurts me to say that. The difference being that these other rappers are in their early to mid twenties, and you guys are almost old enough to be their fathers. Come on guys, grow up.

I don't understand it, honestly. OB4CL2 was fantastic, and Ghostdini was a great approach in another direction for Ghost. Those albums came out about 6 months ago, respectively. And this is what they come up with as a follow up? You can't completely blame Def Jam for this, and their time restraints. Even with more songs, these guys weren't really going anywhere with this effort. In fact, there really isn't any effort. It comes off more as a quick attempt to grab cash from hardcore Wu-heads by Meth, Ghost, Rae AND Def Jam. I feel like they're all in cohoots to rob us, especially with all the hyped and alternate cover BS going into this project. The marketing is better than the overall product. If only Def Jam put this much effort into their GREAT albums.

It's not all bad, don't get me wrong. Dangerous, Miranda, It's That Wu-Shit, and Our Dreams are all pretty good, if not kinda generic. There's just nothing really great about this album, either. It's just kinda, blah. I doubt anyone'll be listening to this album past April, if they even remember it for anything other than being a failed marketing ploy.

Sorry, Wu. But you left me down this time, and I'm sure you left plenty others down, too. Try harder next time, and try to take some of the blame for once, huh? These are the same guys who blamed RZA entirely for 8 Diagrams being a dissapointment, yet I'd listen to that album again over this.