Jami's Album Suggestion of the Week

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Being the hardcore MGMT super fan that I am, I feel it's only natural that my first Album Suggestion of the Week be about Congratulations. It has been one of the most controversial albums of the year with everyone from NME to Pitchfork suggesting the group had succumb to commercial suicide. That being said, I cannot explain the pride and excitement I had when I came across this piece of information earlier this week:

http://www.billboard.com/features/critics-picks-billboard-s-top-10-albums-1004134327.story?page=3  Andrew VanWyngarden & Ben Goldwasser, the core duo of MGMT, took a leap with their sophomore album according to most music critics. But not according to me. Congratulations is an epic journey of a record that shines brighter with each listen from beginning to end. It sounds very similar to their first album, Oracular Spectacular, IF you are familiar with any of the album tracks other than Kids, Time To Pretend, or Electric Feel.  This record uncovers a world of psychedelic sounds mixed with 80's influenced pop and is by far, my favorite album of the year. MGMT never cease to amaze me and at times, I feel as if they should be categorized in their own genre. It's hard to put your finger on what exactly is the type of music they create, but that's the beauty.

Congratulations starts out by sending you on a surfing trip with the killer track "It's Working". With its catchy surf guitar riffs and upbeat tempo, you can't help but jam out to this one. "Someone's Missing" has begun creeping it's way into my top five favorite songs lately. The beginning of the song has a despondent feel to it with it's ghostly vocals paired with the echoing guitar and spacey synthesizer, but you're left with a feeling of hope once the track soars into it's 60's pop ending. "Flash Delirium" is the song the band decided to release as a "taster" off the album back in the spring, and because it's the 1st suggested track from the record, I inherently tucked it away and never gave it the attention it deserves. That was a huge mistake! This is another creeper from the album and I can't get enough of it. It's a hodge podge of sounds and layered vocals that were composed in chaos that simultaneously makes perfect sense. I'm trying not to name and write about each song, but it's very hard to contain myself when it comes to this record, so bare with me. One of the slower tracks off Congratulations is "I Found A Whistle". Every time I listen to this song, I feel like it's embedded a bit deeper into my heart. Musically and lyrically, the song transcends into greatness with psychedelic synths and a deeper meaning behind what really works. Is it the whistle that's working? We'll never know. Where do I even start with "Siberian Breaks"? This was definitely the first track that I quickly became obsessed with when the record came out. Nearly 13 minutes long, this song is an epic amalgamation of classic psychedelic sounds that fuse together perfectly. I'll quickly give you a tour of "Lady Dada's Nightmare" and "Brian Eno" - The first mentioned is an instrumental track that is precisely composed into a haunting yet beautiful masterpiece. The second mentioned is a nod to the famed British producer/artist. And what a better way to do so with a musically upbeat and 80's pop influenced tune - - this one is still one of my favorite tracks. And finally, the title track "Congratulations" is lyrically most definitely a spin off from "The Handshake" in the duo's debut.

I know it may not seem fair to speak so highly of this band and this album, since I am a self-proclaimed super fan, but trust me on this. After your first listen, you'll be locked in and there's no going back. MGMT have had their doubts after the release of Congratulations and throughout this tour, but I have to say this....what they are creating could not be more right in the world of music, and my only hope is that they continue to do so for years and years to come. This band has the power to transcend this brilliantly created music to all ears across the globe and that is definitely a good thing, my friends.