While MGMT’s debut album, Oracular Spectacular, was hailed as “pop music… filtered through a kaleidoscope,” MGMT, the band’s third studio release, is all kaleidoscope and no pop. Some might argue that an album doesn’t have to be poppy. Sure, but an album does have to have redeeming qualities to hold its listeners. Interesting melodies, tantalizing hooks, intriguing chord progressions… these musical devices are notably absent on MGMT.
The album starts with the song “Alien Days,” which, according to MGMT songwriter Andrew VanWyngarden, depicts the feeling of “a parasitic alien… in your head, controlling things.” The song itself is okay; it builds, never quite reaches a peak, leaves the listener wanting, and fades into static. Perhaps it is his unique, extraterrestrial contact that can account for VanWyngarden’s inability to create accessible music.
Unlike the anthemic lyrics found on MGMT’s earlier albums, the lyrics to tracks like “Mystery Disease” and “Astro-Mancy” are mumbled and jumbled, drowned in a poorly-mixed sea of cosmic synthesizers and heavy drum beats. While other artists can thrive on these maneuvers, MGMT only falls into lethargy. Their psychedelic efforts are stagnant, relying on repetitiveness over innovation, and feel lost without strong, song-defining melodies. This is particularly evident in “I Love You, Death,” where, after a painfully drawn-out introduction, one can literally skip over portions of the song without noticing. The keyboard landscape is flatter than the plains of Iowa.
Ultimately, MGMT comes across as self-indulgence, and the listener can never fully engage. In the song “Introspection,” VanWyngarden asks “what am I really like inside?” Is this obscure Faine Jade cover meant to provoke thought, or is VanWyngarden merely singing to himself? No wonder the band chose an eponymous title for this project.
If you are in a morose mood and want some musical accompaniment, MGMT may be the album that you seek. It’s the type of music one might find in a 30-second snippet for a dramatic movie trailer. Listen longer to any track, however, and you’ll find yourself ready to skip to the next one. The album certainly conveys an element of sadness (especially “A Good Sadness”), but each song fails to develop. Let’s hope that MGMT is able to rebound from MGMT on the next album.