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Track Listings
| 1. Time To Pretend |
| 2. Weekend Wars |
| 3. The Youth |
| 4. Electric Feel |
| 5. Kids |
| 6. 4th Dimensional Transition |
| 7. Pieces of What |
| 8. "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters" |
| 9. The Handshake |
| 10. Future Reflections |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The term Oracular Spectacular might not mean much, if anything, at all--it's essentially nonsensical--but that doesn't stop it feeling exactly right. Here is a band that treats dizzy cross-eyed awe and a vast bounding sense of sonic weightlessness as their yardstick, jostling to surpass themselves on a track-by-track basis and aiming for the musical equivalent of performing somersaults in tye-dye t-shirts off the rings of Jupiter. MGMT seemingly submit this debut album as an application to acquire and even supersede The Flaming Lips' previously uncontested mantle as spiritual leaders of over-sized Technicolor psychedelic-indie with a soul, weird but not so weird that swelling crowds and even flirtations with the charts aren't a foregone conclusion. "Time to Pretend" opens and sets a tone for the record, producer David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) providing a familiar expanse for them to riff across with bull's-eye synths, massive drums and their twist on the template--retro 80s electro and abstract shapes, see Suicide and the Talking Heads for reference. "The Youth" is centred around a hypnotically looping refrain that recalls Pink Floyd and David Bowie, as interpreted by a mellow Secret Machines and the brilliant "Pieces of What" is Ryan Adams spinning through cosmos with classic Neil Young on his headphones. "Future Reflections" meanwhile stand on its hands on a line somewhere in-between XTC and Ween. Thrillingly eclectic, endlessly colourful and never predictable. It's all a bit ridiculous, but indeed spectacularly so. --James Berry
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Along with Vampire Weekend MGMT have been garnering plenty of praise and column inches for their debut album Oracular Spectacular. The music press seems to have it all sewn up at the moment, we're told at the beginning of the year which bands are going to be big and we dutifully go out and buy the albums and hey presto they're big (until the second album comes along usually) so do MGMT measure up?
Well the album gets off to a thumping start. Time to Pretend with its heavy synths and drums makes their intentions clear: to live fast and die young, 'Let's make some music/Make some money/Get some models for wives'. It's not just hedonistic excess though. The Youth is a call to arms filled with optimism about change which brings in strings to its arm waving chorus. As a Prince fan I was very pleased to hear his influence all over the funky Electric Feel.
The rest of the album is soaked in 1970's influences like Bowie, The Rolling Stones, prog rock and lots of others that I'm far too young to name accurately so your enjoyment of this album may depend on how much you liked them the first time around. Produced by Mercury Rev's Dave Fridmann it has a wide soundscape filled with warmth and depth. But most importantly it is filled with invention, humour and the vigour of youth ( having seem them on telly the other day they look about 15 years old, god I'm getting old).
Well the album gets off to a thumping start. Time to Pretend with its heavy synths and drums makes their intentions clear: to live fast and die young, 'Let's make some music/Make some money/Get some models for wives'. It's not just hedonistic excess though. The Youth is a call to arms filled with optimism about change which brings in strings to its arm waving chorus. As a Prince fan I was very pleased to hear his influence all over the funky Electric Feel.
The rest of the album is soaked in 1970's influences like Bowie, The Rolling Stones, prog rock and lots of others that I'm far too young to name accurately so your enjoyment of this album may depend on how much you liked them the first time around. Produced by Mercury Rev's Dave Fridmann it has a wide soundscape filled with warmth and depth. But most importantly it is filled with invention, humour and the vigour of youth ( having seem them on telly the other day they look about 15 years old, god I'm getting old).
37 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
What is it with all these four star reviews?
Shame on you. Unclog your ears and you'll see that if there is any justice at all these guys will be the Strokes/Franz Ferdinand of 2008 because they are better than either of them.
Unlike many other 'hot new things' these guys more than justify any attendant hype.
I saw them on 'Later' and ordered the album the next day. I hoped it would be good but didn't expect it to be this good. This is the first band in a while that truly manage to produce perfect pop and remain effortlessly cool. As other reviewers have stated, there are slew of discernible influences in their music, if you choose to go looking for them, but no particular artist or era stands out as a primary source.
This is that rare thing an album of potent musical quality that provides instantly catchy but durable pop music(I loved this album from the start and it's still getting better with every play).If you like music you should own this already.
Shame on you. Unclog your ears and you'll see that if there is any justice at all these guys will be the Strokes/Franz Ferdinand of 2008 because they are better than either of them.
Unlike many other 'hot new things' these guys more than justify any attendant hype.
I saw them on 'Later' and ordered the album the next day. I hoped it would be good but didn't expect it to be this good. This is the first band in a while that truly manage to produce perfect pop and remain effortlessly cool. As other reviewers have stated, there are slew of discernible influences in their music, if you choose to go looking for them, but no particular artist or era stands out as a primary source.
This is that rare thing an album of potent musical quality that provides instantly catchy but durable pop music(I loved this album from the start and it's still getting better with every play).If you like music you should own this already.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
MGMT mix of psychedelia, electronica and playful indie pop shouldn't be a mainstream hit. But something about it just works. It is an highly ambitious album, experimental and highly intelligent. Mixing styles of Secret Machines, Goldrush, The Flaming Lips, Sparks with the psychedelia of Pink Floyd and 13th Floor Elevators should give you enough influences to get a taste of this album.
Starting with the rousing "Time To Pretend" the album begins on a high. The opener was released on a previous, same titled EP, and is one of the more accessible tracks on the album. I like the fact it is a challenge, forcing the listener to push through their normal limits and open up to a new sounds and styles. "Weekend Wars" morphs two or three times in the single track, becoming a Bowie soundtrack half way through before breaking into a catchy chorus before it fades away again. "The Youth" is a slower complex layered example and shows their softer chilled underbelly.
"Electric Feel" and "Kids" are my standout tracks in a very heavily stacked top end of the album. Both commercial successes, both highly catchy indie pop records that are highlights of the music this year.
What I love most about it apart from the fusion of styles and the complex set of influences which are credited with such aplomb, is the uncertainty of where it going to take you next. So unpredictable and magical that it truly deserves it's accolades it has received this year.
A prime example of this is the almost tribal "4th Dimensional Transition" with its jungle drums and synth sounds followed by the acoustically led "Pieces Of What" that sounds like Mick Jagger attempting to cry his heart out. Beautiful sounds arranged and mixed with cracking lyrics - on an almost magical level the album finishes as it begins, on a high.
*** Like: Secret Machines, Goldrush, The Flaming Lips, Sparks with the psychedelia of Pink Floyd and 13th Floor Elevators ***
Starting with the rousing "Time To Pretend" the album begins on a high. The opener was released on a previous, same titled EP, and is one of the more accessible tracks on the album. I like the fact it is a challenge, forcing the listener to push through their normal limits and open up to a new sounds and styles. "Weekend Wars" morphs two or three times in the single track, becoming a Bowie soundtrack half way through before breaking into a catchy chorus before it fades away again. "The Youth" is a slower complex layered example and shows their softer chilled underbelly.
"Electric Feel" and "Kids" are my standout tracks in a very heavily stacked top end of the album. Both commercial successes, both highly catchy indie pop records that are highlights of the music this year.
What I love most about it apart from the fusion of styles and the complex set of influences which are credited with such aplomb, is the uncertainty of where it going to take you next. So unpredictable and magical that it truly deserves it's accolades it has received this year.
A prime example of this is the almost tribal "4th Dimensional Transition" with its jungle drums and synth sounds followed by the acoustically led "Pieces Of What" that sounds like Mick Jagger attempting to cry his heart out. Beautiful sounds arranged and mixed with cracking lyrics - on an almost magical level the album finishes as it begins, on a high.
*** Like: Secret Machines, Goldrush, The Flaming Lips, Sparks with the psychedelia of Pink Floyd and 13th Floor Elevators ***
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Christmas request
Another one for our daughters collection who having received it has confirmed that it is exactly what the doctor ordered - me I've no idea!!
Published 3 months ago by Mr. PE Scrivens
Nice
I'm not a fan of "indie style" or general band music, its only a recent thing I've broken away from dance as an umbrella genre and I think it's my dance background that has helped... Read more
Published 4 months ago by LRViccary
MGMT
Product arrived promptly in good condition.
Great band haven't listened to it all yet but will when I get time.
Great band haven't listened to it all yet but will when I get time.
Published 8 months ago by Andrew E Brooks
Copy Protected
A huge disappointment. I never heard the CD because I only have a PC to play it on. Amazon very quickly refunded my payment - so no real harm done.
Published 9 months ago by Seth Toolkit Jr
An Amazing Album
This is an amazing album with 10 equally excellent tracks. The major hits from this album are well known Kids, Electric Feel and Time to Pretend but this album is complemented by... Read more
Published 13 months ago by ekb
MGMT
I listened to the previews of the tracks on this album and decided to buy. I am really impressed with the music on this and recommend people to give it a chance. Read more
Published 20 months ago by George A. Britton
Electro indie brilliance
Easily in my top 20 albums ever.
Track 1, "Time to Pretend", is an ode to Rock n Roll.
There's definitely some Bowie in the second track "Weekend Wars". Read more
Track 1, "Time to Pretend", is an ode to Rock n Roll.
There's definitely some Bowie in the second track "Weekend Wars". Read more
Published on 25 May 2010 by GS
Awesome
Not to everyone's tastes, but if you like their singles and have an open mind about it, it will grow on you.
Published on 15 Oct 2009 by Grace
Good stuff
I've played this album quite a bit. It's sort of a bit different. Gotta be in my top ten albums of the year (2008, even though the album was released in '07)
Published on 13 Sep 2009 by M. Owen
We are the MGMT!
Quite simply one of finest albums of the year. Kids, time to pretend and electric feel have all been played on the airways and are the backbone of the album. Read more
Published on 24 July 2009 by Jonathan stanton
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