Review
"Congratulations" by MGMT is a wild ride through psychedelic landscapes and progressive rock territories. Released in 2010, this sophomore effort sees the duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser taking a sharp left turn from the synth-pop sound that made them famous. They teamed up with Sonic Boom from Spacemen 3 for production duties, and even roped in Jennifer Herrema from Royal Trux to add some extra flavor to the mix.
The album was pieced together across various locations, from the sun-soaked beaches of Malibu to the gritty streets of Brooklyn, with a pit stop in Upstate New York. This geographical diversity seems to have seeped into the music itself, with each of the nine tracks feeling like its own little world. Take "It's Working" and "Song for Dan Treacy" for instance - they're like surf rock and synths had a baby, then dressed it up in cryptic lyrics. And while some folks might give "Someone's Missing" the side-eye for its abrupt ending, you've got to admire those falsetto vocals.
MGMT really threw caution to the wind with this one, risking their chart-topping formula for something more adventurous. Critics have been tipping their hats to the band's audacity, even if some fans of their earlier work might've been left scratching their heads. The title track "Congratulations" wraps things up on a mellow note, almost like a musical shrug to say, "Yeah, we did that." It's an album that keeps you on your toes from start to finish, blending everything from surf vibes to psychedelic freakouts into one cohesive, mind-bending journey. - Owen
Artist Bio
MGMT is a duo from Middletown, Connecticut, formed by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser in 2002 while they were students at Wesleyan University. They came to widespread attention after signing to Columbia Records and releasing their debut album "Oracular Spectacular" in 2007, which included hits like "Electric Feel" and "Kids." Blending psychedelic rock, indie, and synth-pop, MGMT have continued to evolve with albums such as "Congratulations," "Little Dark Age," and "Loss Of Life" (2024), occasionally dipping into more experimental or electronic territory. The group earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2009 and have collaborated with artists like Ratatat and Steve Aoki. Fans of bands like Tame Impala, Empire of the Sun, or Passion Pit would likely enjoy MGMT's genre-blurring style and melodic sensibility.
