[caption id="attachment_28340" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="MGMT have lost much of their original ‘Kids’ luster. (AP Photo)"]
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“MGMT,” the self-titled third album from the American psychadelic group, generally fails to break new ground. I cannot say I was impressed with this album, which is a problem, considering I don’t know anything at all about MGMT. There was absolutely nothing going against them.
Frankly, it was boring. And, I know that psychedelic music isn’t the most “exciting” genre of music — it’s not supposed to be. But for however interesting these 10 songs could have been, they suffer from lackluster arrangements and repetitive production.
Psychedelic music was originally designed to mimic the use of mind-enhancing drugs — and was commonly made under the influence of them. “MGMT,” however, seems to be more concerned with disorienting the music itself. I don’t think that there was a song on the album that didn’t contain a compressed-to-distortion instrument or vocal track.
On top of this, the music never really picks up the pace. There are no journeys in these songs. Instead, they just ramble on. Remember “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles and how that song really took you on a journey with emotional movements and exciting changes? None of that is to be found here, and tracks like “Alien Days” walk in place with no definitive conclusion.
The only song with substantial meaning is the album’s second single, “Your Life is a Lie.” The song is about exactly what it sounds like, but uses a repetitive, simple melody to stress how life itself is tedious and monotonous. It was the only song in the album that stood out from the rest.
I have a feeling that this is one of those albums that was “designed” to be experienced while under the influence of drugs. Which, unfortunately, just makes this a dull album to listen to.
