Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser started working on the second album by the MGMT in the beginning of 2009 in Malibu and Brooklyn. In the beginning of 2010 they declared they would release no singles from it. To be more specific, Goldwasser
said that they prefer for people to listen to the album in total, as an entity, and not just 2-3 tracks… On March19th, Congratulations leaked into the internet and the band announced that they offer it for free streaming through their official site. The production of the album is featured by Peter Kember or Sonic Boom from the Spacemen 3, Spectrum and E.A.R. He stands behind the more intense psychedelic and space rock elements the band has adopted, in comparison to Oracular Spectacular. In addition, a special guest in vocals is Jennifer Herrema, the singer of Royal Trux.
Congratulations opens with It’s working which is reminiscent of the primary compositions by the Pink Floyd, when Syd Barret was included. In the same style, Song for Dan Treacy follows, dedicated to the singer of Television Personalities. Someone’s missing and Flash Delirium, which was the first song the band gave out for free download from their site, are both songs that could have been included in Oracular Spectacular as well as in All is dream by the Mercury Rev. In I found a whistle, Primal Scream meet Polyphonic Spree. The instrumental Lady dada’s nightmare stands out anyway, if only for its inspired title. The 12-minute Siberian breaks follows, which is one of the most interesting compositions by the band. Brian Eno, which is already the favorite of a portion of the audience, is the most garage -styled song by the MGMT. In the homonym track that closes the album, κand is one of my favorites, one could initially guess that in vocals are the Brothers Four, who had performed Greenfields in 1960.
I don't know how many bands would have the nerve following such a commercially successful debut, as Oracular Spectacular, and such a hype around them, to release an album like Congratulations. Clearly not commercial, with just 9 tracks, with no intention to promote a specific single and above all with most tracks moving towards completely different styles from Kids and Time to pretend, which were their popular hit singles. Of course, they had somehow prepared us for all these in Technopolis where we had first heard several songs from Congratulations.
8/10
Congratulations opens with It’s working which is reminiscent of the primary compositions by the Pink Floyd, when Syd Barret was included. In the same style, Song for Dan Treacy follows, dedicated to the singer of Television Personalities. Someone’s missing and Flash Delirium, which was the first song the band gave out for free download from their site, are both songs that could have been included in Oracular Spectacular as well as in All is dream by the Mercury Rev. In I found a whistle, Primal Scream meet Polyphonic Spree. The instrumental Lady dada’s nightmare stands out anyway, if only for its inspired title. The 12-minute Siberian breaks follows, which is one of the most interesting compositions by the band. Brian Eno, which is already the favorite of a portion of the audience, is the most garage -styled song by the MGMT. In the homonym track that closes the album, κand is one of my favorites, one could initially guess that in vocals are the Brothers Four, who had performed Greenfields in 1960.
I don't know how many bands would have the nerve following such a commercially successful debut, as Oracular Spectacular, and such a hype around them, to release an album like Congratulations. Clearly not commercial, with just 9 tracks, with no intention to promote a specific single and above all with most tracks moving towards completely different styles from Kids and Time to pretend, which were their popular hit singles. Of course, they had somehow prepared us for all these in Technopolis where we had first heard several songs from Congratulations.
8/10
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