MGMT's Oracular Spectacular - Album Review
- Swolst
- Jan 18, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: Jan 22, 2023
by Sam Wolstenholm
MGMT, a duo consisting of Andrew VanWynegarden and Ben Goldwasser, came onto the music scene in the 2000s after releasing their debut album on October 2nd of 2007 (which also happened to be my eighth birthday). This album was called Oracular Spectacular, and it produced multiple long-lasting alternative pop hits. Over 15 years later, does the magic still hold up? Short answer: yeah.
Immediately, we are treated to an idea of what this whole project will be like. Weird sounds hook your interest right away before going into the main synth melody. The drums crash in with a strong fill (which is also something that happens a lot on this album). The sound of this track is so full and satisfying. I have listened to it so many times, and I'm sure there are still sonic layers that I have yet to recognize. This moody and nostalgic instrumental also compliments the content of the lyrics. Like just about every track on this project, the message of the song is kind of left open to interpretation. This one, to me, seems to be about growing up and how we are forced to convince ourselves that we are happy in a world that is increasingly exposed to us with age and experience. It's the simple stuff that we took for granted that we wish we could get back. It's that stuff that we were able to focus on because we weren't exposed to the ugliness and sadness of the world yet. It's a depressing song if you really listen, but it's disguised with fun and colorful music and catchy melodies. What an album opener.
Okay, honestly, I have no idea what this song is about. There are a lot of cryptic lyrics, but that's kind of the genius of it. Even if you don't know exactly what they're saying, you can feel how they're feeling. Personally, I take the concept of this track to be a continuation of sorts of the last one. Being a "weekend warrior" is to deal with all the real life shit you get to avoid during the week while you're working or at school. This means stuff like laundry and paying bills. It's calling or visiting family. It's grocery shopping and getting an oil change. The weekend is being compared to a war here because it's a war between free time and obligations. It isn't exactly easy to get all that stuff done on the weekends, especially when you are young and wanting to use that time for fun. The instrumental is based around a prickly acoustic guitar line, and it combines with Andrew VanWynegarden's boyish voice to develop a tone of sadness and exhaustion. That's emphasized by the change in the song when the music starts to rock out under vocal chants saying, "There's a reason I don't win. I don't know how to begin." I love this line. It's self-aware, relatable, and catchy as hell. Not my dark horse, but a close second. DO NOT miss this one.
3. "The Youth"
The smooth synth noises, complimentary bass notes, basic drum beat, and hypnotic/swirly melodies (both vocals and plucky synths) mesh extremely well here to create a simple but powerful track. The band is good at establishing an energy just to add more power to it with some kind of musical shift later in the song. That happens here, and it's very emotional if you let it be. It follows similar themes of growing up, but they take a more optimistic approach this time. It's a hippie song. I interpret this as a track about sticking together and helping each other through youth. We all go through it, and it's hard for everyone, so why make it more difficult on people when you can help make it easier? "This is a call to arms to live and love and sleep together," is the first line of the song, and it encapsulates the sentiment I get perfectly. Peace and love, always.
Hey I know this song! Yea, most people at least recognize it, and there's a reason for that. This song is amazing. Following a marching 6/4 time signature, it's nearly impossible not to dance to this. It's not even a depressing topic. In fact, this track uses electricity as a symbol for love. It isn't extremely deep, which makes it more accessible. It's easy to digest, even with a weird time signature. They use amazing melodies and composition techniques to make it sound smooth as hell the entire time. It's driven by the bass line that will never get out of your head once it's in there. The lyrics are easy to learn and fun to sing along to. I literally have no complaints about this track.
5. "Kids"
This has a similar vibe as "Time to Pretend" which makes sense as the they were two of the most successful tracks off the project. That's partly due to the inclusion of an infectious synth lead. It's such a classic "do-do-do" sing-alongable melody. And the KEYS SOLO is so predictable and plain, but it fits perfectly into the world this song inhabits. It's playful and doesn't take itself too seriously. These guys are able to have fun even when they're addressing existential conflicts. Now, the biggest question is this: What the hell is this song about? What's the existential theme discussed here? I'm not sure MGMT even knows, but that only adds to the track's allure. Let me know what you think, but I think it's about climate change...kind of. More specifically, I'm just getting a critique of humanity's relationship with the natural world and how seemingly small decisions can make a huge impact in the long run. Maybe they use climate change as a metaphor for that concept in general. Like I mentioned before though, the best part is that you can take whatever you need from this and apply it to aspects of your own life. Not to mention the fact that you can dance and sing this at the top of your lungs.
Holy crap. Okay, listen to this song. If you don't like it, get high (legally). Then, listen to it again. I feel like I'm traveling at high speed through a swirling tunnel of colors and lights. This is insane. I don't know enough about dimensional theory or anything like that, so it's definitely another song that I have no clue what it's about (I can go through and try to find meaning in each line individually, but I'm still searching for an overall connection). I don't think that's supposed to be the focus though. This track serves as a transition of styles at this point in the album. Everything up until this song, halfway through the tracklist, has been poppy. It's had catchy melodies and synths that will stick in your head forever. It was the third dimension, but now we're heading into the fourth. It's an introduction to the psychedelic and almost mystical sound we are approaching. You'll see what I mean when we get to the rest of the tracks. This one is stunning on its own though. If you're a fan of musical composition and experimental sonic ideas, give this one a try.
Absolutely heartbreaking. If you've ever just felt broken in any sense, you can most likely find ways to relate to this track. The acoustic guitar plays the lead rift and pairs with a distant-sounding voice to give an intense feeling of lonliness. The bass guitar and subtle keys add some nice sorrowful texture as well. Then, the drums come in well over halfway through the song when you aren't expecting it. It just brings an energy. Until the drums come in, I experience that feeling you get when you are about to cry. And that breakdown with the drums feels like the point where you let loose and the tears start streaming out. Extremely emotional. The song is about war, with specific lyrics pointing toward literal war. However, MGMT is good at putting that layer beneath the obvious metaphor. Yes, this song is about war. But war is conflict, and I take this track as more of a commentary on how intense fighting can affect innocent parties. I am in love with this song. 10/10 track. Learn the lyrics. Drive with a hoodie one while it's cloudy out. Sing this and cry. Dark horse. No question (EDITING NOTE: Alright, yea there were a few others that could've been my pick, but it's my review damnit).
Rock out! Honestly, this also could've been my dark horse. It is a high-energy, high-paced, and extremely symbolic song (I'll get to the symbolism part). Though the instrumentation isn't anything insane (compared to the rest of the album at least), there are a lot of dynamic choices being made. The frequent but short crescendos are effective. The guitar solo is awesome. The breakdown about halfway through the song right as the lyric "easy as the ocean" is said sounds pristine. I feel like I'm floating when it comes on. The instrumental craziness that goes for the last minute or so of the song is the perfect way to end it sonically. It's just fitting. Oh yea, what is it about? Well, it's about moons, birds, and monsters. Duh. Each of the nouns in the song title is explored rhetorically. They're used to connect to existential ideas. It's another example of lyrics being meaningful in different ways to each person. It's not like they're telling a story of their own lives, but it's a collection of lines that are applicable to an infinite number of situations. It's the kind of thinking you do late at night by yourself. "What's the meaning of life?" type stuff. You're not going to feel much from the words on the first listen, but the more you dig, the more you will find, I promise.
Pretty sure this song is about doing drugs, specifically LSD, to see the dark world in a more positive light (hence the use of black/white symbolism). I could very well be wrong about that, but I think this is the most confusing track to me. In fact, it's probably the worst track (that isn't really saying much though). It's missing that energy that every song has had so far. It kind of crawls along and takes a few breaks, haulting any momentum. However, there's still unique sounds, melodies, song structure, and lyrics (of course). It's far from uninteresting. The mixing on this song is used as a creative tool maybe more than any other song on the project. The voices are doubled, panned to the left, reverbed, etc. I'm conflicted about this one, but there's something about it that makes me want to figure it out. It's appealing BECAUSE it's confusing, and that's hard to do.
I mean, what did you expect? This track wraps up everything great about this album. It's the perfect way to close it out. We've got different musical sections with different tones that all somehow mesh together into a whole cohesive composition. Guitar, synth, bass, and unique drum patterns. Catchy, smooth melodies that can easily be learned and ingrained in your mind if you let it. With that, we've got lyrics about existence. What I get out of this is kind of an album concept synopsis. It provides imagery of a primative person lying on the beach of an island, just thinking about life. It sounds like a great time, honestly. I kind of see it as a description of what life would be for a group of people isolated from the rest of the world (after already having been exposed to it). It's a great album closer because it really does make you reflect on the project you just heard after it goes silent. It's the feeling of riding off into the sunset. The message, to me personally, is "Okay, we can observe and examine life all we want, but the most important part is living it."
Overall
This album is everything I'm looking for when I want to listen to an album. My interest is kept from the time I hit play until the deafening silence after the last track ends. It's a musical journey that makes me think about my own life A LOT. On a technical level, there are only more positives. The mixing is incredible, creatively moving voices and instruments around the headphones and making sure every single sound is either clear or intentionally muddy. Structurally, these songs are all over the place. They range from simple pop songs to insane acid trips. Somehow, the experience is consistent across the entire project. There isn't a single track that doesn't sound like it belongs here. The performances are stellar. The singing is full of emotion, even if it isn't the most fundamental. It works really well for what it's trying to do. What is it trying to do? Well, let's take a look at the lyrics. AND THE LYRICS! I love I love I love. If you've heard of the term "fake deep", just know that this is the opposite of that. The layers can be peeled back for years, and you can apply each and every line to something in your own life (or even society at large). The only thing that keeps this album from being a perfect 10/10 is the fact that "The Handshake" is a little bit choppy. It messes with the momentum of the album just slightly (and honestly, I'd still give it a 10/10...depends on the day). MGMT absolutely delivered with Oracular Spectacular, and I encourage every person I meet to give it at least one full spin (if not two or more).
9.8/10
If you've read my review, I assume you have already heard Oracular Spectacular, so I want to hear what you think. What'd I miss? Did I tear apart your favorite song? Or give too much credit to one that doesn't deserve it? Any questions or comments? I'd love to respond. Feel free to drop review requests too! I will strongly consider them.
Peace and love.
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