Voor de echte fans is het allang oud nieuws natuurlijk, maar naast Arcade Fire komt ook MGMT (afkorting voor Management) met een nieuwe langspeelplaat in de eerste helft van 2010. Het ding gaat Congratulations heten en een aantal titels zijn al bekend. VanWyngarden zelf refereert ernaar als dark en dat geeft hoop. Ook ik heb op Lowlands 2008 van ze genoten in een half instortende (letterlijk!) India, ondanks de stortregen. Oracular Spectacular (oktober 2007) was natuurlijk een respectabel debuut, maar hier en daar toch wat te makkelijk en te catchy. Mijn verwachtingen voor album 2 zijn dan ook hooggespannen. Natuurlijk is het een keihard bestaan als je zo’n vleesgeworden belofte bent als MGMT. Maar daar hoeven wij als fans geen compassie voor te hebben. Wij willen gewoon versch en goed materiaal!

Gaan ze hier net dat trapje hoger op de ladder der creativiteit? We zullen het af moeten wachten. Het is nog veel te vroeg om de band te feliciteren. Maar de live-versie van nieuw nummer Congratulations smaakt in ieder geval naar meer. Even doorspoelen naar 50 sec. Je kunt wel merken dat het de eerste live performance is overigens…

Esta agrupacion egresada del artístico condado de Brooklyn, Nueva York, está comenzando a hacer mucho ruido. Su disco debut contiene una rara combinación de géneros musicales que van desde el disco, hasta un sonido brit-pop de los noventas. Gracias a esta mezcla de estilos, -muy bien ejecutados- resulta ser un disco divertido, diferente y que tiene un toque “art”, que bien, podrímos escuchar en cualquier banda sonora de alguna pelicula dirigida por Sofía Coppola. Las buenas críticas de este album producido por Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Cafe Tacvba) han hecho que este año estén presentes en festivales como Coachella, Lollapalooza y el famoso SXSW.

Antigamente se chamava The Management, uma banda norte-americana de rock psicodélico formada por Ben Goldwasser e Andrew VanWyngarden, mas que hoje se chama por MGMT e com apenas um cd lançado até agora, o grupo atingiu uma surpreendente popularidade com seu som pop. O grupo possui faixas super famosas como Eletric Feel e Kids que tocam em bastantes series e filmes atualmente, geralmente ligadas a temas adolescentes e seus clipes envolvem muitas cores e, literalmente, uma viajem, rs.

Aqui para download o debut Oracular Spectacular     Download

1 – 4th Dimensional Transition

MGMT…it is good to see that you are still around. I miss me some MGMT. I remember when I saw them almost 2 years ago in San Diego. The crowd was wild. Despite the bad sound they were an awesome show experience! I loved it when they did the remix of Electric Feel. Everyone went CRAZY!

If you are out in the SF area you should go see them. I hope to hear some new things soon. I know they have been touring all over the US and Europe with Oracular Spectacular. Especially now that they are being played all over the radio. Love it!

Brooklyn duo MGMT exploded onto the music scene with “Oracular Spectacular,” one of the best albums of 2008, and by far the most attention grabbing. Psychedelic electronic pop rock, “Oracular Spectacular” stands out not only for it’s originality and musical abilities, but it’s ironic humorous take on life.

Andrew Vanwyngarden performs at Lollapalooza 2008

and Ben Goldwasser started the band, originally titled “Management” as a joke, to annoy fellow students at Connecticut’s Wesleyan University of 2002. Rather inexplicably, their eclectic sound captured the attention of U2 producer Steve Lillywhite and they rapidly banked a record deal with Capitol Records, rapidly skyrocketing into fame.

Their title track of the album, “Time to Pretend” is a synth rock acid trip, ironically glorifying fame by swooning about heroin and marrying super models, living by the motto “life fast and die young.” Disco laced “Electric Feel” highlights Vanwyngarden’s Prince-like abilities to moan sensually to an epic beat that’s impossible not to dance to. Their theme of life in the fast lane is reiterated on the nostalgic “Kids,” with the line “no time to think of consequences.”

It is evident that despite their fame MGMT are still pranksters at hard, and seem to just be enjoying their success with a nonchalant, understated attitude that allows their persona and music to continue to be hip in light of their success. It will be interesting to see how their next album turns out, if it can hold onto the charisma of “Oracular Spectacular.” Will the kids sell out, or continue their prank on the world?

Reviewer: Sophie Duensing

MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular offers something different, not the typical music you hear on the radio. With a bit of an electro feel to it, it’s the kind of music you’ll hear in a snowboard video or on the ipod of the more artsy type. Their most popular songs you may recognize from their CD is ‘Time to Pretend’ and ‘Electric Feel’ but they are not necessarily their best songs. Don’t get me wrong they are great, but I really enjoyed ‘Kids’ and ‘Pieces of What’. It was a worthwhile purchase that I definitely recommend for a roadtrip, something to ride to, or for just hanging out.

Remember: downloading is illegal… pay for your tunes.

Bands: The Thermals, Passion Pit, Grizzly Bear, Phoenix, Dirty Projectors

So yeah, halfway through August and i’m finally dropping the music that I should have dropped like yesterday

The Thermals – Now We Can See (Released – April 7, 2009)

psha, its a statement

Straight out of Portland Oregon, one of my favorite bands in the past few years could have slapped their dick on the table and held their own in the crowded 90s college radio scene. Projecting the sounds of contemporary classics(namely Archers of Loaf and Pavement), The Thermals are pure Sub Pop; circa 1994. But really I’m saying that as an ultimate compliment and so it shouldn’t take anything away from their music. Ya see unlike many of the other bands out there who look for influence from that time (I wont name names cuz that’s impolite) the Thermals do it right. I’ve included a couple of their tracks on the playlist and I suggest taking a full listen to them when you get a chance.

Personally I wish I could say i’ve been listening to them for the past 6 years, but really it wasn’t until their third album ‘The Body, The Blood, The Machine” that I fell in love. It’s just as catchy and it was their last album released on Sub Pop before amicably ditching to sign on their new label Kill Rock Stars. Now go forth and learn what it is to be NW indie.

Passion Pit – Manners (Released May 19, 2009)

mmm simplicity...

Stop living under a rock. Seriously this band has been around for a little over a year now and if you havent already heard their awesome single ‘Sleepyhead,’ crank that baby up and be ready to shake that junk in your trunk. But please don’t stop there, the rest of the album is, dare i say it…better. Perhaps I felt this way because I didnt think a whole album could live up to the ‘Chunk of Change’ EP that was released last September (ya know I thought maybe they’d pull a Wizard of Ahhhs/Partie Tramatic on us). Jokes on me, this album is fantastic and really has a chance to have the same impact ‘Oracular Spectacular’ did last year and appear on several Best of 2009 lists. You better be listening to them right now or I will fight you.

On a sidenote (before I fight you) I met a few kids who went to Berklee College of Music and it turns out that three of the guys in the band are from the school and are by definition “classically trained.” Except since Berklee is such a progressive school the classical training is in electronic music, and beard growth. Just kidding, but seriously. The point is these guys are awesome.

Grizzly Bear – Vickatimest (Released May 26, 2009)

colours

Duh. Of course Grizzly Bear ‘Vickatimest’ will be on here. Absolutely a no-brainer. It’s just a sick pop album that debuted in the top 10 on the U.S. charts…and deserved it! That’s right America, you recognized a great band this year, give yourself a pat on the back. It’s pure, tightly wound, uncompromised catchy pop music. Sure it’s not the pop of today’s radio but more like a stroll down memory lane, a retrospective if you will on what pop music has been and a recognition of the purity in its structure. The sounds mesh yet seem at odds in a remarkably comfortable fashion. For example, the harmonizing and repetitive chord structure on Grizzly Bear’s first single, ‘Two Weeks,’ is a great example of what you know is new, but feels so incredibly familiar. At this point, I wont even say anything more about this album because honestly I believe you could play this for your parents and they would eat this stuff up. So go young ones, bond over Scotch and music.

Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (Released June 9, 2009)

No, i refuse to say anything about this band. Call it wanting you to experience it on your own, call it me being lazy and not wanting to type anymore, or call it being in the Dominican Republic and wanting to go swimming on the beach…call it what you want. Just listen to the record…i love it.

i dont get it

Time to swim.

MGMT's Oracular Spectacular 2008

Im thinkn’ that ‘neo-psychadelic’ is probably the most over used term in music today. Also heard that bands like, Grizzly Bear, Black Lips, Of Montreal and Animal Collective are neo-psych. Not sure what this means. None of these bands sound similar. Thinkn’ that ‘neo-psychadelic’ might just mean, ‘music that is better enjoyed while getting high’. Couldn’t this be all music?

High or not, I think that “Oracular Spectacular” is a pretty ‘buck’ cd. I think the song “Time to Pretend” might just be the “Baba-O’Riley” of our generation. Feel like both songs capture the essence of ‘youth’ and have an ‘electroish’ feel. Both songs kind of make me proud to be young, and excited for the near future.

(Time To Pretend)

(Baba O’Riley)

There is some Bob Dylan quote where he is giving this speech to all these young peeps and says,

Bob, probably thinkin bout youth...

It seems like Bob would ‘get’ MGMT. I’m not sure how he feels about electro or ‘neo-psychedelia’, but I think he would get their general message and tone. The whole ‘living for today’ type deal. Maybe its just because I’m young and am going through what should be an exciting year in my life, but this seemingly silly song about sex, drugs, youth, and adventure really gets to me.

I don’t think its coincidence that greats like Dylan and the Who discussed similar material. Youth is something that needs to be reveled in and appreciated. Kind of feelin’ bad for all the pre-med students of the world right now.

Anyways, I love this cd and the song. Also, I heard that “time to pretend” was originally about a mantis, via pitch4k. Think that’s pretty awesome. I like mantids. I want to hear that version now.

Can anyone better sum up neo-psychadelia?
Would Dylan like MGMT?
Does MGMT like Dylan?
Are mantids not marketable?

UK DJ Tim Westwood already shut it down with that snippet of his chat with Jay-Z this past Tuesday. So on Saturday, he played the rest of this epic interview. They talk about his “independent” deal with Atlantic, they reminisce on Michael Jackson’s impact, they talk about his haircut, answer twitter questions, blackberries/iphones, the recession, and of course Blueprint 3.

Brooklyn rockers MGMT burst on to the billboard charts in 2007 with their debut album “Oracular Spectacular.”
Band members Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden join Jian Ghomeshi for an interview in Studio Q.

9/10

Coming from the Brooklyn district of New York is an indie electronic rock duo known locally as ‘The Management’, now abbreviated to ‘MGMT’. The duo has released a fantastic debut album sounding like a new age combination of rock and electronic music mixed with a very popish backdrop. It sounds like college kids on drugs playing synth keyboards after listening to New Order. The consistent quality of the ten tracks in the album is served with funky bass lines and danceable synth melodies – all in which will get you on your feet. Although MGMT may be served best at a club, a listen in your bedroom or at home can’t help you to feel as if your somewhere completely else. Knitting together a late 90’s Britpop unquestionable upbeat sound and proving how to reinvent a genre they have assembled one of the best albums of the decade.

Download – Time To Pretend, Kids, Electric Feel
If You Like - Empire of the Sun, Iglu & Hartly, Passion Pit

Ah yes its already the 4th of July tomorrow and let the picnics  begin. The crew here at Modern Mystery put together a mix for your ‘Indie-pendance’ day. Whether you are heading to the beach, barbecuing some hamburgers or getting drunk by your pool, we hope you listen to it on your celebration. We tried to keep the songs ’summer’ feeling. That makes sense, doesn’t it?

Animal Collective-Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band- 15 to 20
Empire of the Sun- We Are the People (The Golden Filter Remix)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Young Adult Friction
Passion Pit- Moth’s Wings
Sunset Rubdown-Idiot Heart
Little Joy- No One’s Better Sake
Yacht-Summer Song
Wavves-Gun in the Sun
Pepi Ginsberg (Featuring The Spinto Band)- In My Bones
Los Campesinos!- How I Taught Myself to Scream
Takka Takka- The Takers
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Think I Wanna Die
MGMT- Time to Pretend

Soulwax logra manufacturar un track de doble tratamiento hipster. Esto es un remix de “Kids” de MGMT…

MGMT
“Kids (Soulwax Remix)”
MGMT Soulwax Remix Kids
SonyBMG MP3, 2008

Relleno indie chocolatoso revuelto en beats de cereza, ahora con una cubierta electrónica de oro blanco. Tanto hype se desborda de los altavoces y provoca que los viejos lobos y los nuevos talentos de la pista se acerquen con deseos de bailar bajo la cascada de dulce y oro. Soulwax entrega un remix de “Kids”, segundo sencillo del Oracular Spectacular de MGMT, los niños prodigio del 2008.

Los hermanos Dewaele, a veces 2 Many DJ’s, son los fundadores de Soulwax, banda de Ghent, Bélgica, que asegura que una parte del fin de semana nunca muere. Esta agrupación ha logrado fusionar el rock y la electrónica, para entregar un metal precioso de alta densidad. La remezcla de “Kids” no es la excepción. La versión original sabe al lunch de los chavitos en el recreo, rodeado por una bruma de reverbs. Soulwax tan sólo lo muda a otro escenario, convirtiéndolo en electro comestible.

El remix está conducido por una nota gloriosa y persistente que indica que se ha abierto el cofre de un tesoro musical: “Control yourself, take only what you need from it”. La voz de Andrew Van Wyngaarden de MGMT,  nos advierte no perder el control cuando Soulwax disperse la canción por el espacio. De pronto el ritmo nos transporta a un escenario industrial con martillazos en forma de beats. Las vocales reaparecen y la melodía inolvidable del sencillo original, parecen ser un notorio cambio de materiales.

No hay reglas ni procedimientos metalúrgicos para la remezcla. Sin embargo Soulwax usó a MGMT de pretexto, exprimiendo las notas pegosteosas del grupo de moda sobre una consola. Cualquier error de fabricación se redime en la intervención sobre las vocales para cerrar el track con alta manufactura.

A lo largo del 2008, MGMT y su álbum Oracular Spectacular fueron un manifiesto en soporte sonoro que describió la desorientación del joven post-moderno, el cual se va de fiesta mientras transcurre el fin del mundo. Aparte del éxito musical, este duó de Brooklyn es un ejemplo del hipsterdom para los anaqueles históricos. El 2009 pondrá a fundir al fuego su talento para descubrir de qué más están hechos. Es probable que la dosis extraordinaria de ingenio y melancolía en estos chicos guapos, los pueda salvar de ser tan sólo una tendencia.

MGMT(short for Management) was founded in 2002 by the two students Andrew VanWyngarden und Ben Goldwasser. They started making Electropop together and released an EP at a small label, founded by fellow students. When they almost wanted to give up already, because they were really not successful at all, someone at Sony/Columbia Records heard about them and was very interested and they got a contract witth this label. After that they finished their first album “Oracular Spectacular” and started a promotion campaign, appearing on TV a few times, for example on David Letterman. Before they got more successful here in the US they already had breakthroughs in Germany and were played on the radio stations a lot.

I personally really like their music. It is very funky and definitely not mainstream. I would also describe it as quite colorful(if that is ok to use to describe music ). My personal favorites are their songs “Kids” and “Time To Pretend”.

Check them out:

• Official Website
• “Kids” on Youtube
• “Time To Pretend” on Youtube

“If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you” Mark Twain – Nietzsche

MGMT released Oracular Spectacular back in October of 2007, the album featured the hits Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids.  It was the first major label studio album from the Brooklyn duo, who upon release of the album immediately drew comparisons to earlier 80’s New Wave synth-groups such as a personal favorite of mine New Order.  The video for Kids, directed by Ray Tintori was recently released to the masses earlier this month and is as awesome as it is disturbing.  What I like is the whole concept of the video itself, yo Lex! don’t this kinda remind you of  They Live? (http://hulkhatetimetravel.com/2009/01/29/they-live/)

Download/Stream–> http://www.zshare.net/audio/61737960b0114aa5/

Ben & Andrew - MGMT

Bajo las siglas MGMT, se esconden dos jóvenes norteamericanos llamados Ben Goldwasser y Andrew VanWyngarden, que nos han sorprendido en su debut internacional con su álbum Oracular Spectacular, cuando curiosamente ni siquiera se habían planteado tomarse en serio esto de la música.

Lo paradójico es que Columbia Record, ha sido la encargada de darles el espaldarazo definitivo, que en los tiempos que corren es casi nada. Leyendo en su página Web, comentan que tras escuchar un EP con la canción Time to Pretend, el entonces vicepresidente de A&R de Columbia Records y gurú de la música Steve Lillywhite (productor de U2, Peter Gabriel, Rolling Stones, Talking Heads o The Smiths, por poner sólo cinco ejemplos) no tardó en poner encima de la mesa un contrato para grabar cuatro álbumes. El primero es Oracular Spectacular. Y eso que decían que “Lo de hacer canciones pop empezó como una especie de broma”.

Sus comienzos se remontan a cuando componían música en un ordenador portátil, jugando con un montón de loops electrónicos.

Con un disco difícil de catalogar, solo el ir canción a canción, te permite hacerte una idea de lo que te puedes encontrar.  Los temas más psicodélicos como son Time To Pretend, Kids y Electric Feel, contrastan con “The Youth”,“Weekend Wars”, que te sumergen en ritmos de décadas pasadas. “Of Moons, Birds & Monsters”, “4th Dimensional Transition” o “Future Reflections” son completamente diferentes entre si, y difíciles de encajar en una primera audición, aunque todo esto visto desde la subjetividad del que escribe. Y es que ellos ya lo han avisado: “Hemos ido canción a canción y por eso el álbum es tan variado”. Y es que el disco de estos chicos, mezcla sin ningún tipo de complejos, diferentes instrumentos y diferentes estilos en un mismo disco.

Dave Fridmann es el encargado del sonido de “Oracular Spectacular” y quizás por eso, muchos críticos musicales, han encontrado similitudes entre MGMT y The Flaming Lips, con los que también ha trabajado.

El tema con el que se han dado a conocer al gran público es “Time to Pretend”. Si lo escuchas seguramente no te deja indiferente. Catalogado por muchos como un autentico himno, en esta canciones habla de la vida de los ricos y famosos, y de toda la parafernalia que les rodea.

Siguiendo el mismo estilo que “Time To Pretend”, llegamos hasta Kids. Escuchando los primeros acordes, ya sabes que la melodía te va a enganchar. He de reconocer que la segunda vez que escuche esta canción, ya estaba con la mano emulando tocar un teclado.

Ya para finalizar, comentar que el mismo Paul McCartney, se considera un fan de este grupo, y que han tocado con Radiohead, autentico grupo de culto y fuente de inspiración de muchos grupos.

by MGMT

Absolutely love this song. I didn’t like Electric Feel at all and wrote this band off as nothing more than an acid-tripping hippy duo. I can admit I was wrong. The rest of the songs off their debut Oracular Spectacular are excellent. I particularly like Kids, Time to Pretend, and Of Moons, Birds & Monsters.

I like kids, and babies (in a good way). When I think of kids, I think of them having fun at the YMCA or at local playgrounds playing Skip-It..
I also like the track “Kids” by MGMT. It’s a song you would think of when those babies are playin’ around those swings at a birthday party. It was also on the Fifa 09 soundtrack. When it comes to the music video that just came out, well, see for yourself…

Notice the quotation by Mark Twain at the beginning? Yeah, well, it’s not by Mark Twain.

Volkan

After releasing the track as a single almost a year ago, MGMT have finally made a  video for their song ‘Kids’.

The band are a Grammy-winning American musical duo based in Brooklyn New York, consisting of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. They were previously known as “The Management.”
Their debut album Oracular Spectacular debuted at number twelve on the UK album chart, and hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. It was named the best album of 2008 by NME. MGMT also appeared in Australia’s Triple J Hottest 100 2008, coming in 2nd with “Electric Feel”, 5th with “Kids” and 18th with “Time to Pretend.”

Although their music is generally labelled “indie”, their official sound is genre transcending, containing Synthpop, Post-punk revival, Dance-punk, Psychedelic pop, Indie rock and New Wave.

The video itself is inkeeping with traditional MGMT style; completely insane, yet simultaneously brilliant and perpetually baffling. Whilst the main storyline is a toddler being continually chased by childish monsters, whilst being tugged around by an indifferent young mother, Andrew VanWyngarden and co. appear half way through dressed as a silver eunuchs. The “crazy” factor peaks towards the end of the video, as the storyline completely digresses and treats the viewer to a whirlwind of garish colour, animated doodles and an endless slideshow of fresh insanity, including, but not limited to, fast-food, ghosts, and pigs in tutus.

The video can be viewed here via Youtube, or here courtesy of www.nme.com.

The band are supposedly creating and releasing their new album “Congratulations” later in 2009.

this video rules so much, albeit weird and creepy. if you ask me, this video is a long time coming, since the hype and all the other business for mgmt has since died down, but i guess that’s why they released the video in the first place.

oh well, don’t watch this if you hate to see babies crying.

mgmt on myspace.

download:

mgmt – kids

-grzzly

MGMT’s music has grown exponentially in popularity considering how much of a throwback it is.  Think The Darkness, a Queen-esque band with a 70’s rock feel, circa 2003.  Many people have said MGMT’s music reminds them of 70’s disco/pyschedelia.  To me, it’s surprisingly addictive considering how much I hate psychedelic music from the 1960’s and 1970’s.  Their music simply won’t leave my brain, though, months and months after it was first released.  MGMT’s music videos are pretty all-over-the-place if innocuous, definitely following the psychedelic trend: crazy colors, warped perspective, random flying objects…

But MGMT’s new video for their thoroughly-addictive single “Kids” is just asking for trouble.  You can check it out here.

The premise of the video follows a toddler as he is tormented by horrific monsters and zombie-like creatures in his crib, and later, on the street after his mother drops him (literally!) so she can text on her Blackberry.  I’m guessing the little boy is about one year old, and is obviously terrified considering he spends most of the video in tears, especially when handled or approached by the creatures.  The video continues down this path, then descends into MGMT’s expected psychedelia with a few minutes of animation that culminate with the tot being dropped down a black hole.

What??

Initially I had no issue with this video, until I thought about it a bit more.  At one or two, this young boy isn’t acting — he’s definitely scared.  Certainly you can make the argument that he won’t remember this faux trauma as he grows up, but that’s easily contradicted.  For example: When I was one or two, my mother left me with a family friend for the night.  I distinctly remember being in a crib in their living room and beginning to feel feverish and sick.  I felt horrible and cried all night, but no one would come to help me — presumably because they thought I was still learning to sleep by myself.  But that memory has stuck with me, even now, in my mid-20’s.  How can this child be expected to forget these horrid monsters?  And the worst part?  They’re not in his imagination.  They are real, and taunting him.  At the very least, he’ll have nightmares until he is forced to face his fears.

I also realized, almost instantaneously, that the MGMT “Kids” video felt suspiciously like the Australian anti-smoking commercial that was released a few months ago:

The backlash regarding that commercial was remarkable.  People flipped their lids!  Obviously, the little boy in the commercial was alone in a crowded train station, left to believe his mother was gone.  Certainly he was upset, but children lose parents momentarily all the time, and vice-versa.  Depending on how responsible the parent is, that can be a day-to-day occurrence.  I lived with the fear as a young girl that my mom would disappear, and a few times we lost each other for a split second in crowded places, but that is life.  Monsters are not, at least not the kind with giant claws that chase after children.  It’s also important to remember that even though the anti-smoking commercial got a lot of flack for deliberately terrifying a child, it did serve an important purpose — it’s message hit home with lots of people, touched the psyches of mothers all over the place, and perhaps it inspired a few to quit smoking.

So what about the MGMT video?  What’s the message there?  You could argue that perhaps the boy sees people in the outside world as monsters, and that he lives with the fear of someone who has not yet learned that not everyone is out to get him.  At one point, a monster dressed as a mailman picks up the boy and hands him back to his mother, and he cries the whole time.  Who’s to say the boy wouldn’t do that with a normal looking mailman?  I get that MGMT wanted the authentic and distilled fear of a one or two year old, but their video leaves me feeling a little… sour.  Not infuriated, not sad, just, as Michael Kors would say in Project Runway, underwhelmed.