MGMT - Congratulations (7/10)

Hey! Stream the album from the band’s website here: http://www.whoismgmt.com/us/congratulations-us


Congratulations (2010)
MGMT

MGMT is a weird band. I think we can all agree on that. They’re not all that remarkably different though; they’re one of those groups that takes a collage of sounds—sounds first pioneered by other artists—and fashions it into something that they can call their own. On Congratulations, those sounds are lifted from late ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelic rock. Through deep reverb, pounding drums, and jittery synthesizers, each song shifts and swirls melodically and rhythmically in some neurotic and indecisive form of songwriting that can both infuriate and fascinate the listener. If you much preferred the first half of their debut Oracular Spectacular, you may belong to the first camp. As the band has previously stated, bouncy pop songs the likes of “Kids” and “Electric Feel” are nowhere to be found. What constitutes the whole of Congratulations is an expansion on the bizarre (and depending on who you talk to, inferior) second half of their debut album. If you enjoyed that, though, then you’re in luck. While the songs generally feel more polished than the experimental ones occupying the previous record, their shape-shifting structure—whether intentional or just plain sloppy—will invariably throw you for a loop just when you were getting into the melody. But maybe that’s just me.

You have to give it to them, though. Especially for a group with one of the most popular debuts of the last few years, the sophomore record is a formidable challenge that has claimed many a band over the history of rock. Brooklynites Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, the two principle members of MGMT, here accompanied by their live band, could have just put out another Oracular Spectacular and called it a day, but that isn’t always guaranteed to produce success. Instead they’ve made something completely new and different, and there’s something admirable about that. Congratulations is bright and mysterious; despite the ambition inherent in the notion of what they’re trying to do here (following up a quirky pop album with a record that includes a 12-minute song certainly isn’t commonplace), rather than repelling the listener, the album tends to suck you into its whirlpool of sound.


Overall, the sound of the record is cleaner and clearer. (Anyone who listened closely to their first album knows that it was deliberately dirty-sounding.) The opening track “It’s Working” is a colorful introduction to the album with a fast and driving rhythm that gives you a good idea of what they’re going for here. At some points, the song slows to a hallucinogenic pace where echoes abound and the drums enter a lethargic state. The track has about three or four different ideas moving around, but it’s nothing compared to “Song for Dan Treacy,” “Flash Delirium,” or the massive “Siberian Breaks” that clocks in at just over 12 minutes. The constant shuffling of musical ideas is nothing like a leitmotif; these are entire snippets of songs you’ll never hear the rest of, cut together and sequenced as one. As you can tell, it can make your head spin. Once you can trace the path of the songs, though, they become a lot of enjoyable and coherent.

The band makes its influences pretty clear, such as in the aforementioned “Song for Dan Treacy,” in reference to Dan Treacy of English outfit Television Personalities, and “Brian Eno,” in reference to, well, Brian Eno. These two tracks move at a dizzying pace, with “Brian Eno” firing off into a frenzy immediately and “Song for Dan Treacy” steadily building to a wonderful sparkling chorus that closes the song. These are examples of MGMT staying somewhat on track. “Someone’s Missing,” however, is the leading archetype of a song with enormous potential that decided that the process was much more important that the result. It slowly mulls about in quaint church-like solitude before being blown open by the beginnings of an exuberant soul song that would be right at home on a Jackson 5 record. And then—fade out. It’s a tease, and there’s something frustrating and disappointing about that.

But it’s difficult to get upset with them. The title track that closes the album is a perfectly appropriate ending, a sign-off of sorts that ends in light applause. There’s a clear confidence in their work here, in part because, truthfully, the band is actually showing its true colors. “Kids” and “Time to Pretend,” two of the stand-out hits from Oracular Spectacular, were actually released back in 2005, three years before their debut. Congratulations is the real MGMT, oddly enough. But there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a solid record from a band that’s not afraid to be themselves, in spite of (or directly due to) the predicable “life in the spotlight” theme oh-so common of sophomore albums. Some songs wither away when they should have kept going, while others go on far too long when they should have ended a while ago (okay, maybe just “Siberian Breaks”), but most importantly, Congratulations shows considerable potential for more carefully developed material. They just need to narrow down their ideas a bit.

7/10

Stand-out Tracks:
“It’s Working”
“Song for Dan Treacy”
“Flash Delirium”
“Brian Eno”
“Congratulations”

The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die (9.5/10)

Ready to Die (1994)
The Notorious B.I.G.

"It was all a dream,
I used to read Word Up Magazine..."

It goes without saying that hip hop in the ‘90s was something extraordinary. As key participants in the genre began to cover more politically and socially conscious topics in the 1980s, in the latter part of the decade, the west coast gave birth to gangsta rap. Popularized by groups like N.W.A. , this aggressive and confrontational brand of rap was—and still is—inherently controversial. Although artists have staunchly defended their method of interpreting gang life in poverty-stricken neighborhoods as nothing more than realism, the fact stands that much of the content in this kind of hip hop is incredibly violent, misogynistic, and sexually explicit (to varying degrees, of course). But in regards to artistic merit, the gritty commentary from artists deeply entrenched in this way of life (for better or for worse) is an important vocalization from areas of urban America that otherwise wouldn’t get many chances for unique creative expression, especially in the rough world of pop music. I use “rough” specifically in reference to ascent; perhaps even more evident in today’s world, breaking out is hard enough, but gaining and maintaining popularity as a recording artist is always a difficult task.

That being said, one of the most self-conscious and lyrically gifted performers to hit the mic in any genre was Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. Before Ready to Die, Biggie Smalls (as he was also known) made a name for himself through guest appearances here and there alongside Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, and Busta Rhymes. After years of West Coast dominance in hip hop, Biggie’s monumental multi-platinum debut album shifted attention back to the East Coast, the birthplace of hip hop itself. As an introductory recording, Ready to Die accomplishes an extraordinary level of thematic achievements. First and foremost, Biggie readily establishes his character and outlines his environment and life experiences with startling clarity. There’s plenty of bragging and threatening, but at the same time, Ready to Die is heavily tinged with guilt and regret. Biggie reflects on his life decisions and becomes deeply depressed, ultimately culminating in his suicide at the end of the album (but not really, of course). Every situation on the album is handled with an impressive level of lyrical dexterity, and Biggie’s effortless storytelling abilities still have few peers.

Opening with an intro that sets Wallace’s tumultuous upbringing against contemporaneous musical backdrops (such as Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” and the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight”), Ready to Die-proper opens with “Things Done Changed,” where Smalls expresses his discontent with how violent his environment has become, setting a tone of apprehension and unease. “Back in the days, our parents used to care of us/Look at ‘em now, they even f---in’ scared of us…Damn, what happened to the summertime cookouts?/Every time I turn around, a n---- gettin’ took out.” This theme continues on throughout the album in the songs “Ready to Die” and “Everyday Struggle,” and digging deepest in the aforementioned “Suicidal Thoughts.” Between these tracks are songs that are far less dark, but cover tangential topics. The rough-and-tumble dialogue between Biggie and his higher-pitched self in “Gimme the Loot” is nothing short of incredible. Smalls splits himself into two distinct characters in preparation for a robbery and leads listeners through every step of the plan with all the exhilaration of...well, actually getting robbed. But that’s besides the point; “Gimme the Loot” is a stand-out for its clever rhymes and steady pace.

Another great example of B.I.G.’s lyricism is “Warning,” where Biggie’s clued into the plans of a couple assassins who are ready to put him in an early grave. A barber named Pop calls up Biggie to warn him about “the intricate plot” to take him down: “They heard about the Rolexes and the Lexus, with the Texas license plate outta state/They heard about the pounds you got down in Georgetown/And they heard you got half of Virginia locked down/They even heard about the crib you bought your moms out in Florida/The fifth corridor.” To this, Biggie responds with, “Call the coroner/There's gonna be a lot of slow singin’ and flower bringin’/If my burglar alarm starts ringin’.” This interplay and ability for Smalls to work a story into rhymes that entertain a high level of practicality and creativity are some of Biggie’s prominent strengths on the album.

Something can be said against the amount of explicit sexuality and misogyny prevalent on the album, but it’s not like it isn’t expected. (Nonetheless, “One More Chance” still has the filthiest lyrics this side of “Sir Psycho Sexy.”) Ready to Die plays out like a montage of Biggie’s life on the edge. The period from when Smalls is released from the penitentiary at the end of the intro to when he blows his head off at the end of “Suicidal Thoughts” is a rollercoaster of emotion and a reflection on every aspect of his life thus far. Biggie contemplates his life decisions, from selling drugs to relationships, and in a way the record functions as a kind of catharsis. There are certainly elements that chiefly serve as entertainment (nothing wrong with that), but the themes that touch upon personal struggles and fulfillment in life—wonderfully captured in “Juicy”—are told with such sincerity that you wonder if B.I.G. really did want to act out the scenario in “Suicidal Thoughts,” in which he calls up Puff Daddy (his executive producer) to express his depression and dissatisfaction with his life before putting a gun to his head. “All my life I been considered as the worst/Lyin’ to my mother, even stealin’ out her purse/Crime after crime, from drugs to extortion/I know my mother wished she got a f---in’ abortion.” In strong contrast, “Juicy” contains some of the most self-confident lyrics on the album. “I never thought it could happen, this rappin’ stuff/I was too used to packin’ gats and stuff…Damn right I like the life I live/‘Cause I went from negative to positive.” It’s not clear exactly how B.I.G. feels about himself, but it’s this uncertainty and self-discovery that really characterizes the album.

It’s not all gloom and doom, though. Tracks like “Machine Gun Funk,” “The What,” and “Big Poppa” help to lighten the mood without sacrificing B.I.G.’s stellar lyricism. All of this comes together to form one of the greatest debuts ever released and one of the greatest albums ever recorded. It’s difficult to overstate just how good it is; it really needs to be experienced. I’d highly recommend this one to anyone interested in hip hop (and who also isn’t easily offended).

9.5/10

Stand-out Tracks:
“Gimme the Loot”
“Machine Gun Funk”
“Warning”
“Ready to Die” (FYI: The remaster replaces the original sample)
“The What”
“Juicy”
“Everyday Struggle”
“Big Poppa”
“Unbelievable”
“Suicidal Thoughts”
“Who Shot Ya?” (Bonus track included on the remastered version)

Mew - No More Stories / Are Told Today / I'm Sorry / They Washed Away // No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I'm Tired / Let's Wash Away (9.5/10)

No More Stories / Are Told Today / I'm Sorry / They Washed Away // No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I'm Tired / Let's Wash Away (2009)

Mew

Yes, that is the actual title. Denmark's Mew decided to make the album title the complete lyrics from the eighth song off the album, "Hawaii Dream." In most instances, it's shortened to just "No More Stories..."

The album opens with "New Terrain," a song whose music sounds chaotic and haphazard. The hidden track on the album called "Nervous" is actually "New Terrain" backwards and both songs, while definitely sounding like they're being played backwards, incredibly enough, have understandable lyrics. The next song on the album, "Introducing Palace Players," with it's irregular bass line and melodic hooks, is one of the most instantly catchy songs. The video (posted at the bottom of this review) is the first in a trilogy of videos shot with award winning director Martin de Thurah. "Repeaterbeater," the fourth song, is video features the band being hypnotised by an actual hypnotist. The band claims that they wanted to hypnotise themselves so that they could listen and critique their music without bias. Regardless of what the reason truly was, the result was a crazy, unique video featuring what appears to be complete mental breakdowns and indoor rain. "Beach," the third song off the album (and one of the poppiest) is the 3rd video in the trilogy and has yet to be released.

The rest of the album definitely doesn't disappoint. Beautiful melodies, incredible riffs, and energetic drumming (all while keeping with the classic dreamy Mew feel) leave the listener wanting more.

And yes, the videos are slightly cut off, so you might want to click on the videos themselves to get to the real Youtube video.