Oracular Spectacular
Product ID: 4864776
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The term Oracular Spectacular might not mean much, if anything, at all--it's essentially nonsensical--but that doesn't stop it feeling exactlyright. Here is a band that treats dizzy cross-eyed awe and a vast bounding sense of sonic weightlessness as their yardstick, jostling to surpass themselves on a track-by-track basis and aiming for the musical equivalent of performing somersaults in tye-dye t-shirts off the rings of Jupiter. MGMT seemingly submit this debut album as an application to acquire and even supersede The Flaming Lips' previously uncontested mantle as spiritual leaders of over-sized Technicolor psychedelic-indie with a soul, weird but not so weird that swelling crowds and even flirtations with the charts aren't a foregone conclusion. "Time to Pretend" opens and sets a tone for the record, producer David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) providing a familiar expanse for them to riff across with bull's-eye synths, massive drums and their twist on the template--retro 80s electro and abstract shapes, see Suicide and the Talking Heads for reference. "The Youth" is centred around a hypnotically looping refrain that recalls Pink Floyd and David Bowie, as interpreted by a mellow Secret Machines and the brilliant "Pieces of What" is Ryan Adams spinning through cosmos with classic Neil Young on his headphones. "Future Reflections" meanwhile stand on its hands on a line somewhere in-between XTC and Ween. Thrillingly eclectic, endlessly colourful and never predictable. It's all a bit ridiculous, but indeed spectacularly so. --James Berry . Review: Colorful, creative collection of mind-bending music - After initially recoiling from this album, having commenced my MGMT mania with the expected trio of favorites ("Time to Pretend," "Electric Feel," "Kids"), I slowly became infatuated with and mesmerized by this quirky array of songs. It's now one of my all-time favorite albums and strove considerably to cement MGMT as one of my most beloved music groups; I rotate it regularly through my car's CD player during daily commutes. Oracular Spectacular captures the zeal and reckless abandon of youth in every track, that unbridled exploratory energy accentuating moments of deep wisdom. "Weekend Wars" sees a down-and-out protagonist who is "too lazy to bathe, or paint or write or try to make a change," alluding to the de-motivating influence of drugs and adult life on one's psyche. "Kids," an innocent, pure-minded synth track, fondly captures youthful naiveté. "The Youth" both warns of and champions the then-young adult Millennial generation with its myriad changes -- changes the older generations, true to form, viewed (often correctly) as inherently destructive. And "The Handshake" measures the weight of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser's newfound musical success with its costliness: being beholden to a major record label, whom they mock relentlessly in this track. Themes hinting at the apocalypse, drug consumption, the predatory nature of the music industry, young adulthood, childhood, loss, life, and stardom receive a fresh and clever coat of psychedelic paint in Oracular. It's dizzying, sometimes daunting (if not impossible) to attempt to decode, and brazenly original... even if some of the sounds and vocals, like on "Electric Feel," take considerable cues from the likes of the Bee Gees and The Doors. Nods to their likely heroes aside, MGMT crafted a brilliant and personal work of art with OS, deftly achieving multiple feats: chart-topping, smash hit bangers (we all know the ones) that deliver the dopamine but never sound stale, weird, beautiful, abstract artistic tracks, eye-watering satire ("Time to Pretend"), willfully "stupid" pop efforts that unintentionally sound 200% better than almost all pop tracks released today, a poetic rainbow assortment of memorable lyrics, and complex themes both timely and timeless. Put simply, Oracular Spectacular is a triumph of modern music, certainly, but also the psychedelic genre. It's weird enough for the artsy indie fans and accessible enough for any patient listener to appreciate and enjoy, given time... and it thus served as my gateway into psychedelic music. Personal favorites: "Electric Feel," "Future Reflections," and "The Handshake" (but I love each and every song) Beautiful mind-benders: "4th Dimensional Transition," "Of Moons, Birds and Monsters," "Future Reflections," "Weekend Wars" Pop/strong indie energy tracks that truly deliver: "Time to Pretend," "Kids," "Electric Feel," "The Youth," and "Pieces of What" Q. Who would I recommend this album to? A. Anyone who loves creative, head-spinning music! Review: Album is still fun to listen to after almost 20 years. - Great album! First time I head this at a bar I had to figure out who it was. Still enjoy listening to it. The album was delivered in great shape in a protective box.
A**R
Colorful, creative collection of mind-bending music
After initially recoiling from this album, having commenced my MGMT mania with the expected trio of favorites ("Time to Pretend," "Electric Feel," "Kids"), I slowly became infatuated with and mesmerized by this quirky array of songs. It's now one of my all-time favorite albums and strove considerably to cement MGMT as one of my most beloved music groups; I rotate it regularly through my car's CD player during daily commutes. Oracular Spectacular captures the zeal and reckless abandon of youth in every track, that unbridled exploratory energy accentuating moments of deep wisdom. "Weekend Wars" sees a down-and-out protagonist who is "too lazy to bathe, or paint or write or try to make a change," alluding to the de-motivating influence of drugs and adult life on one's psyche. "Kids," an innocent, pure-minded synth track, fondly captures youthful naiveté. "The Youth" both warns of and champions the then-young adult Millennial generation with its myriad changes -- changes the older generations, true to form, viewed (often correctly) as inherently destructive. And "The Handshake" measures the weight of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser's newfound musical success with its costliness: being beholden to a major record label, whom they mock relentlessly in this track. Themes hinting at the apocalypse, drug consumption, the predatory nature of the music industry, young adulthood, childhood, loss, life, and stardom receive a fresh and clever coat of psychedelic paint in Oracular. It's dizzying, sometimes daunting (if not impossible) to attempt to decode, and brazenly original... even if some of the sounds and vocals, like on "Electric Feel," take considerable cues from the likes of the Bee Gees and The Doors. Nods to their likely heroes aside, MGMT crafted a brilliant and personal work of art with OS, deftly achieving multiple feats: chart-topping, smash hit bangers (we all know the ones) that deliver the dopamine but never sound stale, weird, beautiful, abstract artistic tracks, eye-watering satire ("Time to Pretend"), willfully "stupid" pop efforts that unintentionally sound 200% better than almost all pop tracks released today, a poetic rainbow assortment of memorable lyrics, and complex themes both timely and timeless. Put simply, Oracular Spectacular is a triumph of modern music, certainly, but also the psychedelic genre. It's weird enough for the artsy indie fans and accessible enough for any patient listener to appreciate and enjoy, given time... and it thus served as my gateway into psychedelic music. Personal favorites: "Electric Feel," "Future Reflections," and "The Handshake" (but I love each and every song) Beautiful mind-benders: "4th Dimensional Transition," "Of Moons, Birds and Monsters," "Future Reflections," "Weekend Wars" Pop/strong indie energy tracks that truly deliver: "Time to Pretend," "Kids," "Electric Feel," "The Youth," and "Pieces of What" Q. Who would I recommend this album to? A. Anyone who loves creative, head-spinning music!
J**.
Album is still fun to listen to after almost 20 years.
Great album! First time I head this at a bar I had to figure out who it was. Still enjoy listening to it. The album was delivered in great shape in a protective box.
W**S
Good shape
Great -Thanks!
J**P
Great record
One of my favorite MGMT albums. Great sound quality, excellent packaging, everything I wanted from one of my first vinyl
N**9
Clear sound
Great album
C**N
Really enjoyable, but difficult to define
Indie, pop, dance, electronic, psychedelic ... all are good adjectives to describe MGMT's Oracular Spectacular. Poetic and strange lyrics accompany great beats and strong synth sounds to make a truly unique album. Some songs are nostalgic sounding, like they miss a past or innocence, while many others evoke a hedonistic style (of music and life). These guys are definitely doing something new here, but they are obviously heavily influenced by the past. I thought the sound quality of the actual cd was great. Packaging was lame: I already ripped the cardboard case (I have seen thicker greeting cards), and there are some slight scratches from sliding the cd out. A great album for someone looking for something different: savage and artistic, without being cliché. This is something far more uptempo, nothing dark or depressing. Oracular Spectacular is an album that may not please everyone, but is still worth a listen. My personal favorites are 1-time to pretend (the beginning is reminiscent of Bela Lugosi's dead by Bauhaus, 4-electric feel (my favorite-some have described is as psychedelic disco, but I am not so sure about the "disco," I just have to move when I hear it), 5-kids (just a fun song, although the video is awful to watch--I do not like to watch kids being terrorized for no reason!), 6-4th dimensional transition (very classic rock influenced with a great drum, and 9-handshake (it has a rocking ending). 8-Of Moons, Birds & Monsters is a very pop song that has all the earmarks of being a 60s hit; something the Turtles or the Zombies would do. And just so you have a reference for my taste in music: I love Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights , Antics: The Special Edition , and Our Love to Admire . And the strange sounds of this album sounded like what Daniel Johnston could have been, here's a sampling of his music Welcome to My World . All in all, a great musical experience: highly recommend.
C**S
Amazing‼️ incredible release.
One of the great pop releases of the millennium PERIOD‼️ I recommend reading about the release of this album and how it came to be.
D**O
Obligatorio en la colección
Excelente álbum, sonidos atemporales. Estado inmejorable debidamente empacado y llegó en perfectas condiciones, muy rápido el envío.
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