I’m actually kind of proud of these guys, their first album became massively successful, almost to the point of their sudden success being a liability to their artistic credibility, yet love them or hate them, they survived to become one of the most creatively driven commercial acts in the arena.
Oracular Spectacular was an instant success for MGMT, debuting onto the UK Charts at about #12 and serving as a forerunner to the wave of New York indie-psychedelia bands we’re right now enjoying. After that level of initial support, and incidentally, commercial potential, how does a band thereafter have the balls to go off and record a second album that’s not only a much more challenging listen but furthermore one that’s not got any real singles to speak of?
The duo – which is completed by Ben Goldwasser – has come under fire recently for their second album ‘Congratulations’ not including any pop hits, akin to the songs which made them famous, including ‘Kids’ and ‘Time To Pretend’ – but they feel those songs were nothing revolutionary.
http://www.musicrooms.net/alternative/6187-MGMTs-Jay–Collab-Rejected.html
To make the kind of art-pop that they originally set out to make, then to continue to make it and throw expectations in the collective faces of the label, the critics and even the less die-hard of the fans, the dedication to artistic credibility and the sheer audacity really is breathtaking.
And it worked. Congratulations peaked on the Billboard charts at #2 and the next album (self titled) is scheduled for release sometime in the very near future. The fans loved it, the label went along with it, and on top and aside from all that, their live shows are never reported as anything less than amazing.
Even if you’re not into the music, you have to admire a band that pulls off a stunt like that.
