Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Pretty cool indie with fun riffs and a nice vibe. 4 stars
Gran disco. Una propuesta muy interesante y creo que, dejando de lado los tres grandes y famosos sencillos que tiene, el resto de canciones son muy buenas y con cosas muy buenas, incluso algunas mejores que sus sencillos. La fusión del pop y el psicodélico funciona muy bien en este disco.
Comfort Album for me
Liked overall. Some bangers.
7.0/10 Likes this one quite a bit.
This album is pretty good. The singles, the popular songs from it, are sooooo good. The rest of the album is also pretty good, except for I didn’t really care for the last few songs. They couldn’t get their hooks in me. Overall, I prefer the only other MGMT album I’ve listened to, Little Dark Age. This is still a good album, and I do recommend. 8/10
I think it was probably a turning point in the music indistry. A lot of sound that since then has been used a 1000 times. Some songs didn't flow with me but the songs that did i see myself enjoying for a long while.
Fun album
The dudes from your dorm accidentally defined the synthpop sound of an entire generation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNC1W2m4Uug
Primeiro do Projeto! Não esperava que seria bom! Tem algumas músicas bem conhecidas também.
Just about every song is decently catchy, but only a few were memorable. I liked it overall but I'll probably only ever return to a handful of these tracks.
That one guy from MGMT: "Yo, we should totally make, like, this super-outstanding album and then just dip. Y'know, like, dominate and disappear." The other guy from MGMT: "Aight, bet."
Congratulations is the essential MGMT album.
Listened to this album a lot back when it came out but it has been a while. What I heard this time that didn’t catch my attention before was “Pieces of What”. Great song, love the vocals, but really love the jangling guitar.
Some big hits on there, and the first half especially was really catchy
Pretty neat. Standout tracks: Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, Kids
Good album, classic summer night vibes with the popular songs and a few unheard bops too.
Entuudestaan tuttu levy, tykkään saundimaailmasta ja viboista. Mielelläänhän tätä kuuntelee
so good, so sick
When this came up here I was already very familiar with and liked "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel" and "Kids" ... which were the big songs I remember on alternative radio when this came out. But I had never spent any time listening to the whole thing. Some observations as I listen to it 3 times through... Still love the songs mentioned above. At various points across this album, I hear what sounds to me like influences by The Flaming Lips and David Bowie and - which is good. Not a copy but I just hear little things that remind me of them at times. But it has it's own original and cool sound. "Youth" - seems like an optimistic song, which is cool. "Weekend Wars" - definitely has a heavy Bowie sound especially the voice. "4th Dimensional Transmission" - cool vibe "Pieces of What" - voice kinda reminded me of Smashing Pumpkins. Love the long instrumental part of "Of Moons, Birds and Monsters" I didn't analyze the lyrics that much, as I was just digging the vibe. I ended up liking the first 8 songs on this one. Glad this site got me to actually spend time listening to this full album. It's good! I'm definitely excited to see these songs pop up on my automated playlists. Liked songs on Spotify: 8/10 Rating: 4/5
So many hits on here. Very fun beats and mostly enjoyed this, but wasn’t always sure what to think of the vocal performance.
Liked this. The 2 big Hits are both indie synth classics. Rest is pretty good. Maybe tails off after Pieces of What. Borderline 4.
I enjoyed that in a poptastic way. It’s a fun album and surprisingly consistent beyond the hits I recognised.
This is a classic. The sound of 2009-2015.
Big hits on a album with a new approach to pop. Great listen!
Very good Album
Funny enough I’ve been listening to a few songs on this album recently. It’s such a good like nostalgia good vibes album. Time to pretend, electric feel, and kids are all such iconic songs. Glad I got to listen to the album fully
Man, a couple hits on this are absolute monsters and probably are hurt by getting played waaaay too much. But I like these guys and overall enjoyed most of the album. 3.5 and rounding up because I think these guys are solid musicians and creative. Man, did they do anything else?
It’s ok. I don’t have any history with this so there are no nostalgia points. It wears influences while being a bit hipster. It’s ok. And after a few listens it’s quite good. 4 Star
This is a great album. EXTREMELY of it's time but also ahead. I see how it acted as the tip of the arrowhead for a certain type of music of this era.
4.5
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/mgmt/oracular-spectacular/ Anyone saying this has no place in the list has never been in a room filled with 20-40 year olds when Time to Pretend or Kids started playing.
Pretty cool
Might only be really know for the 3 big hits, but the other 7 tracks are pretty fine as well. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
Decent. Honestly not really anything to write home about. But wouldn't skip it if it came on the radio.
Really good album. Consistently good songs all the way through. The radio hits were severely overplayed, so I actually enjoyed the non-singles more. Favorites are "Oracular spectacular" and "Of Moons, Birds, & Monsters". Not quite an all time classic, but no skips which earns a solid 4 stars from me.
A very good inclusion for this list, you can’t think of essential 2000s indie without this album. They’ve had their hits worm their way into the mainstream though I’d still consider them under appreciated. I prefer Congratulations and Little Dark Age, but this album is full of bangers and is also quite comforting to me
4/5
Decent groove.
Outside of knowing the obvious hit songs, I have never listened to this album before and know very little about the band. I was genuinely surprised at how many good songs there were. I was also quite surprised how many songs I knew. The album is quite diverse and a great mix of different styles. There is big Rolling Stones influence in songs like Weekend Wars and Pieces of What as well as psychedelic rock influence in a few others. The album kept you invested throughout. Maybe it is time to listen to some more of their albums. Notable songs: Time to Pretend, Weekend Wars, Kids, 4th Dimensional Transition, pieces of what, Of moons, Birds and Monsters, The Handshake. I felt like it ended really well. I love being surprised by an album. 4 stars
I used to hate them for the omnipresent zombie of their moms' 80s tape collections that is "Electric Feel" but to be honest, it's a great album and sound. It's got some emotional depth for an album largely about taking drugs on the weekend.
When my iPod died (RIP), I lost touch with a sizable library of music that I still “own,” split between what is now called Apple Music and a hard drive, including this album, which I hadn’t heard in ages. Oracular Spectacular is a good embodiment of the iPod era, I suppose. It’s unmistakably 21st century in its grounding in electronics, synths and studio wizardry, indebted to the Flaming Lips in its love of huge-sounding, bacchanalian psych-pop anthems, 90s indie/slacker culture and even the Stones, on “Pieces of What.” MGMT made its name on the hit “Kids,” which remains an era-defining banger and helped many people deal with certain other things that happened in the world when this album came out in 2007.
Did not realise how many bangers they had
I knew the hits but never gave the whole album a shot, and I loved it. Youth is a standout track for me
Kids ❤️🩹
Umm embarrassing because I was like who’s MGMT??? And then realized that I’ve heard at least 3 of these songs many many times without ever knowing the artist. Good vibes 😎
Electric Feel is a classic. Listened walking around in Back Bay and was moving and groovin
title score time to pretend==============10/10 weekend wars==============08/10 the youth==================09/10 electric feel=================10/10 kids======================07/10 4th dimentional trantistion=====08/10 pieces of what==============10/10 of, moons, birds, and monsters==09/10 The hand shake=============10/10 future refrections=============10/10 final thoughts Good album, love it. The music is bef going on my playlist, best listens I've had in a while
Si bien conocía el álbum, nunca me había sentado a escucharlo completo, y hay algunas joyitas que marcaron una época. Medio shoegaze, medio indie, totalmente para mí. Mención honorífica a Kids por ser un ícono de la música indie, y Time to Pretend por ser mi favorita del disco.
Cool, fun album will come back to it
Versatile electro-pop-rock or something similar.
very me in quarantine
Side A: 21st Century Psychedelic Pop Side B: 20th Century Psychedelic Pop I really enjoyed this - it bounces, it's youthful. I'd heard the singles all many, many times, but the deep cuts were also very strong. The 2nd side being such a throwback to the 1960s was a surprise. I heard a lot of psychedelic-era Rolling Stones in there, as well as some reggae and Motown. Looking forward, looking back - it's gotta be - FOUR STARS
Heat heat heat heat
Very nice
Decent
Familiar, but the album was a first listen in entirety.
A surprisingly good album well produced and engineered. Nice lush soundscapes. My 1st listen to MGMT.
Banger
Fænomenalt pop album, især med de 3 store singles herfra, wow det er nostalgisk
Creative AND catchy. Very singable pop tunes with a lot of fun hooks and experimentation with electronic tools.
Songs like time to pretend, kids, and of moons birds and monsters carry this album. An iconic indie album for a reason.
Classic album from growing up. It has some of the most well known songs. The album a whole is good, but those singles are even better.
Ohhh this looks promising Ohhh I know this band. They made Me and Michael (too soon for that), but it’s not in that album so I’m good. Really good album. Couple songs I know and vibe with, the other ones are also very good. Would/will buy this on Vinyl, honestly good album to study too and there’s definitely gonna be songs I will add to my Lieblingssongs.
4.5
I didn't know what to expect but this was a pleasant surprise. I was somewhat familiar with the name of the band, but I couldn't name any songs. Turns out I had definetly heard the singles before. All the singles were highlights, along with other songs like Of Moons, Birds & Monsters. But really, all the songs are quite good, even though I'm not a huge fan of the lead vocals on some of them. I like how this is kind of pop music, but it still sounds so different from mainstream pop. I'm sure this has influenced a lot of newer music. I'm torn on whether to rate a 4 or 5, so I'll go for a 4, but I see this as a 4.5/5.
Kids is an anthem
Very nostalgic, the sound brings me right back to college. The music itself isn't super synthy but their voices are, I guess? I like how groovy some of the tracks get in the second half. Favorite song: The Handshake.
Bangers everywhere
Hits aside, I hadn't listened to this in full when it came out. The best album that The Flaming Lips never wrote.
tiene algunas demasiado flasheras o iguales en base. la escritura es increíble. overall its good, will listen again
This was spectacularly oracular. Especially loved “Of Moons, Birds & Monsters” this time when I listened. It used to be a favorite album of mine when it came out but it hit different nearly 20 years later.
Inspired by the Beatles
sooo nostalgic, takes me right back to middle school. the production is also ahead of its time, still sounds super fresh. my enjoyment dropped a bit in the last half, but overall very solid. 4/5 ⭐️
Actually more of a fan than I realised. Props.
This album embodies nostalgia, incredible sound and genre defining.
Понравился психоделически-мечтательный звук (но не настолько мечтательный как в dream pop.
Mostly Gives Mellifluous Tunage
It was an interesting listening. It gives of summer album vibes mixed with Arctic Monkeys sound.
04
Filled with all time indietronica classics. Isn't quite as consistent as their later albums, but still a good listen. 7/10
Nostalgic, with a unique sound.
It’s not just the singles that are good. This is a great debut album.
8/10
This was an album I enjoyed at the time, but coming back to it now it seems to be better than I remembered and the first "side" would have been in the running for a 5 star rating. Time to Pretend, The Youth, Kids, Electric Feel are all brilliant indie pop tunes. The second side is good but can't quite keep up the stellar quality.
Front-heavy. Last four songs could’ve been cut. Very unique to listen this album not on the PCA but on a cold January night waiting for the bus. 3 very clear universally friendly songs.
vibes. catchy. all over.
I really liked this one!! Majority were bangers. I do love MGMT!
There is a reason this album is very popular, my one complaint is that sometimes the synth electronical soundboard can become rather grating on the ears, especially if it is not the focus of the song otherwise all other aspects are very good, acceptable, more than even
Amazing album, nostalgia inducing, but the best part of it has to be its review page on this site. Whether it’s one to five stars, most of them are written way more cringey than normal here lmao
Time To Pretend is amazing. Others songs also do well
just curious did people before the invention of electricity feel electric??? how did they describe that without knowing what electric was?? is that feeling posterior? communication is easy as the ocean!!!!!!! me tripeo tanto el final.
Any debut album that has 3 legitimate singles that got heavy radio play should be taken seriously. “Time to Pretend”, “Electric Feel” and “Kids” all have a feel of a much more established and experienced group.
Two of the songs I'd already had saved to my liked songs from other playlists and found another that I hadn't realized was theirs. Overall a fair listen, that I'll look forward to listening to in the future.
This would have been a 5 if I hadn't heard the singles before.
electric back to summers in a French chateau for the first half lost me a tad after Kids but still a great album
Solid record with a clear vision of itself and its audience.
Going to see the movie 21 was the first time I stayed out past midnight in high school and what a wild time that was. I almost fell asleep in the movie.
Some certified BOPs on this one
2 big hits. The rest is upbeat enough.
An album I am so beyond exhausted with. An art school soundtrack for sure but man I am sick of hearing these songs everywhere. Its a testament to their versatility complimenting the nostalgic feeling these songs evoke. Congrats to MGMT for making a timeless revenue machine. I look forward to ~5 years from now when this isn't overplayed and is fun again. Favorite Song: Kids, Electric Feel Also, shoutout to Frank Ocean for Nature Feels
To be honest with myself I really didn't know what to expect when I saw this album being recommended. This is my first time listening to something like this and I got to say that it was amazing. I can't believe how much i enjoyed this album. I don't know what genre this is considered but whatever it is its great. The standouts are Kids, Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Pieces of What. The song that I liked the least is ''4th Dimensional Transition'' its still a great song it just didn't grab like the other ones did.
8/10
This popped up again for me really quickly and my feelings on it have not changed - deeply, deeply nostalgic for my teens and early 20s, still really holds up incredibly well. I wouldn't bump it up to a full 5 stars but it would be pretty close now for me.
I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. solid 3,5 stars
I feel like I preface every high rating with 'not what I usually listen to but...' which again is true here, I'll probably have to come around to good music not belonging to a single genre, how shocking. These were good songs, I've heard some of them before but never connected to the band so this is the first I'd heard of MGMT. The songs feel like, with a few more listens, they'd be very catchy and I liked both the vocals and music, I didn't really listen out for the lyrics much though so I may have missed something there. Overall very enjoyable, at least in comparison to other day's albums, still learning to rate things properly. Having had the weekend to think about this I don't remember it feeling like a 5 star album, but clearly I thought that at the time. 77/100 Score and Rating edited 06/01/26 Score edited 18/01/26
A couple of days ago the generator gave me The 13th Floor Elevators. One of my comments was that I've found I don't really like 60's psychedelic music. One of the things that got reinforced for me today is that I like quite a bit of psychedelic music from the decades that have followed. I recall listening to this record when it first came out, but at the time I didn't think much of it other than there were some catchy tunes. I've expanded my palette since that time, thankfully, and this time around I quite enjoyed most of what I listened to today. The singles were chosen for good reason. They are so damn catchy and so damn fun. Electric Feel is such a banger. I really enjoyed just about every other song, save for 4th Dimension Transition and The Handshake. These weren't bad, but just not as good as the others.
A pretty phenomenal debut album. It’s not really my style of music in the long run, but this is good.
love the vibes. and it was fun that i recognized some songs! i find it really funny that there's a song named "the youth" and also "kids" on the same album
Forgot how good this album is, even if it falls off a little bit at the end. Definitely a big part of my college playlist, and "Kids" is up there in my favorite songs of all time. Highlights: "Time to Pretend" and "Kids"
did really enjoy!
While the big singles overshadow a lot of the record's deep cuts (Kids is basically unbeatable), but I enjoyed this album a lot on the whole. I particularly liked the more indie rock-esque cuts in the back half; they've got a surprising amount of bite.
Helt greit, likte et par av låtene veldig godt!
Nostalgia baybeee let's goooooo!!! Standouts are deffo the singles. One of the most recognisable sounds of our time. Incredible to have come up with that on a debut album - where do you go from there??! Not quite as keen on the rest of the tracks, but I did like Pieces of What, Of Moons, Birds & Monsters, and Future Reflections. Not as much! But that's a high bar I decided I wanted to give this a 4 pretty much before it started. If I'm being objective it's probably a high 3, but I'm giving it some extra credit because the singles are BANGERS thank you Songs added to playlist (no surprises here): - Time to Pretend - Electric Feel - Kids
Hits are still good, and there are quite a few on here, but the deep cuts didn't do a ton for me
Enjoyed it more than I expected. Interesting lyrics tell the story of kids trying to find their way in this world, living fast and dying young. Great synth and guitar solos, sounds like I'm on the moon.
Fun, funky, fresh. Old faves but new earworms. Would listen again
iconique avec des gros bangers écouté agréable avec pas mal de sonorités je le réécouterai avec plaisir !!
First heard this during the first COVID lockdown, and for a debut album, it's brilliant. To produce radio friendly tracks such as the brilliant Electric Feel, stylophone-esque Kids and stonking opener Time To Pretend, and then throw in complexity and intrigue on tracks like Weekend Wars and The Youth (with it's totally unexpected key change!), this is a record that gives on many levels. It drops off a little towards the end, but definitely deserves a high 4 stars. Not sure what happened to MGMT after this, but I doubt they hit this high watermark again.
It's a great album and it has some bangers. Very cohesive and well made and flows perfectly. But it's not my favourite kind of music
Best song: Time to pretend Listened: in Meersbrook park collecting sticks with Zach.
This album brings back a ton of memories. Brian Hoesing and I had adventures. One of which was in rural Minnesota in the summer of 2008. “kids” was our anthem. He probably woulda shit if he knew I didn't have car insurance at the time.
There was a very specific time in my life, around the time this album came out, that these songs floored me. My friend Steven and I would discuss the concepts of “growing up”, “youth”, and the transition between the two. In those discussions the idea of purity, honesty, and love always came out on top, and that’s what I still hear in this record. I never followed MGMT’s career past this release, but it will always make me think of the summer of 2009/2010 when I moved back to Albuquerque and most of my life was still ahead of me waiting to be discovered… or destroyed.
Nostalgic and beautiful.
Gets a little eerie sometimes but good
Starts out strong with Time to Pretend. Then heads to Weekend Wars.which is also good. The Youth is simple melodies but easy to groove to. Then you get Electric Feel and Kids, two huge hits. These two have been a part of my rotation for years. Also enjoying Of Moons, Birds and monsters Album peter's off in quality after Kids but starting off with 5 bangers in a row is pretty insane.
I knew more than expected
Such a fire album, so good for running and dancing around so fun I made breakfast listening to it
3 monster tracks and some filler
A fun album that sounds unique while not sounding harsh or completely alien. Really liked this one.
A small view into the new indie sound that got popularized within the 2000s, this record is a landmark and it stands as one of the best from MGMT. Great feel and vibes all around.
I really enjoyed this album it was very whimsical and sad at the same time and the vocals were really nice
I really enjoyed this album. Of course the hits are amazing but the album is very very good all together. Really like their sound which is instantly recognizable.
This is def a good album to listen to on a plane. All of the songs are very layered, textured, and synth-y. I think I probably like this a lot because some of these songs remind me of growing up because they were big hits in the early 2010s. Along with that vibe though is a certain kind of vocals really popular then (idk what it’s called cause idk anything about music) that’s not my favorite. Fav songs: time to pretend (!!!), weekend wars, the youth, the handshake
3.5
4.5
Torn between 4 and 5 here. There are only 3 songs I love. Time to pretend is really nostalgic and mixes melancholy with a really happy synthy sound in a perfect way.
Solid.
Those hits are so fucking good. The rest is pleasant
Classic mid aughts hipster pop; you know most of the tunes.
Excellent sound/ I liked it !
gives heavy summer vibes and there were definitely some hits on there
I've long had daggers for this album because I took someone on a date to a very early MGMT concert, and the date was a disaster. Be that as it was, it's a good record made by a couple of young wankers. They were immature and edgy, and you can make it out on the lyrical edges, "We'll choke on our vomit" etc. And yet the music is both derivative and excellent. They do electro, they do gospel Stones, they do indie funk. There are some legend songs; Electric Feel aged better because it didn't become quite the corporate anthem that Kids did. I love it; I hate it; four stars.
Surprised to see this in here. First time I listened to this album and I liked it! Knew a couple of the songs
But a solid 5 stars with the nostalgia factor
First time listening to a complete album from MGMT. If you haven’t seen their famous YouTube video(link below) just before they went big. You can tell these dudes love making music. https://youtu.be/vNC1W2m4Uug?si=ufvYfUyveZxwWN8S
This is a fun album with some ealy 2000's pop. It was really fun listening to this album
I'm conflicted on giving this a 4 or a 5, there are quite a few songs on here that are timeless and infinitely replayable. Time to pretend, Kids, The youth (Really weird but funny music video for this one), and of course Electric Feel. I really really love all of these songs, they have that je ne sais quoi. The back half of the album is good as well, but wasn't as good compared with the first 5 songs. I think its funny how MGMT originally wrote Kids, Time to Pretend, and Electric feel as a sort of joke. Showing the world that pop hits follow a certain formula, and then these songs end up hitting the jackpot in popularity. Shows to go ya that hits really do follow a certain formula to a degree and with enough musical talent, precision and a bit of luck, you can hit it big in the music biz. Also, it kind of sucks that MGMT hates these songs of theirs and don't like playing them, and everyone hates the music that they actually want to make lmfao, (which is way more experimental than the stuff on this album). I think instead of trying to be above the industry and too cool for mainstream hits, they should embrace the simpleness and success of these songs a bit more. Like be happy with your creative endeavors, even if it isn't something you particularly enjoyed doing. IDK, just interesting to think about. 8.5/10
Great record, peak pitchfork indie hipster era.
Enjoyed it a lot, Kids, Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, just all round great tunes. Didn't know them all and the vibe changes a bit but still enjoyed
Pretty fun bops in the background.
Good album and good group. They are very fun and unique.
Ooo girl!!! Shock me like an electric eal!!!
Very distinct and signature sound
Some fun bangers on here.
bangers on this one
This is great, all interesting and the singles are absolutely gold.
One great song; several OK ones.
é um álbum bem legal. eu já conhecia a capa de vista, ja tinha ouvido alguns trechos de musicas aqui e ali, mas nunca tinha parado pra ouvir de cabo a rabo (que é o jeito que eu mais gosto). ele tem definitivamente pontos altos, como por exemplo esse início (que ja é icônico por si só), mas algumas coisas nao soaram tao interessantes pra mim, como "the youth". eu entendo que pra época ele definitivamente deve ter sido um gamechanger, né? a sonoridade deve ter influenciado muita coisa que veio posterior a ele, mas acho que como eu to ouvindo muitos anos depois eu acho que tira e perde um pouco desse elemento surpresa. ele tem umas faixas muito muito boas e que soam muito bem e refrescantes, e acho que ele tem mais coisas legais e que soam muito bem do que coisas que o amenizam. gostei bastante das seguintes: - time to pretend; - electric feel - kids - pieces of what - of moons, birds & monsters fora isso, eu gosto muito de alguns elementos separados das músicas, como "4th dimension transition" que tem uma guitarra meio faroeste que me conquista bastante, mas acho que pra mim é um 4,1 (e depois que eu escrevi isso eu percebi que coloquei quase todas as musicas em playlist... aahhh, a incoerência e a falta de atenção...)
I wrote most of a really good review of this album but then didn't finish it and left it open on the webpage intending to come back to it but the page kind of updated and my review got deleted which I'm pretty gutted about cos it was really cute but it's gone now so just leaving this bitter message and a four star review
high 4
This was such a blast from the past - I loved this album when it came out, and it still held up listening to it again today. So reminiscent of a very specific time and scene that I’ve been deeply nostalgic for lately.
Sounds like high school.
I started understanding why people like this when the album was almost over and now I feel bad for not liking it for the first 25 minutes. It sounds like the kind of music I'd enjoy when I was 14 and into the most Tumblr Gay™ music imaginable while inexplicably being really homophobic, but I'm now non-binary and not really Tumblr Gay™ anymore, just regular gay. That's to say, this is music for closeted 14-year-olds. If you're homophobic and reading this, I know you're probably hiding the fact that you really want to kiss a dude to an MGMT song, and that's okay. I very un-secretly want to as well.
A 2009 time capsule for better or worse. The three hits remain as big as hits as ever and the rest remains the rest. But those are some great hits.
Better than I thought it would be at the start.
Quite foundational to my early music listening experience
Previously only familiar with a couple of songs that were played a lot on radio. I really liked this, not necessarily what I was expecting. I think I thought it would all be a bit samey but actually a lot of variety here. Nicely produced with hints of that 90s Americana song (I do know that the guy out of Mercury Rev produced it and it shows). But a lot of interesting sounds and sonically just a great listen. I think it would get better on repeated listens too. This is me finally catching up with 'modern music' then realising it's 18 years old 😐
MGMT’s debut is just an all around solid album. It is stacked with hits, but also delves into a great blend of synth pop and psychedelic music. The second half is noticeably weirder, but I appreciate the pacing of the record. I really don’t think there’s a bad song here.
Really good album this, and there is a lot more to it than the memorable singles. The quirky electronic indie has aged surprisingly well, only the slightly tongue-in-cheek vocal delivery leaves me a bit cold. Otherwise this is solid, poppy stuff with an alternative edge from start to finish - In fact, listening again for the first time since it came out (I wasn't a huge fan to be honest) Oracular Spectacular is much more interesting and enjoyable than I actually recall it being.
Did not like the first half, but the last few tracks sort of grew on me (specifically, Of Moons, Birds & Monsters).
Brilliant
This was such a cool album when it first came out, and I loved how MGMT managed to get recognized by mainstream culture. One of the things that always stood out to me was how psychedelic it sounded, but with synths and keyboards driving the music. They found the perfect balance between being forward thinking while still maintaining that retro, vintage tone and texture in their sound. Even now, some of these songs are still enjoyable, despite all the radio play they’ve gotten over the years.
I love all the big songs in this album. I can't help it. They're so good. I remember when I bought this CD (I think it was the last NEW CD I ever bought), I fuckin' loved the songs I'd heard, but wasn't crazy about the rest of the album. Upon relistening many years later (and after hearing and loving the shit out of Little Dark Age), I hear this album differently and I like it more than I did. MGMT is a weird-ass band, and it seems like they hone in on a sound they want to achieve and get it. Here they seem to be doing a psychedelic rock thing, along with what I hear as an Aladin Sane-ish Bowie in terms of vocal delivery and guitar. It's a bit too revisionist for me to fully-fully get down with it, but I appreciate how they do what they do. Not a 5, but better than a 3. And the big songs, some of the most Millennial-ass anthems ever, are so damn good. Most Millennial shit I'm like whatever about, but for whatever reason, these ones really fuckin' do it for me.
Bra, klassiker. Kids oslagbar
This album was the epitome of cool when I was a kid, so I still get a kick out of it. It does lose steam a bit in the second half, though.
Time to pretend and kids are absolute classics, the rest is good but not great
Bangers, but weird memories
There are a lot of good hits from this album and I also enjoyed the non-hits more than I thought I would. It's a short album, but I'm delightfully surprised.
This was a fun, nostalgic listen. Just jammy though the singing is a bit meh. Love the smorgasbord of beats and instrumentation. Fave tracks are: “kids” and “time to pretend” but with a few duds in between.
Très bonne découverte ! Trop marrant de replacer Kids dans son contexte, je connaissais ni le titre ni le groupe J'ai beaucoup vibé sur cet album. J'ai trouvé la prof impressionnante ; en plus de la variété des sonorités mises en cohérences de manière très clean, je souligne les très belles basses et les beaux aigus (que ce soit des sons electro très propre ou des chœurs plus ou moins transformés) Une variété de styles dans cet album mais grande cohérence dans l’énergie, à cheval entre un rock alternatif et de l’electro-pop, ce qui allie une intention très authentique presque diy avec quelque chose de très sophistiqué et qui passe tout seul C'est très dansant, très festif, avec quelque chose d’assez deep et nostalgique en même temps. Un truc assez teenage spirit mais encore une fois très soigné (dans le bon sens ! ie pas lisse, juste clean), et assez intemporel je trouve. Vraiment ma vibe, on repart donc sur un 4 !
c'est du lourd. vraiment un mindfuck d'écouter certains sons et de me rendre compte que je connaissais les mélodies, comme ça a été le cas pour Time to pretend et Kids! j'adore le côté électro nonchalant, la voix souvent un peu isolée comme si on avait un merge de deux studios d'enregistrement côte à côte (un instrumental, l'autre vocal)--notamment dans Pieces of what. le mix guitare-basse dans Of Moons, Birds and Monsters m'a bien plu, avec un aspect à chemin entre house dansant et quelque chose de presque disco électro + j'adore quand leur voix part dans les aigus, c'est assez satisfaisant. on est sur un solide 4.4 que j'arrondis en dessous mais c'est vraiment pas passé loin du 5 (après je nuance parce que c'est aussi peut-être en partie dû à la bouffée d'air frais après tous ces albums de rock)!
I was not prepared for this nostalgia downpour. Electric feel isn't even the best song on this album. Time to pretend, weekend wars, and Kids are so great
i don't know if i've ever listened to this full album before but it really is just banger after banger after banger
A perfect snapshot of late 2000’s indie. For those that came of age around the time these songs hit, this music was utterly inescapable. The songs are vibrant and imaginative, and evoke both skepticism about the world beyond youth, while finding optimism in living in the moment. I enjoy just about everything on offer outside the hits, but there’s an undeniable plateau in quality throughout the album’s second half that never really finds a crescendo worthy of the album’s high points. MGMT’s sophomore album has more consistency and creativity on offer that I personally prefer, but as a debut, Oracular Spectacular is quite the achievement. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend checking out the band’s first EP. There are a couple of overlooked gems on offer in Indie Rokkers and Love Always Remains. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First half slaps, second half fizzles out
:)
great great great
Góðir straumar og góð lög
Unaður í eyrun. Toppuðu sig þarna.
One of those albums that I don't think I have ever listened to all the way through but have 4 songs downloaded onto a playlist. So was happy to see it come up on here. Was very very solid of an album, MGMT has such a unique style to them that is so satisfying to listen to. The songs i didn't know were very above average but I don't think they were quite spectacular enough to get this to a 5. High 4 it is
One of my favourite albums of all time: - Absolutely in love with The Youth - especially after watching Kings of Summer: It has such a nostalgic and feel-good vibe about the song, and makes me feel like I'm ascending - Kids, Electric Feel and Time To Pretend are absolute classics, which depict the summer atmosphere so perfectly, I cannot fault these songs and listen to them all the time!! - Weekend Wars is such a unique and distinct song, which a unique melody and interesting lyrics which I absolutely adore!! - Album Rating = 9/10
Wow 2007? Maybe it's because I've only heard snippets of songs but this album sounds very fresh still. Definitely understand it's place on the list!
Going into this, I already knew and really liked the singles, Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids. First time hearing the rest of the album, and it sounds good too!
An album I was previously familiar with and had enjoyed. If you're keen on the dreamy indie pop of the standout singles 'Kids' and 'Time to Pretend' you'll enjoy this album. Diverse enough to maintain interest and yet a coherent album. Ahead of its time. Second half of the album wasn't as attention grabbing unfortunately.
The deeper cuts really surprised me here. Very cool
This is a fun listen. There are some unique tunes that remind me of Beck. I would love to hear their later releases to see if they have kept up their game. Overall this is a solid album.
Better than then cover makes it look
No denying the quality and staying power of the big singles. The rest of the album plays nicely, and although not as memorable, certainly not a disappointing track amongst them. Solid 4.
Took me back to being 16, driving down the PCH to Newport Beach with my besties under the soft morning sun. This album made us face our angst and freedom when we just figuring out how it felt. When an album can take you back like that and STILL hold up as a good listen — pretty banging.
I think it’s funny at times when an artist makes an album that they look back not too fondly on. Often at times that work ends up being some of their most popular stuff, and this one is no exception. It’s always a strange feeling having a strong connection to a particular work and then hear the people who made it not be as passionate about you. This one has what I can consider classics at this point with Time to pretend, Electric Feel, and Kids. These songs in particular have such a particular aura to them that it helps me open that time capsule to being a young teenager again. These songs are what being young and just enjoying what life had to offer sounds like lol. Credit go MGMT for also making Little Dark Age as that was a other album they put out that I think is better than this one, but has a similar impact where when some of those track come on I recall the impact of those first initial listens.
Arrancamos la semana con el disco debut de MGMT, banda que relaciono con mis años universitarios y sus fiestas, por lo que me es imposible separarlo de una época bonita y de muchos cambios en mi vida. Gran álbum debut y linda manera de comenzar la semana. Hasta mañana, genchi.
465/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Great album brought me back
Loved this - not familiar with MGMT previously. Reminded me of Arcade Fire …
so good and another super nostalgic one. cant believe day 2 also happened to be an album that ive already heard but either way it was like chill. idk i was kinda distracted with work when i listened to it but like theres some bangers you really cant just ignore. also only 40 min long so went by super quick. the sound is just so fun idk and OK even thought its from like 2007 i think its brings me back to 2020 covid vibe bc thats when i listened to this a lot. also iconic album cover i love it
Good listen
Neunzehntes Album, das ich schon kannte. Um einiges besser, als ich es in Erinnerung hatte. Die drei Singles sind super. Der Rest auch ganz gut.
I forgot how good this album was. Enjoyed the tracks, but forgot how different the lead vocalist’s voice was. Can be a bit distracting. Still a fun, very good album -especially the front half of the project
Blije elektronische indiemuziek, het hitje ken ik van de Top2000. Een vermakelijk geheel, het lijkt zichzelf niet al te serieus te nemen, helemaal prima.
Con solo escuchar las primeras notas de "Time to Pretend" se me erizan los pelos del brazo. Una vez mas, y ya voy perdiendo la cuenta, gana la nostalgia. Es la banda sonora de la juventud universitaria. Ma gad, its being a while
semplicemente gasa gran bell’album
gli mgmt non hanno bisogno di presentazioni, quest'album contiene le loro tre tracce più famose, che sono anche le mie preferite. Non so a chi interessa ma electric feel è in 6/4.
i love it, good memories and some bangers, genre : late summer nights with good breeze
Þetta er fín plata en ekkert brjálæðislega eftirminnileg. Nema Time to pretend og Kids, sem eru svo geggjuð lög að þau lyfta henni upp í fjarka. Segjum 3,6.
Highs are very high and a few of them. nostalgic feeling with these
Mm, yeah, nice. Some definite hits here. I prefer the darker aura of Little Dark Age. I read somewhere once that all of MGMT's music sounds pretty much the same, but always with a step to the side that keeps it fresh. I would generally agree with that.
This was full of songs I knew before. It was a really solid album. I didn't really dig the other songs tho, it was kinda hit or miss
Fun and inventive
Listened a lot
I didnt think much of them before, but the record surprised me. The two guys have some real talent.
Three absolutely generational songs (Kids, Electric Feel, and Time to Pretend) but the rest of the album is just average. 3.5 stars.
An amazing opening 5 track run, I think weekend wars is my favourite off this album
Most pleasing. The three biggies are of course present and very correct, but the rest is a dashed good listen as well. I liked
OK I'm listening......4.5/5 Fantastic and fun to listen to!
Pretty good alt rock. Different voice that somehow straddles the line between interesting and annoying. The hits are good and the filler songs are alright.
this was a 2010s instant CLASSIC and for good reason. even the non-singles that i didn't know were pretty good. very specific time and place but top tier for its genre
Elektronischer Pop, eingängige Melodien. Die Singles "Time to pretend" und "Kids" sind mir noch im Ohr. Das Video zu Kids ist eher verstörend. Aber die Musik ist spannend. 4/5
Great album with some classic hits
Fantastic, groundbreaking, innovative, nostalgic. My favorites: "Kids," of course, "Electric Feel," "The Youth," "Time to Pretend," "Weekend Wars," "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters," and "Future Reflections." The only reasons I didn't give this a 5 are because a handful of the tracks are less memorable, in my opinion, and this album feels a bit short - could have used a song more or two. However, it's a fantastic project and I love MGMT.
Fave Tunes = Time to Pretend & Electric Feel
MGMT might as well have provided some of the essential tracks of my childhood: Kids, Time to Pretend, and Electric Feel. Now that I am older, I can appreciate the sardonic humor laced with psychedelia reinvented for the 21st century. The other tracks are good but the trifecta of tracks above make everything else pale in comparison. Future Reflections, the closing track of the album, was a welcome surprise. Overall, there's a playful sense of mutiny present in this album, toying with musical conventions and tropes just for the sake of doing something new. This is a landmark in the indie music landscape, for good reason.
I guess i call this a classic now
Didn’t realize how much this was my personal soundtrack.
Not all of it hits thug highs of the singles but it's still a really fun album.
The dirty synths on this album are incredible. It's so warm and fun. So often tracks with synth as the main part sound a bit stale. I remember this album coming out and getting it, it had a big impact on the music everyone was playing at the time. It starts really strong and only really loses momentum in the second half when there are a couple of guitar strummy tracks that are good, but not really on the same level. The vocals are still strong they're just missing the synth hooks of the others.
Just can't bring myself to give it a 5, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Knew more songs than I thought I would, and for me, Electric Feel is the standout (but I knew that already).
This album is like an alternative reality where you decided to drink Quentin's tea from that Fleet Foxes hike situation you found yourself in the other day. You were nervous about your surroundings, but after a brew of tea made with questionable ingredients (i.e. not bergamot), all of a sudden you have a feeling of inner warmth, happiness, and unexplained peace. The colours are more colourful, the sounds of the forest are playing out like a natural orchestra, and Quentin's bongo drum session is speaking straight to your soul. You're not sure what the next phase brings. You may never come down from this feeling, or you may wake up in a bush clearing with no phone or shoes. But that's a question to worry about later.
Loved it! took me back
Gewoon allemaal goede shit. Grote bangers zoals time to pretend, kids, electric feel maar de rest mag er ook zeker zijn.
Hits are still bangers, but a bit of filler.
Ushered me into listening to more electronic psychedelic sounds.
banger
Better than I expected
I want to give this a 5, but I just can't
omg i've been listening to some of these songs for so long, it was nice to hear the rest of them
A classic debut that was *the* soundtrack of Summer 2007 (south of the equator, anyway) and most of 08. The first half is full of absolute bangers that were obvious hits prior to their single releases, the deeper cuts interesting and unique and varied.
They’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun
This album comes out swinging hard. Been years since I’ve listened to it and wow, it’s definitely one of my favorites.
8/10 - this would be a complete album with only time to pretend, kids and electric feel
8/10
#697. This album fucks way harder than you would expect it to. 4/5: grand
Some bops on here. Really love the song 'kids'.
Increíble disco, de lo mejor del género con tan solo Tame Impala por encima.
Znam, 4
Büro, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Läuft fein durch.
Forgot how good Of Monsters Birds and whatever is good
Imo bardzo porządne disco, fajny mix i wokale, buja przyjemnie
5/5 for the nostalgia but a star off for actually listening and realizing it is really just the first 5 tracks that are S tier
For an album that seemed like it was everywhere back in middle school, this doesn’t feel as dated. I’ve never listened to the album asides from the two singles and the album is solid throughout. Favorite tracks: Kids, 4th Dimensional Transition
Electric Feel is one of my favorite songs of all time.
I didn't mind this.
Lot of bangers on this album.
the hits on this album are so so so nostalgic. i don’t know if ive ever listened to the album in full and i liked the rest more than expected - 4.5
Awesome alt pop. Basically set the tone for the genre for the next 5 or so years. 4.5
Beautiful, nostalgic and such a joy to hear but only the three tracks are any good really. So good I can happily give 4 stars though
Awesome album, some certified bangers. 7.4/10
wonderful record. nice to relisten to !
A classic and super influential. Not their best work, but still awesome.
Гуд
Fun, short, diverse.
What a throwback. Listening to all of these tracks makes me think of late 2000s and 10s. Great album to come back to.
Great album
4-/5
Grew up listening to the hits off this one, but never heard the full thing! Very enjoyable, unique and fun but i wished more of the tracks pushed a little more. Good album though
A few really solid tracks here. One or two duds (“Weekend Wars” and 4th Dimensional Transition”), but they are the exception. The sound and vibe is more original than I thought. Not an all time classic, but I would listen again.
Enjoyed it it’s very good pop music
Пам'ятаю як я вперше почув "Electric Feel" і дуже хотів послухати цілий альбом, щоб там знайти переважно взагалі іншу музику. Я тоді мав певний скепсис до музики, яка орієнтувалась на щось в минулому і ця психодилічність мені не відразу сподобалась. З наступним альбом їх я повернувся до цього і тоді якось його викупив і зрозумів, що насправді гурт хоче грати. Зараз залюбки послухав. Generational хіти є, deep cuts є. Улюблена Youth теж на місці. Поставив би 4.5
Альбом, який містить два МЕГА хіти. Я дуже давно не слухав їх і не скажу, що мгмт були колись моїм улюбленим гуртом, але не можу сказати що не отримав задоволення від Oracular Spectacular. Продукт свого часу, який викликає в мене приємну ностальгію.
Couldn't stand this at the time. I've grown up, it's fun. Appreciated more after seeing that pre fame video of them playing on a campus. Less manufactured than I thought. Also appreciate they got a bit weird on later albums.
A nostalgic listen on a summer evening testing out my new speakers and cooking a fish curry.
Fun, vibey
Nice one! Classic of my youth.
We love indie Expressive MY KIND OF MUSIC MAN MY KINDA MUSIC
Ja sorry, maar dit vind ik dus een heel erg lekker album. Toen dit uitkwam was ik nog te jong om echt door te hebben hoe belangrijk dit album was. Maar als ik het nu luister is het ontzettend duidelijk dat dit een invloedrijk album was en is. Een van mijn favoriete artiesten, Jungle, hebben de formule opgepakt en naar mijn mening geperfectioneerd. Maar nu al hoor je wat het plan van MGMT is en hoe ze doen wat ze willen. Niet alles werkt perfect en sommige nummers zijn een beetje mwah. Maar voor mij persoonlijk is Kids tijdloos en een van de betere popnummers ooit. Moet wel zeggen dat de hits wel echt er bovenuit steken. Denk dat op hun latere albums hun sound volwassener is geworden dan je op het debuutalbum ziet. De andere nummers dan de hits springen er minder uit maar zijn veel psychedelischer en ik kan me voorstellen dat dit perfecte muziek is om s nachts in het gras te liggen. Met iets op wat waarschijnlijk niet echt legaal is ofzo. Ik heb zojuist nieuwe weekendplannen gekregen. FAVO: Time To Pretend, Electric Feel, Kids
Great album with a bunch of really good songs and no really bad songs. The vibes throughout are slow but sharp, While swaying to the beat there is a mix of softer notes and hard base with smooth singing. I hadn't heard it before but its definitely something I will listen to in the future.
Damn this was a debut album?!!? This is a top heavy, good ass album. Four of the first five tracks are certified, and "Weekend Wars" is a pretty good song too! The big singles are on the front side too. Man, 2007 was an amazeball year for music. Top tracks: "The Youth," "Kids," "Time to Pretend"
--Time to Pretend...have I heard this too many times? yes. is it still great? yes --Weekend Wars...not as accessible as 'Time...' but still interesting with great production --The Youth...the good production remains but I find this too repetitive and a little boring --Electric Feel...I like this song. I like it a lot. But there's a paint-by-numbers feel to it that makes me embarrassed to admit it --Kids...I have no idea what the lyrics mean but the melody/beat are simple and effective --4th Dimensional Transition...more of a sound collage than a song --Pieces of What...this is a piece of something all right --Of Moons, Birds & Monsters...where's the Oxford comma, guys? smdh. I like the second half instrumental --The Handshake...It's hard for me to decide whether or not I like the song but--again--the sound they produce is great --Future Reflections...mediocre closer. First song on here that wasn't able to interest me at least a little
pretty good
Loved it.
Loved this album when it came out, and it still resonates with me today. Time to Pretend and Kids hit me right in the feels.
FIFA 09
I did not realize that Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids were all on one album. This album is a really impressive moment in time type album. Those were three of the most ever present songs of that time. Overall this was excellent.
Good album, Kids was kinda ruined for me due to being used constantly in adverts
I liked it
Kids, Electric feel and Time to Pretend are really incredible catchy and iconic songs. Easy but catchy and memorable melodies/songs are really an art form in it self. it's a fine line between "boring and lazy" and "iconic and catchy". The rest of the album is really overshadowed by these three singles, which proves the very narrow line a melody/song have to walk to not fall into unmemorable or "just fine". The end of 2000 beginning of 2010s had a couple of these. Then again i can be a bit blinded by bias. The 3 singles are 5 but the rest is 3 so i have to give it a 4
Uplifting happy album that makes me want to dance. This album was a very foundational for me, but it still holds up today.
This is a very fun, and creative, pop record. No more, no less. 3.5/5
MGMT are kind of a fascinating case study. Two collegiate avant synth guys start a pop group as a joke (so the story is often told), and pretty much immediately write a song so good that it becomes the figurehead of a scene (which didn't really exist at the time) as soon as it was given an opportunity. I guess they just had *it*, and by it I mostly mean a preternatural ear for melody. That aforementioned song was Kids, that aforementioned opportunity was Oracular Spectacular, and that aforementioned scene was 2000's indie pop (there exists a recording of Kids being played live in 2003, they really did hit it *that* early). In the hands of a lesser band, this is a perfect formula for a one hit wonder, but MGMT deftly avoided such an embarrassment. I think this is in part due to how they kind of started down their own path after this album, whether the public wanted to follow or not. But probably more importantly, the rest of Oracular Spectacular is also like *really* good. Hell, I don't even think Kids was the only hit on this album. The first half of this album really shows off that ear for melody, we are hit with like five ultra catchy synth pop tracks in a row. Time To Pretend is a strong start, catchy as hell and also setting up the themes here. Oracular Spectacular seems very focused on nostalgia and youth, as can also be seen in songs like Weekend Wars, The Youth, and of course, Kids. Speaking of weekend wars, another great song: a little texturally different than the opener, but just as immediate and engaging. The Youth slows it down and gives something a little psych-y, then we get the hits. Electric Feel almost feels like a disco song, all slinky and neon. Then, we have Kids, which really is as good as people say. It's one of those songs that kind of feels like it's just always existed. It is also very apparent on Kids just how good MGMT is at dialing in a synth tone. Like just the sound of that lead line is damn near iconic. Now that the audience has had some time to learn to trust MGMT and hear some crowd pleasers, the second half of the album switches it up a little. The textures are a little more out there, the song structures are a little less conventional, and the vibe is a touch more psychedelic, but MGMT manages to do this without really alienating anyone. Also, this material doesn't seem like it is trying to scare anyone after the hits, so much as it feels like MGMT feel like they have earned a little room to play around. 4th Dimensional Transition is honestly one of the better songs on the album. The percussion is super propulsive, and the slightly more abstract songwriting really works. Pieces of What feels really earnest, and it is a nice addition. And the last three songs are just as successful as these. I'm honestly surprised I liked this so much. It isn't quite getting the 5, but I'm gonna be coming back.
One of my favourite alternative bands and a banger album. Time to pretend - 10/10 Weekend wars - 9/10 The Youth - 7.5/10 Electric feel - 9.5/10 Kids - 11/10 Pieces of what - 8/10 Of Moons, birds and monsters - 9/10 The handshake - 8/10 Future reflections - 9/10