Reviews (page 9 of 15)
Love this album through and through.
You'd think these guys spent a lot of time in dance clubs with the abundance of synth hooks in their big hits like “Time to Pretend” and “Kids”. But it’s nice to see they don’t let this sound define them. The more organic numbers are refreshing. I like the slow starts where Andrew VanWyngarden's voice is showcased - I especially like "The Youth". He sounds like Mick Jagger (or maybe Jake Bugg) in “Pieces of What”. The first song I became familiar with was “Electric Feel” which I had on high rotation back in the day. MGMT managed to carve out their own niche in the cluttered indie-psychedelic-electronic pop territory. The best description of their sound came from NME, who said they produce pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope. The first half of the CD is easily a 5 for me but I agree with the critics who weren’t as fond of the latter half.
idk pretty neat
Das war erst 2007? Hatte das nun eher in den 90er verortet. Super Platte. Anleihen von Genesis, aber frischer bewegender umgesetzt, nicht so vergeistigt. Top Platte stimmt alles. Macht Spaß zu hören.
I’ve really enjoyed this album since it came out. Of course Electric Feel and Kids, but there’s a fairly diverse sound here.
The singles off this album are great. Would work on any mix from this era. The rest of the record is fine. Score is mostly based on the singles.
Was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. Didn't know much about them, of course I've heard one or two of these songs before. But I liked it quite a bit.
I don't know why but I like it
I burned a copy of this album when it came out because I enjoyed their sound and the songs were interesting and different. Listening now, I can't help but hear so many other bands and influences (Bowie, Arcade Fire?) to their overall sound and a weird sense of deja vu. I still enjoyed it, it held my attention and recalled some of the reasons I like this band. Enjoyable, well worth your time.
unexpected
OOOOH GIRL SHOCK ME LIKE AN ELECTRIC EEL
great mix of psychedelic synths and indie sleaze. kids will live in my head rent free.
I forgot this album had so many bops.
At first, before listening, it would be just like how some people described it: stereotypical electronic music. Now I don't know about that now, but still. But, I WAS EXTREMELY WRONG. First off, the synths are amazing, giving the sound of the album, and each and every song a hypnotic feel. It's a beam of intentionally making something sounds generic, into something emotional to some people. It's synths, the usage of the synths. It's a really solid album. Very soothing. Strong debut, and deserves to be in the list. TL;DR Synths, synths, synths.
This record was all the music nerds talked about in 07 or 08. I remember being annoyed by the hype. But I like the record none the less. This was a fun listen. I hadn't thought about it in years.
Man, oh man. Truly a classic album, which is funny to say about something from 2007. But a classic in the indie/alternative type scene, undoubtedly. It's danceable and poppy, but sounds as if made with instruments discovered on some other planet. I've heard other albums from MGMT and nothing really touches this one for me. Of special importance here is the fact that the first five songs in a row, the whole side A, are all bangers to me, I love every track. Weekend Wars less so than the others, but still really cool. Aside from that, you've got "Kids" and "Time to Pretend," holy grails of indie. Then "Electric Feel," which is immortal on its own but was further immortalized by Frank Ocean on Nostalgia, Ultra. And "The Youth" is another heater, I'm pretty sure I first heard it in that movie Kings of Summer and fell in love immediately. This one's dangerously close to a 5 star from me, but most of the songs on the back half don't hit for me. Regardless, very essential inclusion on this list, and of course I have it on vinyl. Favorite tracks: Electric Feel, Kids, Time to Pretend, The Youth, Weekend Wars, Of Moons Birds & Monsters. Album art: Classic, gotta be iconic by now. Two boys from the past, or the future? Impossible to know. But the soft purple and blue hues of dusk really sell this one too. Just awesome. 4.5/5
Genuinely surprised it was a good album
This is tight dance pop psych record. You can’t tell me otherwise. It was tomgue in cheek and fun. The band goes on to be weirdos who dont care what their record label wants. It made indie explode in a lot of ways back in 06 or 07. Yeah, they made a lot of momey on corporate tie ins and shit, but the record fits. It feels good and right. It was goofy and sarcastic. Listen to it loseeerrssss.
loved the majority of it
I've heard most of these songs before, but all together I really liked the album. 4/5
dette hadde jeg glemt fantes, hørte så mye på det på vgs nostalgi
A great album that was very of its time in the ironic way they intended. "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel", and "Kids" have become cultural icons in music. The Youtube channel Middle 8 did a wonderful video essay on the band that I recommend to anybody that enjoys this album. "Weekend Wars" was a highlight track that I never noticed in my first few listens of this album, great bass and interesting melodies on that song.
great synths, cool lyrics, same feeling throughout the album, remembered my 2016
Indie kid vibes
I had heard more songs from this album than I realized (without even really knowing they were all by the same band) - so that was a nice surprise. But then, I also really dug all the songs that I hadn't heard before. This is a solid, fun album.
I really liked this album and was splendidly surprised by the creativity and genre? It reminded me a bit of Tears for Fears. I like the production and every song really caught my attention. It felt like they were taking parts of the 70s 80s and 90s and melding them all together, without sounding like they were copying anything specifically from any other artist. I would listen to it again when I have time to actually sit down with some headphones or earbuds and view the lyrics along with the music
Pop-rock progresivo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Time to Pretend and Kids were two songs I was very familiar with, electronic pop Is not really my thing but I felt like overall the album would be great for a fan of the genre.
Poppy
Surprisingly fun. Had no idea of their background or music.
hørte masse på detta i sommer
Not the best MGMT album put pretty cool Prefs: Time To Pretend, Weekend Wars, The Youth, Kids, 4th Dimensional Transition, Pieces of What, Future Reflections Moins pref: The Handshake
Pretty cool album, not sure I'd listened to it the whole way before. I think congratsulations is a better album, but I can see how this one was also ground breaking. 4 stars
not super into indie but some good stuff in there
great album - solid songs and sound continuity
Kids er líklega besta lag áratugarins!
Fun album. The singles are all absolute bangers. The rest borders on fill status. Still a worthy listen. 4/5
couldn't stand these guys when i saw them live, but dang there are 3 of the greatest songs of the last 25 years on this album
I recognised way more of this than I was expecting to!
A big vibe. The three singles are great in particular but it's just generally very good
I already had Electric Feel as one of my liked songs on spotify, so that was really good start. I ended up liking the song "Kids" and thought "Time to Pretend" was pretty good as well. Didn't love the rest but it was listenable
4.0
Really cool album. Goes from dance-y, to chill, to punk very nicely and sometimes wishing the same song. Kids, Electric Feel, Time to Pretend, and 4th Dimensional Transition were standouts to me.
Lovely. Never paid much attention to MGMT at the time this came out as they were far to mainstream for me to imagine that listening to them would make me seem cool and different. A real shame because this is very endearing, psych-synth-pop. Like early 2010s Animal Collective with all the excesses trimmed, whipped into shape in a nice clean package. Fav Tracks: Time To Pretend, The Youth, Electric Feel - 4/5
I was really only familiar with MGMT’s radio hits which I liked, but the album itself is a cool vibe.
Already know and love this album, highlights are Time to Pretend, The Handshake and Future Reflections. Whilst I don't think this is the best MGMT album, I still holds a place in my heart for nostalgia alone.
not my style but good
Beside the ones that got airplay - which are all good - I like 4th Dimensional Transition, which channels old, psychedelic Pink Floyd. The Handshake, Future Reflections also keepers.
Psychy-synthy-poppy goodness. This might get up to a 5 on repeated listens; it's teetering on the edge of that last star for sure, but a few of the songs might need to grow on me a bit more.
Ja ovaj album znam stvarno dosta dugo, ali mislim da nikad nisam slušao cijeli. Now, it's time! Neću lagat, al mislim da te pjesme koje znam su same zahvalne za ovaj rejting.
Voici ce que j'en ai déjà dit: "Ce premier album contient deux hits majeurs et essentiels des années 2000 avec Time to Pretend et Kids. Ces deux chansons sont construites dans une approche pop. Elles sont accrocheuses mais super inventives côté instrumentation. L'utilisation des synthétiseurs est bien faites et c'est un son que j'aime beaucoup. Ce n'est pas un groupe facile à suivre, mais j'ai toujours trouvé des éléments vraiment intéressants dans leur musique. Cet album est leur meilleur et un essentiel à connaître."
6/10
Oldie but goodie :) wasn’t able to finish but electric feel gives me that electric feel!
Pretty cool actually, listen again
Pop-rock progresivo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
This album was the soundtrack to one of the most pivotal years of my life. As I remembered it, the first five songs are bangers, and the rest are kind of filler. Listening again, the entire thing is wall-to-wall brilliant. A somehow underrated (lost in the popularity of the one mega-hit) masterpiece.
Very unique sound, good for unfocused listening, and at the same time, wish I was focused on the lyrics
Very good
I like this album quite a bit. It has a sound that I have appreciated in pop music of its decade but have not explored extensively. "Kids" has been a favorite, played frequently on my Pandora station, and "Time to Pretend" is a great synth anthem. I also really like the neo-disco "Electric Feel." I'm happy to spend more time with them!
I listened to this album quite a few times today. Not that I really loved it, but there was something appealing. I appreciated the youthfulness, I suppose. On some level it also felt a bit too hipster (maybe that isn't really to word that I am looking for)...just something that had me keep a bit at arm's length.
Okay. This is more my jam. I already know some of these songs because this is during college. I'm going to rank this high, but I doubt that I'll call this a high favorite. I'll need to listen to more MGMT.
good.
Kinda groovy. Popy as hell though
Pretty nice overall. Fuzztoned/emo/pop feel. Reminds me of Daft Punk Random Access Memories a little bit. Also Eels, Cage the Elephant, that sort of thing.
highlights - time to pretend - the youth (that's addictive) - electric feel - kids - the handshake least favs: - 4th Dimensional Transition - pieces of what liked: yea
So many hits on this album. Really fun.
Really interesting and some brilliant songs.
I don't know why I keep thinking of this as a "new" album, it's been out for 15 years! Also thought, for some reason, they were British. Maybe I'm thinking of Metronomy, or Alt-J who came out around the same time. One of the big sounds of the end of the 00's, like an updated talking heads. Great album, but overall not quite as good as Alt-J or Metronomy.
Toda una sorpresa de grupo y de disco, con canciones muy alegres, algún tema muy reconocido y con gran vitalidad y armonía. Estilo alegre y desenfadado, mezcla de pop y algo de techno
The hits are absolutely incredible, with some decent extras, but a lot of misses as filler. The highs are very high, but the lows are as equally low.
Poppy squishy emo goodness. A unique and cool sound. Loved Time to Pretend when it first came out, and it still sounds gorgeous.
This is an album that happened around me in my lifetime that I largely ignored. It’s pretty good ya dummy
Oh look it's the sound of my time in college. Didn't realize how many of these songs that were perpetually on in the background were 1) by MGMT and 2) on this album. I like it!
better and more here than I remember when it came out. The album that popularized this type of indie rock for late 00's and early 10's
Ce premier album contient deux hits majeurs et essentiels des années 2000 avec Time to Pretend et Kids. Ces deux chansons sont construites dans une approche pop. Elles sont accrocheuses mais super inventives côté instrumentation. L'utilisation des synthétiseurs est bien faites et c'est un son que j'aime beaucoup. Ce n'est pas un groupe facile à suivre, mais j'ai toujours trouvé des éléments vraiment intéressants dans leur musique. Cet album est leur meilleur et un essentiel à connaître.
Great album, their hits do get a little annoying as they still get played a lot. I'm more of a fan of their later works (Little Dark Age) though.
Thought it would drag in the second half, but that's where the interesting stuff is.
A lot better than I'd expected. A pleasant surprise.
this album has such a cool sound! a good vibe. their singles are catchy, but the whole album is such steady quality. not to mention, i just love their electronic psychedelic pop sound! i enjoyed this one more than i thought, and i'm intrigued with the rest of MGMT's catalogue as well.
The 2000s were a great time for indie rock/pop type music, and MGMT was leading the way during this time with a fairly unique sound in a psychedelic indie pop mashup. Not only did they pave their sound in a sea of indie pop bands, many of which sounded the same, but they hit the nail on the head on their first try with this debut album. Electric Feel, Time to Pretend, and Kids felt revolutionary at the time, and honestly, that still holds true today. The lyrics are catchy, the rhythms are catchy, the distorted composition are catchy. And though there have been attempts, there is nothing else quite like these tracks. The chorus from Kids, while so simple, has also always stuck with me: "control yourself / take only what you need from it / a family of trees wanting / to be haunted". It's a message about the planet literally giving itself over to be used by its human inhabitants, and that as a result, we have an obligation to treat it better, and teach our future generations to do the same. That all said, if you're looking for more on this album like the above mentioned well-known trio of outstanding songs, the remainder of the album could possibly be a letdown. No other tracks on the album hit quite like these. Still, this album has an experimental composition at its heart, and there are unique and interesting treats for the ears all throughout. I continue to find this album a fun experience, all these years later.
I quite enjoyed this modern rock album
Great modern indie pop. Tunes galore with bubbling synths and more hooks than a bait shop. Best Tracks: Time To Pretend; Electric Feel; Kids
At the time I thought this was more of a singles band: the singles are all 5-star and instantly recognizable. In fact, the whole first half of the album is 5-star and then it drops a bit: a score of 8/10 seems about right to me.
Skemmtileg plata!
A great album I have heard many times before
I don't like a lot of synth music but this is a solid album.
i know this album well. i like it. kind of got played a bit to much during my party days tho.
Effective mix of synths, indie and danceability + bangerz
Eerste helft is iets vrolijker en gevarieerder. De 2e helft wat meer dromerig. Goed album, maar mist wat 'geheel'
Favorite Track - Time to Pretend Where I was - Everywhere How I listened - Amazon music on speakers Listen Again? - YES!
i was familiar with kids and electric feel but i’d never heard any other songs and i really enjoyed them. i thought they had a new sort of sound to them that were kind of unique but not too much in a way that was reaching. my only thing is that some of the songs got to be unnecessarily lengthy and repetitive, but other than that i really enjoyed.
-Cool keyboards going in the left ear in "Weekend Wars" -Cool vibes in "4th Dimensional Transition" and "Moons, Birds & Monsters" -Love the end of "The Handshake" -some very respectable musical thingies happening here
This is, to put it simply, peak background music. There's a reason most people will know at least two tracks from this album. It enchances basically everything you do, it's not intrusive, it's interesting enough to warrant moments of attention but not aggresively enough as to be distracting. The instrumentation is varied, the tracks are distinct yet flow together well, really if only it had any song that's stand-out catchy or deep enough to really bite into and think about it'd be perfect. Alas, it does not have them, so it remains a pinacle of 4/5. Greatly pleasurable listening experience.
Coś bardziej współczesnego, co idealnie wpisuje się w gatunki, jakich ostatnio słuchałem. Świetnie wkomponowane, z perspektywy czasu ikoniczne dla MGMT syntezatory, w połączeniu z klasycznymi instrumentami dają naprawdę ciekawą i intrygującą warstwę muzyczną, do tego przyjemny i poprawny wokal. To wszystko złożyło się na kilka tak chwytliwych i przyjemnych utworów z tego albumu, które na przestrzeni kolejnych lat został wielokrotnie samplowane i wykorzystywane chociażby w reklamach czy flagowych grach dużych wydawnictw (FIFA, patrzę na Ciebie). Momentami w wydźwięku lekko psychodeliczny, album ma swoje lepsze i gorsze momenty - na przykład Pieces of What czy The Handshake brakuje jasnej struktury czy charakterystycznych elementów. Niemniej album zasługuje na solidne 4.
Time to Pretened i The Youth gigakoks, reszta również przyjemna do słuchania. Na tyle zróżnicowane, że nie nudziło mi się w żadnym miejscu. Kilka bardzo ciekawych syntezatorowych fragmentów, które bardzo poprawiały mój ogólny enjoyment ze słuchania tego albumu.
Bardzo mi się przyjemnie tego słuchało. Wydaje się, że jestem w gronie nielicznych, którzy nie słyszeli tych gości nigdy (poza jakimś featem jednym) wcześniej. Bardzo wesoły vibe, te synthowe wstawki mi się mega podobają, kilka przyjemnych hiciorków. Nie jest to album przełomowy, ale czy musi być? Większość na razie nie była Solidną 4 wystawiam, chętnie wrócę.
A real gem. Upset it took me this long to listen to it.
The bloom is off the rose with this knowing that nothing after really stands up but the highs are SO high here
I remembered more of these songs that I thought I would. I had been thinking of them as one hit wonders with Electric Feel but that is really not the case. They really have a great sound.
On the first side of this they are pretty much on fire. Loses some steam on side 2 but still very enjoyable. Psychedelic pop gets a modern makeover. Genuine fun.
This was the hotness when I was in college. Definitely fun to listen back to it now knowing a bit more about synthesizers and sound-creation. MGMT had that great mix of vocal-pop hooks and delicious synthy vibes. I think there are a ton of bands that wouldn't exist if MGMT didn't have the success they did. I've enjoyed listening to some of the lesser known songs on here, I've heard them but it's been a while. Weekend Wars sort of has a proto-punk vocal delivery, also sort of Freddie Mercury vibe. Thematically at the time it felt like it captured the millennial energy of both being worn down but still happy enough to wanna party. Only problem is songs like Electric Feel and Kids have been so overplayed that they don't mean much to me anymore.
Great, first half is amazing
Pretty dope album. Outside of the really nostalgic classics on this thing, the other tracks are equally as creative and interesting. I’ll def be coming back to it 8/10
What a fun album.
I really dig it
Got those earworms.
very pleasant album, I already knew some of the songs, great melodies and vibe
The singing is hit and miss, but I do like the music throughout. Several of the songs are instantly recognizable because of their distinctive tone and catchy licks.
I think I heard this once or twice when it came out but didn't have much memory of it. As soon as the first track kicked off it all came back, though - very distinctive poppy sound! I can dig it. Fave track - "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" - both pretty iconic!
Enjoyed
“Time to Pretend” still has just the right amount of melancholy feeling.
This takes me back a bit. I had a phase of being very into this brand of indie-pop during the early to mid 2010s. I don't care much for the style anymore, but this is still a pretty good album. The difference between the best and the worst tracks is a bit too big. But the worst tracks are also still very listenable.
I feel like the only 22 year old who hasn't heard any of these songs before... maybe "Electric Feel" sounds a bit familiar, but here's a fresh opinion for you. I'm actually impressed by this modern pop album. The entire first half is really impressive. You have a ton of really creative synths attributed to modern production to create two entirely different moods: disco-like dance hits and mellower psychedelic trips. The track "Of Moons Birds & Monsters" is the perfect blend of both styles. Being a baroque pop fan, I'm actually partial to the less popular tracks like the chamber repetition of "The Youth" or the dark retrowave of "The Handshake." Ironically, a candidate for my least favorite track is the most popular, "Kids," which is mostly boring repetitive techno and annoying raised vocals. The synth rock solos tend to be my favorite parts of these songs. They're all very different from each other, evoking a variety of emotions. "4th Dimensional Transition" does this a lot throughout the song. It's also the little things like the trippy orchestral instruments coming in and out all at once at varying speeds, or their voices suddenly changing volume, that give these songs character, making it impossible for me to dislike almost any of them.
7.5/10
Love it but I’m biased because I know it well a three great songs in here and a set of other good ones and flows well
The rest of the album didn’t quite live up to the singles, but overall an enjoyable pop album nonetheless. 7/10
7/10. A lot of stuff I've heard on the radio growing up, but not really my style after the nostalgia wears off.
The singles are three of the best pop songs from the 2000s. The rest is pretty alright. 8/10
Great debut album for psychedelic pop band.
Critical listening for my late high school years. Still a great album to boot.
A classic indie album. Psychedelic pop? Indie rock? Who cares, just enjoy it. Favorite Track: Time to Pretend Relisten: Yes
Easy enjoyable indie pop/rock with synth elements
Somehow this passed me by, tho I knew a couple of the hits. Enjoyable
Liked it a lot! Already knew 4 songs from high school times but the rest was brand new. Kids is a classic for my generation. Enjoyed the rock/electronica sound and the thom-yorke-esque singing. Good stuff
LOVE this album!! Spacey tunes, beginning of the album is banger after banger and the less popular second half of the album is still really enjoyable in a different way. Brings back great memories of seeing them live and really enjoying myself. Listening makes me so happy and puts me in a great mood!
A classic. I was surprised that there were songs on there I didn't know, I guess I have never listened to the whole thing, enjoyed those ones but the old bangers are by far the best
It holds up! And what ever happened to MGMT. Some absolute bangers in here, but why didn't we hear of them after this? Did their other albums suck? Giving this a 4 star cos I wasn't super in love with every song and you've got to save the 5 stars for the really special stuff
I might have heard Youth somewhere at some point before. The start of Eletric Feel has some oriental air there. Sort of in favour of Pieces of What.
Time to Pretend is an earnest repudiation of fame and fortune from someone who feels trapped inescapably. I am really digging this blown out eletro pop sound. Of Moons Birds and Monsters provides a lot of needed breathing on the album as a whole, though the back half, with the exception of Kids, is kess impressive than the first half.
Solid album. The Handshake is going to stay with me for a long time. However, beyond that and the singles, not much else from the album resonates with me.
When your 3 biggest songs come off of your first LP, you're gonna have a bad time (living up to that hype). Seriously, this album helped shape some of my more formative years and continues to have songs in my regular rotation.
Well it's Orac Spectac, an album that influenced a generation of indie artists. Been a while since I listened to it, but front to back it's a genuinely great album with great track variety. Pieces of What is def my favorite, I'm upset I skipped over it for all these years. The Handshake also slaps.
A cracker and not one i know that well
Do-do do-do doo do-do doo doo
Yeah, I really like MGMT. This album is pretty epic and spawned plenty of imitators. But nobody quite managed the big sound / ironic sneer / catchy and moody psych pop sound like these guys.
Some high hits and some misses.
I wouldn't call it psychadelic, but it is good
I can't believe this is from 14 years ago. That seems weird. But I was really into this when it came out and I still like it a lot.
First 5 tracks are great, slips away after that. Slightly coloured by the fact that I loved this album when I was 19, but just a great sound.
Surprisingly better than my first impression led me to believe. One of those albums I could see myself listening to on a rainy day, walking around in a sort of trance
Whoo hoooooo good memories of this album
First half of the album is spectacular
Decent, some really good songs
This was great, some strong melodies and lyrics. Unexpected to be honest. Goes to show when you like one song (Electric Feel in my case) you should go on to give the album at least one listen.
4/5
enjoyed it
Some good tracks, some medium tracks. Overall quite nice
I like this group and enjoyed this album!
OH MY GOD THAT FIRST SONG. I RECOGNIZE THAT MELODY! Another song title to put to a melody I've heard from my childhood. neat. (Time to Pretend) The melody from [Kids] too apparently. Reawakened latent memories in me.
Very nice, some classic (if overplayed) tunes, but a solid album overall. 3.5
Three singles that made up college
Ya lo había escuchado antes. Es un muy buen disco, principalmente la primera mitad, la segunda mitad no es mala, pero tiene menos fuerza que las primeras 5 canciones. Aún así es de los mejores discos que he escuchado.
It has "Kids" and "Time to Pretend". Not much more to be said really, a luscious slice of indie electro pop
Enjoyed the album. Different and unexpected.
a few great songs, lacking overall
4.5/5 very good album with no bad songs
A great album which still holds up. Some classic tracks which always take me back
Nostalgic. Top songs: kids, time to pretend, electric feel
Great album, never listened all the way through
So many great tunes. Time to Pretend will forever be a pump up jam
Gestern noch drei Sterne, heute vier. Hab die ersten 3-4 :) Songs nochmal gehört und mach den Flow und die unaufdringliche Art.
trippy pop that had its perfect moment in time, and some of the songs still really hold up. Knocking one star off as they were surprisingly flat live
4/5 not too shabby! I could buy it...
Otimo pra usar dorgas e assistir os videos
I rated all the songs individually (out of five) and got 3.8 so let's round that up to 4. Issues are that I think the singer doesn't have a good enough voice to make the long drawn out parts enjoyable enough. But some songs on this album slap hard.
some classics + some non-classics to bridge together the classics
Pretty good stuff. I'd like to listen to this again. 3RS
Loved some of these
Un álbum del que me he quedado con varios éxitos como kids, electric feel y time to pretend. Ahora que es la primera vez que lo escucho completo me agradó, sobretodo 4th dimensional transition que jamás la había esuchado, por otra parte no le daré el 5 porque, fuera de los singles que ya conocia, no me entusiasmo mucho lo demás.
A classic when it came out!
Gran actualización, por decirlo así, de lo psicodélico. Creo que nunca le había puesto atención de esa manera, quizá porque era un poco un disco olvidado de la prepa, pero bueno, "Time To Pretend" y "Kids" siguen teniendo para mí este toque de himno adolescente. Creo que ahora me gustaron mucho "The Youth" y sobre todo, "4th Dimensional Transition". MGMT ya estaba montado en la moda (?) de que la voz sonara culera, pero bien producida, no sé cómo explicarlo mejor. Muy ligerito, a gusto, buenos recuerdos. 8/10
Loved it!
Loved the singles, other songs were just medium good to good for me
Good alternative pop album that has roots that go back to childhood for me. Bittersweet but also somber memories; it's perception is highly affected by the past. Listening to the entirety of the album with an adult perspective was enjoyable, though.
Got that Justice feel to it, with less edm and more pop. fucks wit it. I like The Youth. Electric Feel is ofc a bop. Like the leads in Kids, a good ass head bop. Overall good, might need to listen a few more times.
Another contemporary classic. it kinda drags towards the end but its very good.
Kids is such an iconic song. Very nostalgic.
4 - Nostalgiekick
Waaaay better than I thought it would be, perfect rainy day emo album
Really good throughout
Handful of excellent tracks; fun, experimental, electronic and catchy. This was the album that got me into MGMT, and remains their best release.
i loved this album when it came out, although i didnt necessarily listen to it, seeing the cover brought back memories.
Quite a few songs on this that I know that I didn’t know were them. Good stuff
This album always surprises me in how eclectic, fun, and jammy it is.
solid fun
Noice
This album is _spectacular_. Almost the anthem of my youth, almost.
if you’re not listening to this on a high volume with headphones - it’s not going to sound that great, I didn’t like this album as much as I anticipated but I can’t deny how good some of these songs make you (electric) feel
Has a couple of the best indie songs ever released. Moments of pure musical trailblazing. The rest of it is a bit mush tho.
The good tracks are so good and well-produced! But the few annoying songs and all the abrasive leads knock a start off for me.
Great indie debur album. Some amazing hits and some more niche bangers. Great stuff.
The 'big' songs from this album are a little more pop-like, but there are a lot of interesting trippy songs too.
- this feels unfair -"pieces of what" sounds like mick jagger -realizing I do not know what songs 6-10 sound like on this album - i'm grabbing onto the second half less, its like congratulations
A little bit quiet-rambly in first, but really picked up in the second half. I was a bit worried that I wasn't going to enjoy it as much as expected, but I think a couple more listens will help me to really pick it apart.
Probably made for mushrooms, but still good
Really enjoyed it and will listen again.
Few tracks were impressive but the entire album was not so memorable.
Good album, but I lost a bit of interest towards the end.
4! Never listened to this album straight in one sitting before. Really dig the sound. Very unique and upbeat
vibes & kenn ich irgendwoher
This is always a fun listen, great album 7,9/10
Kova!
Some creative, distinctive melodies in here.
I liked this a lot more than I expected. First half is stronger than the second. Other than "Pieces of What", this album has solid offerings.
Good debut
ooh i actually enjoyed this one! very good vibes thank you
Lots of catchy pop tunes on this one. I'd give this one another listen anytime; really enjoyed it.
Pretty cool.
A few decent efforts here, but that was it
This album had three massive hits on it and if you were a fan of alternative rock radio at the time, you heard them pretty much on repeat. I love all three of those songs. They are songs that are on my favorites playlist and I'll always listen to them if they pop up. Outside of those songs, I can't say that I know any other songs by MGMT. I expected that knowing how much I love the three hits that I would find something else on this album that I really liked, but I didn't. The other songs were fine and I didn't mind listening to them, but there is clearly a reason the singles were the singles and the rest of the stuff was just on the album. So, this one is middle of the road for me. A high rating for the three hits and a lower rating for the rest.
It all felt familiar, but I don’t think I’ve listened to the album before, just the singles on the radio. Pretty chill album for a Sunday morning. Favourite track: The Youth
This is definitely a 2000s party album vibe. The hits, which I knew, are great. The rest was ok, I don’t know that it’s a style I can listen to a ton of, but is good for a short term. 3.5/5
Pretty sure the Kids solo is the 2007 equivalent to the In My Life solo. 3.5.
Can't explain why I actually kind of liked this while stuff like Arcade Fire just annoys me. A bit too heavy on the millennial rock falsetto for my liking, but had some genuinely catchy songs and interesting lyrics. Hipster angst you can dance to.
Unexpected nostalgic gem
meh
not subtle about growing up aha 4th dimensional bangs, not that the whole album doesnt
First listen
I never heard this album when it came out - too busy getting deep into prog metal! Having said that, they don’t play prog metal at clubs so I was familiar with 3-5 songs. A great vibe on this album. I do think it could have been 2 songs shorter and been a perfect, concise album.
Pretty good. 3.5/5
An album carried by a few huge singles that soundtracked my teens, but one that doesn't keep me hooked as a whole.
Klinkt een beetje als mother mother. De bekende liedjes zijn erg leuk. Sommige nummers irritant
I hold the boring and basic opinion on this one: it has three amazing songs, and seven kind of ok songs. It's hard to overstate just how good the highlights are. "Time to Pretend" revels in apathetic hedonism, while the melody on "Kids" and the groove on "Electric Feel" are iconic. I think if the rest of the songs had incorporated, but not necessarily duplicated, the big fuzzy synths and infectious melodies of those songs this would get a 4. But the rest feels too slight - it's decent psychedelic pop songs that feel a little anonymous. There are good moments - "4th Dimension Transition" has some cool drums and the chorus on the closer is nice. But songs like "Pieces of What" and "The Youth" border on annoyingly trite. The gap between the big pop songs and the rest is just too stark, highlighting what the lesser songs are lacking.
Objectively a great album. But unfortunately reminds me too much of 1st year of university and gives my brain the panic feeling, so won't be listening again...
I've never listened to this album, despite what a big deal it was when it came out. And I know that fans hoping for more Oracular Spectacular have been let down by MGMT's subsequent releases, which got weirder and drifted away from bangers like "Kids" or "Time to Pretend." All that said, this album is a little weirder than I expected, so maybe what followed was less of a left turn than people thought. But it's also not that great? The hits hit, but the rest kind of comes and goes for me. 3.5 stars on account of the bangers.
Kids is the clear highlight. It’s cool music and has a unique sound. I’m putting this in the definitively worth listening too, but not remarkable category. I’d like to give it a 3.4 or 3.5.
Fun
I assumed I’d heard this whole album by now… but it seems like I’d only heard the bangers… which are the only things worth listening to, honestly.
Definitely a fitting one for a warm summer day and night. I am amazed that there's two songs with over a billion plays and I don't recognize them at all. Peaks with the singles but not unlistenable otherwise. MGMT has always reminded me of a more playful and beachy Animal Collective, but I'd rather listen to AnCo than their stuff.
Never heard of them. Nothing special.
Loses steam towards the end
Some songs like "The Youth", "Kids", and "Time to pretend" were the standouts for me. The album sounded nice but wasn't that spectacular for me. Overall, I had a decent time
The first time I heard this in the mid 2000s, there were a few songs that weren't bad, but most just did not stick. As it has aged, the few songs, I have grown to like, but the ones that I initially ignored, still feel like they can be ignored. I like psychedelic electronic music, but other than Kids, Electric Feel, and Time to Pretend, thhere isn't a lot here.
It was a fun summer album. poptasteful and groovy. I knew a few of the songs already and was glad to hear them again. I would not be against someone putting this album on aux but I'm not going out of my way to listen to it again.
Nothing more than the 3 hits I already listen to stood out. Relaxing but not revolutionary
Huh?
Ein Album voller Ideen, das zwischen psychedelischem Pop und elektronischem Experiment schwankt. „Kids“ und „Time to Pretend“ glänzen noch, aber vieles wirkt heute wie ein überdrehtes Zeitdokument der 2000er‑Indie‑Welle – charmant, aber nicht mehr magisch.
It was pretty good recognized several of the songs, but not something I listen to on a regular basis.
Very unique, Not something I would listen to on the daily. But surprisingly I liked it. Best song: The handshake
While this has 3 of the best MGMT songs, it is not MGMT’s best album. It’s pretty weak beyond these 3 songs
Fine to decent pop hits. Album misleads you into expecting great ambition and quality with “Time to Pretend” and then goes downhill from there. Not to say any of the songs are bad, but they are just fine. Indie pop songs that do what they need to: be catchy, have good hooks, nice grooves, fun sound. 6.5/10
This is completely OK.
sounds like nostalgia, fun and summer
I liked two songs on the album quite a bit, and was delighted to hear "Kids", a song I've long enjoyed but didn't know was by this band. The rest was pretty forgettable, but not bad. 3 stars.
- Bit disappointed in this one. Find "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" to be lush, multifaceted, danceable bops and clearly remember them emerging on the radio in the late 00s. Unfortunately, those continue to be the real standouts. - I greatly enjoy synth-pop. I think the lack of some deeper tones and bass beats in most of this album combined with a fairly lackadaisical tempo meant I was not very engaged. - Sidenote: not a fan of the wispy, high-pitched vocal qualities of many indie/alternative artists at this time, MGMT included.
I was not into this when it came out, enjoy it way more now
3/5
Un disco sobre la juventud, the Youth. La síntesis del electro pop con himnos de una generación, como KIDS o Time to pretend. una generación que no es la mía, pero por alguna razón se hace mas cercana de lo que parece. con los tintes de oscuridad que después aparece en Litle dark age. Sin duda su disco de mayor éxito comercial, y no es para menos.
One that I was pretty interested in getting, but there really isn't much of a thrill offered outside of the singles. The hits and the rest are differentiated with the clearest of lines It's decent, it just needs more of the spark
Not too bad, in fact, I sort of liked it. The songs were fun and the singing was, too.
Some really good songs, but quite a number that I didn't enjoy, so a mixed score from me.
Really well produced and a few great tracks, but everything in between was weak.
Definitely a unique soundscape with the phsycodelic instrumentals. Wasn’t bad, two or three songs I knew just from how big they were/are. Not a bad album by any mean, definitely would listen again
This was alright. I never really loved their hit, Kids, but their synth sound is kinda cool for a while. The tracks on this album were more varied than I expected, with only a couple of them obviously from the same vein as Kids, and sounding like the same sound or palette. I enjoyed the variety and listened to the album through twice, but I can't say I really loved it or would listen to it again. Three stars.
not very spectacular..I remember them starting out and everyone was all oooooh MGMT but I like their album Kids better. This Orac. Spectac faded into the background like that was what it was made for. ho hum...2.5-3
They have a very interesting sound and several really good songs. Nothing that will blow your socks off, but definitely worth a listen.
A 6/10 for me. I listened to it twice and might listen to it in the future again. It has some really good nostalgic songs that I already happened to know. How’s some songs on the record felt flat and didn’t really connect with me.
It was okay
The hits are solid and hits for a reason, the others are not that great
It's unobjectionable mainstream dance/rave/pop for crowds to jump and dance to. Nothing wrong with that, and they write a catchy tune. However, when heard in a more intimate setting it falls a little flat and doesn't really work. I can't imagine listening to this for pleasure at home
This one falls in that *shoulder shrug* spot. I liked it but at the same time, I kind of disliked it. So it's a three from me.
Very hit and miss
Amazing electronic music
I thought I would love the nostalgia of this but it was just okay. Feels like Bowie for people who went to uni in the late noughties.
Doesn’t make me riot, but nice!
Feels like an album from my childhood/high school, so that's almost certainly part of why I don't like it too much. The lesser known stuff feels stronger.
It was better than yesterdays Album, but still just with half a star. And bc I can only give full stars Im gonna give this a 3. But Ill think about it till I can rate it.
A couple recognisable ditties
A strange album which seems both steeped in the 80s and modern, lyrics are a slightly odd mix of hedonism and something slightly dark, which certainly makes for an interesting listen but I am undecided about whether I like it much or not. Fleeting glimpses of Bowie in the mix, think I'll need to revisit this one.
3.3 out of 5 stars for Oracular Spectacular. I will say right off the bat that the harmony, riffs and vocals for Time to Pretend is what makes it a instant winner single. And backing that single is Electric Feel and Kids, both very strong songs in their own way. There are moments of "Temu Beck" on here, trying to sound indie, folksy, but fall a bit short. Overall, the album is important as it got out of the weird "everybody is a garage indie band" sound because of the White Stripes, The Strokes and the like. It's worth hearing this album once, but keep the 3 major singles as your heavy rotation and you're not missing much from this album.
I had no idea what this was until it started, then soon realized I know many of these songs. Better than I expected.
The best part of this weird marriage between Electronica and Pop is the mockery of the pop star lifestyle. Sadly, it feels closer to parody than criticism. That just doesn't sustain interest in the entire album.
Time to pretend and electric feel are amazing! Slow songs didn’t catch my attention at all
I had high hopes because I remember the hits, which were good, but I didn’t think much of the rest of it
More fun than expected.
3 really really strong tracks and then the rest is just fine
favs: the youth electric feel kids of moons, birds, & monsters future reflections rating 2.5/5
Taking the nostalgia factor out of it, this album is just okay. It's not my typical genre, to start with, and also I don't like the sound of the lead singer's voice which grates on my nerve like a splinter as the album goes on.
genuinely happy to revisit this. has aged much better than anticipated.
This was much more fun than I thought it would be
Pretty neat stuff, not something I'll go out of my way to listen to regularly but I can see why it's hyped up so much as an indie/psychedelia hit. 7.5/10.
super weird to have an album with MULTIPLE pop hits. like wow i could not name the band but i have heard a lot of these songs.
Now this is my kind of thing. Though I have te say the A side is much better than the B side, that A side is very good. It's that late 2000's coming of age summer vibe. You can really feel the inspirations for this album, and I think that's a very positive thing. It's not perfect, again the B side is even pretty uninspiring I think, but that doesn't ruin the album as a whole.
tiene dos temazos generacionales, pero el resto del album no esta a esa altura. aun asi bastante bueno y hay que escucharlo
If this had come out when I was an undergrad it probably would've soundtracked hundreds of parties and it would have a fond, familiar place in my heart. As it didn't, it just is a perfectly adequate indie-rock album but with synths instead of guitars.
I was already familiar with 'Time to Pretend' and 'Kids' prior to listening to the full album as I remember hearing them a lot when I was younger so, naturally, I'm quite fond of them. I just think they sound fun and unique. 'Kids' especially makes me feel super nostalgic because I had a phase a few years ago where I would listen to it on repeat. The rest of the album was okay, but none of the remaining songs stood out to me quite as much as the two songs previously stated. Maybe I'm just blinded by nostalgia. I simply found the other songs somewhat bland, like I wouldn't change the station if they were playing on the radio but I also wouldn't actively seek them out to listen to. Either way, it was a pleasant listen but it just isn't something I'd see myself listening to on the regular. I can see how people like this album though. FAVOURITE SONG FROM THIS ALBUM: Kids
I don’t think I’ve heard of MGMT before this moment. They aren’t bad, but it’s not something I would actively go out of my way to listen to either. A solid 3
Similar to Hot Fuss - jam-packed 1st half, less memorable 2nd half
Two or three devastatingly effective and catchy radio riffs. But the rest is a bit shallow and muddy.
Obviously the singles are 5 star classics. I can't get into their album tracks on this one though too "psychadelic" and meandering when their best songs are so hooky. Great voice though. Idk why it's mixed like the drums are 1 mile away in the grand canyon.
great
dobry jest i klimatyczny ale mało spectacular tbh
Listened... Not my style, but really nice. There are songs i really enjoyed and i liked, but, it's not my favorite.
A 2.5 star album with 3 5 star singles
так і виходить, що 3 зірки за три хіти. Всі інші треки нічим особливо не виділяються, а голос співака подекуди вже й дратує. 4th Dimensional Transition був жахливий
2 song album. 2 song band, really. Kids and Time to Pretend are great, can’t stand the rest.
This album has like three great/amazing songs and the rest is boring asf
Another album that just passes me by
This used to be my favorite album when I was 14, then I grew up and realized it wasn't as clever as I thought. Congratulations, Little Dark Age and Loss of Life are better.
Overall Rating - 2.80/5 (5.60/10). Kinda weird, but fun. Never particularly liked late 00s pop, but this is, at least easy to listen to.