iiiFor Brooklyn duo MGMT, Oracular Spectacular was a groundbreaking debut that launched the band into the limelight. It resulted in them working with The Flaming Lips.
This year they were nominated for two Grammys, but both came up empty.
Nevertheless, MGMT were on the map and their talent had been noticed.
Now, their follow-up album, Congratulations, once again dazzles the ear. The title track brings the album to a nice conclusion. From the moment the song begins, you're taken on a hypnotic ride through phenomenal keyboards fused with melancholy vocals. The result is three minutes and 55 seconds of pure bliss.
I Found a Whistle is the heart and soul of the album. Backup vocals give the tune a dramatic feel - but not in a bubblegum-pop sort of way - as if you were experiencing a musical on stage, minus the visuals. It does the legwork for the album too.
Strategically placed midway through, it provides a pleasant glimpse of the final four tracks.
The album has a unique sound that only gets better with every listen.
Congratulations doesn't quite stack up against MGMT's debut album. Very few bands pull that one off. But judged solely on its own merits, the album certainly deserves high praise.
YP rating: 4/5