MGMT just released their fourth album Little Dark Age. This album marks the change in genre for the band. They are now more of a ’80s goth band, and I couldn’t be happier. This allowed them to branch out into a genre that fits their creativity and style more.
Check out the title track, “Little Dark Age” here:
They are constantly trying to get away from their “Kids” persona and want other people to see them as a collective band and not just a hit single.
Check out the hit single here:
This came out in 2009 and people are still talking about it. They have released other albums that have strayed away from their original Oracular Spectacular image.
The album started off with the song, “She Works Out Too Much” which is a fun jam with background call out vocals that put a really modern spin on the song. The theme of this song is a failed relationship between a man and a woman who is obsessed with working out. This is a pretty creative idea that works in MGMT’s favor.
I love the lyrics:
The only reason we never worked out was
He didn’t work out
(He’s trying)
(She works out too much)
The only reason we never worked out was
He didn’t work out enough
(He’s trying)
It’s such a cheesy idea but I can’t help but dance to it. It’s funny to picture a gym rat trying to have a relationship.
Then the next two songs are the singles, “Little Dark Age,” and “When You Die.”
The fourth track on this record is “Me and Michael” and it puts the listener in a trace. It seems like this song wasn’t really meant for 2018 since it has a lot of 80s glam rock influences. The chorus of the song was supposed to be, “me and my girl” but they found that to be boring, so they changed it to Michael. They said that they don’t know who Michael is, which is pretty confusing but hey, the track is fun.
They also released a music video for this song, which is pretty hilarious:
Totally worth the six minutes. This is probably the weirdest music video they have ever done but it works so perfectly due to their great sense of humor and originality of the song.
The next song, “TSLAMP” is a song dedicated to how cell phones have impacted the way we communicate with other people. I like that they are making a political statement with this song. It is not really a stand out track but the instrumental bridge is beautiful as he sings,
“Last thing that you need
Is the new shiny feature
All the memories you’ve shared
Devoured by perverted creatures
Nothing can compete
With the first time you saw her
Passing strangers on the street
Spending every moment looking at their phones.”
The fact that he is singing about a love that was lost because of the fact he was looking at his phone and not participating in real life is a powerful message. It really makes the listener think how much they have missed out on because they were focused on being in a different reality.
The next track, “James” is a tribute to their friend James Richardson. It’s not a stand out track but it is a nice song in the middle of the album.
“Day That Got Away” is a trippy creative song. It’s a great listen to put on your headphones and chill out. It has a similar feel that “James” has.
“One Thing Left to Try” is a more pop electric rock song. The song has great instrumentals during the refrain. The song talks about the singer’s struggle with suicidal thoughts. There is a positive spin on the song as he sings,
The message he is trying to get across is that you can either stay in your depression wanting to die, or you can change your life. It is really up to you what you decide to do.
“When You’re Small” is a really bad track in my opinion. Yes, I’m starting to become critical of this album. It seems like this album was supposed to be the big exit for this album but it fails to do so. I really don’t care if someone is small. I feel like this track was trying to be deep, but it lacked the lyrics to really convey that message.
The album ends with the track, “Hand it Over” which is a perfect way to send off the listener. It is more of a reflection track. It’s time to hand it over, and I’ll give you anything MGMT.
I think that the beginning of the album was really strong, but then it faded out into more chill vibe with slower songs that were more abstract. I would say that this album isn’t the best MGMT album but it did do a great job of creating a new gothic image for them. “Little Dark Age” definitely set the bar high for this album and it is the best song on the album. I would say I’m a little disappointed with the other tracks that seemed to be filler. I know they wanted to make a collective album, but it seems like all the songs seem to sound the same. For example, “James” and “Days That Got Away” are so similar I didn’t even know the track changed.
Other than that, I think people are being way too critical about this album. They complain that they want their original sound, but that is not going to happen. Bands experiment with all different sounds and this album is pretty good. They wanted to make an album that has really catchy pop songs that don’t follow a formula. This album is jam-packed with them. I respect their creative decisions and I think it works perfectly. Hopefully, they won’t wait four years to put out another album because this is the start of something great.
I think it’s really crazy how much these two get back together. I feel like since 2009 I have seen them go through everything right before my eyes. What is the point of breaking up if they are just going to come back to each other every few months? I would hate to be Selena Gomez’s ex-boyfriend since she seems to have no connection with anyone besides Justin Bieber. I think they are both wasting everyone’s time by breaking up and they should really get their act together. How often are you going to take back your ex until you realize there is a REASON that they are your ex. They will face the same problems they always have. A couple years have passed, but it is clear that they have serious issues. A number one sign of an abusive relationship is getting back together and breaking up constantly so I hope that their relationship isn’t like that. But considering how much of an asshole Justin can be, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Read my article about how Justin Bieber is an asshole here.
Selena’s mother doesn’t seem to be too pleased with their relationship. She stated she is, “not happy” about her daughter’s renewed romance with Bieber but she is not interfering in her daughter’s life. Justin is walking on thin ice. A mother’s approval means a lot.
Also in 2014, Justin got a DUI, which caused problems for their relationship. Now he is in a better place. But why would Selena abandon him when he needs her the most?
Overall, all these things that Justin is doing just seem like the basic requirements for a boyfriend. I really have no idea why these two would get back together when they have so much bad history. Hopefully, it will inspire Justin to write more love songs on his next album. I hope this relationship inspires them to be more creative with their songs.
I expect them to break up in the next few months. This relationship has failed countless times before and will continue to fail. I want to shake Selena right now. Yeah, Justin has changed, but it is only the first two months. The problems they have had before will grow and their bad blood for leaving the first time will continue to be a huge mess. Maybe they are doing it for the publicity, but overall it is just not a smart decision. People need to learn to move on with their lives and stop searching for answers in the past.
Sometimes you find a song on the dark side of Youtube and fall in love with it. Youtube’s recommendations are usually pretty accurate since it suggests songs that sound like your favorite bands.
“How could I ever know you?
When everything lies in disguise
How could I ever forget?
Those eyes looking for my weal
How could I ever know more?
When everything is held by threat
How could I ever feel you?
Once again, without losing my mind”
Her voice is powerful and sorrowful as she sings about a love that deceived her. Unlike other heartbreak songs, one can truly feel how lost she is. In the music video, she stands in an empty parking lot and a grocery store doing mundane tasks by herself. It correlates to the way the song is delivered since she seems to be in a dissociated state of being trapped in her own thoughts. It seems that being alone is therapeutic for her. The way the camera spins at the end tastefully depicts the world wind that she is experiencing.
Overall not only is it a great song, the music video does a great job at carrying the theme of the song. This video only has 64,000 views at the moment but I expect it to climb in the next few months. You heard it here first folks.
I wonder what happened behind the scenes for her to make such a public call out. The record company probably didn’t want to put out her music that was so creativity different, but that is her thing. I don’t understand why they would trash her songs when her music is always primarily good and substantial. Was it too weird even for Grimes?
I’m really hoping that Grimes is just being dramatic and we don’t have to wait too long for her new music. But it is always really upsetting when your projects get pushed back. I hope she is still set to release the album in 2018, even if it takes a little bit longer.
It also had me thinking, what would I do if I randomly saw Drake on the street and he gave me a huge stack of money? I would probably have to apologize for my bad review of his song. You can read here.
Also, I don’t think Drake’s dance moves are going to get better anytime soon. He is shown given his classic, “Hotline Bling” swag at the beginning of the video.
Despite my criticism, Drake really took the hype from this song and made it into a message. He could have done a simple rap video with a girl that he likes, but instead, he wanted to top himself.
Although the video didn’t exactly match the song, since its main theme is about brushing off the haters, it did send a message out to the world. It’s videos like this that actually inspire change. In a time of such distress, we needed someone to remind us of our own humanity. I commend you Drake, you might be getting on my good side.
