REVIEW: MGMT’s Energetic and Prophetic ‘Loss Of Life’
Upon their arrival with ‘Oracular Spectacular,’ MGMT, comprised of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, could have easily succumbed to the lure of producing sequels to their incandescent debut hit. However, the duo has consistently defied expectations, venturing through a musical odyssey that spans low-fi psych-folk, acid-rock, and, by 2018, a masterful dive into synth-pop with the lauded “Little Dark Age.” Their latest, a fifth studio album, marks yet another audacious pivot. This time, they immerse us in a milieu tinged with the contemplative hues of soft rock and echoes of the Flaming Lips in their most wonderstruck moments—mercifully, sans Wayne Coyne’s divisive vocals.
The craftsmanship across the album is beyond reproach, with each track presenting a tableau of ornate pop. Yet, it’s a beauty that, paradoxically, glides too smoothly to grasp—hooks that should catch, slide past, leaving a stylish but somewhat hollow resonance. There’s a standout moment when Christine and the Queens lends her voice to “Dancing in Babylon,” a track so deeply entrenched in the ’80s aesthetic it almost resurrects the era’s fashion faux pas. “Bubblegum Dog” brings a more compelling mix of muscle and surrealism to the table, while “Nothing Changes” offers an expansive auditory landscape that almost promises elevation.
Nonetheless, despite its polished sheen and moments of brilliance, Loss of Life emerges as a somewhat underwhelming journey. For all its artistic ambition and refined execution, it’s an album that, somewhat disappointingly, doesn’t quite leave the indelible mark one might have hoped for from MGMT’s audacious creative trajectory. See “Dancing In Babylon” below:
