Titled Loss of Life, this is ironically MGMT's most optimistic, bright, and warm release in the band's entire career. The band surprisingly go for more of an adult contemporary, soft rock ode to the 60's, 70's and 80's full of lush balladry and synth pop. The duo have made a modern psych pop masterpiece.
MGMT, formerly known as The Management, doesn't exactly need any introduction. If you spent time listening to popular music in the late 2000's, you're aware of the indie pop boom that went from blogs to the charts and beyond. "Time to Pretend," "Kids," "Electric Feel"... certified classics that stand the test of time and by many MGMT are simply cemented as a legacy act of their first record. That isn't the case whatsoever for Andrew VanWyndgarden and Ben Goldwasser. Even if you disregard their debut album Oracular Spectacular, the sharp, hypnotic, and smart duo have released nothing but great albums throughout their diverse career, despite there being a lack of quantity that a 20+ year band may typically have: the psychedelic and surfy Congratulations, the rocky but crazy MGMT, the fantastically manic and synth pop of Little Dark Age.
Now over two decades as MGMT, VanWyndgarden and Goldwasser have released their fifth studio album. If you're familiar with the band's trajectory thus far, you probably aren't surprised that this is yet another drastic departure in sound and style. Not only this but this is the band's first album after leaving a major label. They've swapped juggernaut Columbia for Mom+Pop, an indie label that's well established and in regards to one of music's best despite its smaller size. Titled Loss of Life, this is ironically the band's most optimistic, bright, and warm release in the band's entire career. The band surprisingly go for more of an adult contemporary, soft rock ode to the 60's, 70's and 80's full of balladry and synth pop. The lack of instant radio play and catchy singles may be present to some, but these songs are gorgeous, well written, detailed, lush, and get better and better with repeated listens to others. The flow is impeccable and the production is beautiful and stunning. The album was produced by themselves along with ex-Chairlift member Patrick Wimberly, eclectic favorite Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never, and longtime collaborator / veteran producer Dave Fridmann.
Where to start with Loss of Life? Let's start with the singles: "Mother Nature," "Bubblegum Dog," "Nothing to Declare," and "Dancing In Babylon." These are all are absolute bangers and are certainly album highlights and even career highlights for MGMT. If you were jamming to these while anticipating Loss of Life, boy, you will not be disappointed. "Mother Nature" is triumphant and glorious with its charming flutes and piano. It even becomes epic with its ode to 60's and 70's traditional pop. "Bubblegum Dog" is arguably the album's solely "upbeat" tune that is one of the catchiest bops you'll hear in 2024. A singalong, quirky pop tune featuring strumming guitars, blissful synthesizers, and strong hooks that are as sticky as bubblegum. In execution, it's the same silly, weird, oddball, catchy, and melodic MGMT we've always known. "Nothing to Declare" is arguably the band's prettiest and most well put together tune they've ever laid to tape. You're just going to have to hear it for yourself; it's just a seamlessly glorious song full of sweetness and genuine tenderness. "Dancing In Babylon" is billed as their first ever collaboration with a guest artist on an MGMT record, this time with synth pop artist Christine and the Queens. It's a lush, pretty synth pop duet that could've easily been played on adult contemporary 80's radio. It's quite the ode to 80's balladry: the vocals, piano, drums, synths, and guitars.
Even aside from the singles, there's still much gold to dig up on Loss of Life. "People In the Streets" is another glorious ballad that has melodies for DAYS. I love the sharp bass, the explosive chorus, and the hauntingly hypnotic sampling of choir vocals in its ending. "Nothing Changes" is an acoustic and fantastic ballad that has a sharp saxophone solo towards the back end and a triumphant ending of sharp la la la's. "Phradie's Song" is one of the most stunning songs on the record with the help of VanWyndgarden's hushed lullaby vocals that rock you into a sweet, carefree dream towards space. The beautifully repeated melody can get stuck in your head for days on end. "I Wish I Was Joking" is the gleeful deadpan humor we've kind of come to expect with lines like "For a six dollar coffee / and municipal parking / and Disney on ice / I wish I was joking." It also features one of my favorite lines on the album, which reminds the listener that "half of love is still love." The album bookends with the title track, "Loss of Life" at the end and "Loss of Life, Pt. 2" at the beginning. The ballad is quite beautiful and endearing, which features an optimistic, cinematic chirpy electronic melody across the track. Instead of doom and gloom, MGMT really celebrate death in a way that's optimistic and charming and fully embrace the mystery and wonder of the afterlife. It explodes towards the finish in glorious fashion and it definitely sounds like the work of Oneohtrix Point Never with its spacey, hard to decipher explosion of electronics. "Pt. 2" kicks the album off as an interlude of sorts, or maybe a continuation of "Pt. 1...?" It features samples of people talking and doesn't involve any singing whatsoever. It's an intrigunig start and finish to the record and the fact that "Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2" seem switched on purpose sounds like a silly meta joke that MGMT would gawk at amongst themselves.
MGMT have made a modern psych pop masterpiece with Loss of Life. I mean, I would say that Congratulations and Little Dark Age are also pop masterpieces but Loss of Life is certainly a different one. There are so many gems to uncover and with its 45-minute long runtime, Loss of Life is instantly replay-able. I know that the lack of radio-friendly modern psych pop bops and the overabundance of adult-contemporary styled ballads will turn off some fans but hopefully the sticky melodies, rewarding instrumentals, and impeccable songwriting will win many over. There's not one bad song on here and I love the direction that MGMT went for here. On paper, this type of style may be a head scratcher for some but in practice it's executed perfectly. They certainly went all in and the goofball matched with endearing energy is top notch. Loss of Life is certainly MGMT at their core, regardless of what you think of them in 2024.
My Rating: 9 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Mother Nature," "Bubblegum Dog," "Nothing to Declare," "Dancing In Babylon," "I Wish I Was Joking," "Phradie's Song," "People In the Streets"