This article originally appeared in the April 2024 edition of The Commuter.
It took me about five listens to finally “get” MGMT’s latest studio album, “Loss Of Life.” Call it musical Stockholm syndrome, but there was truly something that kept me coming back.
Before explaining why, it’s important to contextualize MGMT’s latest work with their back catalog: the indie pop hits of their 2007 debut “Oracular Spectacular” such as “Kids” and “Electric Feel,” or even the gothic-yet-catchy synth-pop of their previous album, 2018’s “Little Dark Age.” With that in mind, it’s easy to see how “Loss Of Life,” built around bombastic drums, layered acoustic guitars, and the textures of late ’80s/early ’90s adult contemporary, is such an initially off-putting left turn for the band.
Still, there are enough synth and electric guitar flourishes throughout to serve as a reminder that “Loss Of Life” is indeed an MGMT project. And some songs were immediately accessible, such as lead single “Mother Nature,” a Britpop-inspired tune with a pre-chorus that could’ve been ripped straight from an Oasis track. By the duo’s avant garde standards, the song is rather vanilla, but Andrew VanWyngarden’s lyrics are bittersweet and vague, previewing an album that feels more mature, both sonically and lyrically, than the band’s past work.
MGMT’s trademark idiosyncratic, and for lack of a better word, goofy lyrics are still alive and well, though. The album even starts on an intro track labeled as a “part 2.” The penultimate song “I Wish I Was Joking,” a rare synth-led tune that could’ve fit on “Little Dark Age,” contains some real gems, with VanWyngarden’s pseudesincere delivery of lines like “Here’s the thing about drugs…” and the hilariously mournful “Nobody calls me the gangster of love” adding some levity to the runtime.
Other times, the lyrics walk a fine line between intentionally cheesy and genuine. On the album’s final single, “Dancing In Babylon” featuring Christine and the Queens, VanWyngarden repeatedly sings, “I want to tell everyone I know, ‘I love you’” in the coda. It’s almost jokingly sweet, and the song, a melodramatic duet dripping with saccharine 80s production, seems to hammer the point. But the song’s title evokes the same feeling that permeates much of the tracklist: a theme of coming to grips with change, hard times, and life’s natural conclusions. MGMT have long made a name for themselves with their satirical and irreverent lyrical style, and while it survives on “Loss Of Life,” there’s a deeper meaning this time around that’s hard to shake.
It’s palpable in VanWyngarden’s vocals as well – often high-pitched and glistening with pop production in past records, sounding lower, more world-weary, and even broken at times on “Loss Of Life.” Spacious, acoustic-led ballads like “People In The Streets” and the achingly beautiful “Nothing Changes” ooze solemnity and reflection, although an undercurrent of hope adds depth to the material; the latter ends with a key change as an unexpected horn section bursts into the mix.
On the other hand, “Bubblegum Dog” shows that the band hasn’t lost their musical fun side, complete with synth patches that emulate a dog’s howl to rollicking acoustic guitars, a fuzzy electric, and even a harpsichord passage. Why not?
Folk influence shows up as well, straightforward and charming on “Nothing To Declare,” and with modern, Sufjan Stevens-esque electronic stylings on “Phradie’s Song” and the title track, which serves as the album’s closer. The project ends in equally beautiful and unsettling fashion as VanWyngarden sings about beginnings, death, and love as the duo throws in a kitchen sink of sounds, melodies, and effects.
In a way, it makes perfect sense that MGMT’s “Loss Of Life,” an artful exploration of complex topics, can take some time to click for the listener. It takes a while to process such dense material, and the often muddled lyrics don’t always help the cause. But as MGMT finds as they grapple with loss of life in a rapidly changing world, taking the time to find the beauty in it all can be well worth the effort.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
