MGMT’s First album “Oracular Spectacular” is a weird and wonderful piece of work. On its incredibly catchy first half songs like “Kids” and “Electric Feel” blended psychedelic styles with a strong pop direction bringing many people to the record.

The records second half gets a little looser and spacey. The Influences that become prevalent in future MGMT releases start to show through a little more. But they don’t loose all of their pop sensibilities or play times. It’s in this space that one of my favorite tracks comes forth.

Of Moons Birds & Monsters mixes vocal verses with psychedelic space rock instrumentals, building to the halfway point that breaks into the guitar hook which gets me every time. Dave Friedmann produced this record and his unique ability to elevate lo-fi/garage rock elements into massive walls of sound shines through. It creates a soundscape that I have loved since the first time I heard it.

It’s a track that has stuck with me. It’s been there to pick me up in low moments and elevated the good to new heights. Of Moons Birds & Monsters pushes into territories outside of poplar music further that other tracks on this album but it reigns it in. It takes a track that could easily sprawl out into a self indulgent monster and confines it into a short and sweet playtime that keeps you coming back for more.

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MGMT seemed to surprise the music industry and themselves with the huge success of their first album “oracular spectacular” in 2007. It blended great pop melodies with lyrics of teen angst and the production style of Dave Fridmann to became an international hit.

Since then the band have shied away from that sound, instead focusing on the more psychedelic and less accessible music they’re personally interested in. But their fourth record marks a return towards the pop aesthetic of their earlier work, and in turn, a more enjoyable album on first listen.

Me and Michel is saturated with 80’s nostalgia and it does it superbly well. It manages to create a dreamlike soundscape of innocence that could be the soundtrack to any John Hughes movie from the time period. A throwback to the simpler time of youth, where most things are simple and the trivial is important; taking you on a pleasant journey that’s a joy to hear on repeat.

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