If you have taken the time to listen to MGMT’s first and second album Oracular Spectacular and Congratulations, respectively, you will have noticed how different they sound from each other. I remember doing a double take on my iTunes when I previewed Congratulations. All of my expectations or rather predictions had gone out the window. Where were the poppy electronic beatz?!
Even though it wasn’t what I expected, I couldn’t help but think that Andrew and Ben were “stickin’ it to the man!” The man in this case would be their record label. I assumed that what I was hearing on their second album was what they wanted to sound like whereas their first album was made to merely gain a fan base. On numerous occasions, I have expressed my disappointment in new bands changing their music for their sophomore album ie) Paramore. I realize that sometimes it can’t be helped! After all, this is a business. This is what they are doing for a living.
Fans weren’t the only ones who were turned off by Congratulations. The head honchos at their Columbia label have also expressed their opinions about it and have decided to have more control on their next album release. Andrew Van-Wyngarden appears to be taking it well from this statement: “I definitely think our music will change in the future because Congratulations is almost two years old now. We have some ideas and have been talking about possible directions of where to go next.”
I bet they paid him to say that.