MGMT & Yeasayer preview

MGMT, Yeasayer
Schubas, Chicago
Friday, February 8, 2008

Sometimes a band just can’t get out of their own way. MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular (Columbia) is an ELO-sized fiesta, a Swedish-pop spectacular that’ll rack up year-end top-10 points* while maintaining indie-band-on-a-major buzz.

But, being from Connecticut, they have to get all whiny-American in their press release. “We’re not this.” “Don’t call the album that.” They want to bring “weirdness” back to major labels. Why can’t the shit just be fun with a capital “F”? ‘Cuz that’s what Oracular Spectacular is: an inner-ear orgy led by two songs, “Time To Pretend” and “Electric Feel,” that’ll wipe the floor with your precious Justice.

Yeasayer, who are alternating the headliner slot with MGMT and will play first in Chicago, get more in the way of themselves musically, but not by much. The singles from All Hour Cymbals (We Are Free), which is jokingly described as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel” on their Wikipedia entry, are simultaneously academic, enveloping, and rewarding. “Sunrise” sounds like Peter Gabriel trying to cover “In The Air Tonight” in a Baptist church, while “2080” pulsates insistently yet feels fuzzy about its intentions. Best of all, Yeasayer don’t have a fucking opinion on it.

*Oracular was originally issued as a download in October, but didn’t see physical release until last month.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to watch MGMT’s “Time To Pretend” video.

Click here to download Yeasayer’s “2080.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly