Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Jan. 31, 2008, edition 1 / Page 9
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Übr flaily Car :Hrrl MGMT’s LP is ‘Spectacular’ BY JORDAN LAWRENCE STAFF WRITER Oracular Spectacular, the full-length debut from Brooklyn electro-pop duo MGMT, is a mar velously fun mi* of sounds taken from all over the musical map. Like a well-tuned blender, the group takes electronic and new wave sounds and mixes them with classic pop-rock influences (in the vein of David Bowie. The Beatles and The Beach Bovs) to make one exhilarating sonic milkshake. While The Killers fell flat on their faces when they tried to infuse their music with the spirit of Bruce Springsteen, MGMT’s flirtations with classic rock only serve to make the music more accessible. For instance, the transition from propulsive electronic-rock band-anthem on opener “Time to Pretend" the album's standout track into the Ziggy Stardust inspired political commentary in “Weekend Wars" serves as a gal vanizing introduction to what the hii I Uijl \i v BIVSSm Two Pulitzer Prize Winners in Rotating Rep JANUARY 26 - MARCH 2 919.962.PUY (7529) playmakersrep.org ' 919 967 9053 I V 300 £ Main Street Carrborr 3H ire URBANSOPHEnCAIB.' 6TH MAHCOSlAw;Jofnothanftce" DUBCONSQOUS" (SB/5I0) (SlO/Sl2) • -••• >: y “' •-■■ r - WEf'S" '1"1' JTS3T.. 'j^SßSp-jPPSf|B ‘C.OJS :ySr-: " •. : : : : i ;j • •■ ' . 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VIM lllnlll k.?\si]Yiyt?a '''%.'■■ '• SHOWS s- Qprotmo TMatre vL S..^WP^IPB m Mrl kl N'ne :-ee. " S2 524 ‘j-M HWSSCggi B^BHBIBHiIiVrMVIiIiIVi'iiI^BIBBBHBIr T ii v i * lVi i T>,: ' )^^ S 8,.v trkn .-• wm> <*•> e'n c.*’ foowaicowoon co*R'Pft? ROM MVSIQREVIEW MGMT ORACULAR SPECTACULAR EtKTRMK/Mf album holds in store. MGMT delivers for the duration of the album, Ailing Spectacular with incessantly catchy and dance able pop gems. And though experimentation continues throughout, there are few instances where MGMT’s Diversions deviations from pop music stan dards don’t lead to success. The all-out balladry of “Pieces of What" is a charming elegy on the prospect of growing up, and the Beach Boys-psychedelia introduc tion to the electronic pagan freak out of “Future Reflections" closes the album on a palpably emotional high. The album's only failure comes with “4th Dimensional Transition" which marches and drones along, completely losing the band's usu ally infectious energy. But when MGMT delivers that energy, the album becomes a riv eting musical explosion, alive with ambitious excitement and engag ing melodies. At this point in 2008, Oracular Spectacular is likely to be the most entertaining new record listen ers will be able to find on store shelves. Contact the Diversions Editor at diveQunc.edu. f Because Good Things ) Shouldn't Change. Thanks for all the years of support and for celebrating our anniversary with us! M . So! 7fjro to 2pw '* Sun Bom lo 2pm • • - MUSIC SHORTS EVANGELICALS THE EVENING DESCENDS PSYCH-POP Evangelicals, another keys ’n’-guitars indie-rock band with a knack for spaces songs about something suitably spacey and an infatuation with Ailing every avail able space with some sort of sonic embellishment, does pretty much what every other band Atting that description has done with The Evening Descends, the second album from the Oklahoma band. There are the could-have-been anthemic-if-they-meant-some- thing choruses, and the almost-but not-quite-explosive dynamics, all meshed in with busy arrangements that make simple song structures feel more complex just by burying them in superfluous stuff. It’s fun to listen to at first because the band can craft a memorable melody, but after a while it just gets bogged down with so much extra sound that the songs themselves are stifled and unaffecting. It’s a delightfully ignorable accompaniment to daydreaming, but it’s unlikely to encourage much else out of its listeners. -Bryan Reed QUINN WALKER LION LAND & LAUGHTER’S AN ASSHOLE PSYCHEDEUC/EXPERIMENTAI The spirit of Brian Wilson is everywhere on the latest release from Brooklyn’s Quinn Walker, HE C00L... THINK C00L... LIVE C00L... When the time comes to ditch the dorm or move in with friends, check out the really cool houses at: www.COOLBLUERENTALS.cm 300 Davie Rd S A bedrms, 2 baths jmf IMS SIB4O/mo. Fantastic gjHk floor plan Terrific house ; | with all appliances in 9 reat neighborhood Available June Ist 4 bedrms, 2 baths JM S 1840/mo Cute yard with patio and good parking. Great condition LR|lr| in good location. Available August Ist ■H MAM T MMMH) $ 1140/mo. Classic Carrboro home Fully " *" ' , Farmers Marie: Available July Ist Now signing leases for 2008-2009! We make finding your new place easy... Visit our website where you can see photos of our houses, floor plans, map locations and much more! Complete information on our houses is on-line We only {&& 4 rent clean, well maintained JQPHjllfllHHHp) homes Call to get J chance at yours www.Coolßlueßentals.com FOLK CORNERS 175 E. Franklin St. • 919-968-3809 $6 Import Pitchers 35c Wings $2.50 Jager Bombs $4 Miller Lite Pitchers 35c Wings S3 * 34 oz. Miller Lite & Yuengling $2 Miller Lite Bottles $5 Moose Juice $2 Bud & Bud Light Bottles $3 * 34 oz. Domestic Drafts $5 * 34 oz. Import Drafts Serving food til 2:30 am every night Specials subject to change on Carolina Home Game Days FREE PLAY on our 2 Beer Pong Tables! thursday,january 31,2008 which features two full albums. The first disc. Lion Land, falls on its face as it attempts to use the reference as a crutch. Walker tries to replicate Panda Bear’s 2007 suc cess, mistakenly drowning pierc ing and annoying faux-Beach Boy harmonies in experimental studio noise and expecting it to be the same. The second and vastly more suc cessful disc, iMughter's an Asshole. takes The Beach Boys’ affinity for sunshine balladry and quirky sounds with country-tinged pop to create a pleasingly off-kilter if long-winded mix. The bittersweet ballad *l9 Birthdays," for instance, is a charm ing rumination that hits at the heart of what it is to grow up. But at 17 tracks, the cute California feel and humorously faked country accents can grow a bit tiresome. In total. Walker’s two new albums stretch their sonic vehicles too far to make for a unified and wholly enjoyable listen. •Jordan Lawrence 9
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 31, 2008, edition 1
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