Oracular Spectacular is the debut studio album by the American bandMGMT, released on October 2, 2007, byRED Ink and physically on January 22, 2008, byColumbia.[1] It was produced byDave Fridmann and is the band's first release of new content, recorded from March to April 2007. The album was promoted with threesingles: "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel" and "Kids". Both "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" were re-recorded for the album; they were originally included on the band's previous releaseTime to Pretend (2005), with the opening track serving as a "mission statement" and the theme continuing through the album's subsequent tracks.
AlthoughOracular Spectacular never sold more than 17,000 units in a week, at least 2,000 copies per week were sold during the period from January 2008 through April 2010.[2] The album received positive reviews from critics, who lauded its production style, musical direction and composition. It was nominated for the International Album award at the2009 Brit Awards. In 2012,Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 494 on its list ofThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[3]
The duo recorded with music producerDave Fridmann in 2007 for their major label debut,Oracular Spectacular.[4] MGMT opened forOf Montreal on tour in autumn 2007 as a five-piece touring band including Matthew Asti (bass), James Richardson (drums), and Hank Sullivant (guitar).[5]
Promotion for the album started as early as June 2007, when the song "Weekend Wars" was given away in summer issues of free monthly magazineNöjesguiden inStockholm,Sweden. Matching CDs could be picked up for free in all stores in three different shopping malls around Stockholm from June 26 to July 31.[6]
In November 2007, they performed for the first time in Europe, supporting the band Samantha andThe Courteeners atKoko in London, England.[7] After March 2008, Hank Sullivant left the band to pursue his own band, Kuroma. Will Berman joined as the new drummer, James Richardson switched from drums to guitar, and Matthew Asti remained on bass.
Oracular Spectacular has received mostly positive reviews. Jason Lymangrover ofAllMusic calledOracular Spectacular's tracks "some of the catchiest pop songs to come from NYC since the turn of the millennium" and stated that "the songs never feel insincere and the record is inherently strong throughout, making it a solid start to their career."[9]Prefix Magazine described the album as "a college-dorm experiment gone horribly right."[19] Giving the album a three-star honorable mention rating,Robert Christgau stated that "likeVampire Weekend, only assynth-dance rather thanindie-rock, they convert a quality liberal education into thoughtful, anxious, faux-lite pop."[20]
In a mixed review,PopMatters' Matt Fiander criticized the second half of the album, writing, "The second half of the record settles into a more monotone kind ofspace rock that is as big as the better first half, but gives us no recognizably distinct songs or catchy melodies."[21] The album was named as the best album of 2008 byNME.[22] In 2009,Rolling Stone named it the 18th-best album of the decade, and in 2012 the magazine included it at number 494 on its list of the500 greatest albums of all time, saying, "Two hipster geeks get some rad vintage keyboards and compose asuite of synthesized heartache".[23][24]
The album has aMetacritic score of 76 out of 100 on based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^Wenner, Jann S., ed. (2012). Rolling Stone – Special Collectors Issue – The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. USA: Wenner Media Specials.ISBN978-7-09-893419-6
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