Loss of life

MGMT

Loss of life

Mom + Pop

February 23, 2024
Web Exclusive

By Chris Thiessen

For a band that once confessed they were fated to pretend, MGMT sound very honest Loss of lifetheir first album since 2018 Little Dark Age. After the band's recent TikTok success with that album's title track going viral, the easy thing to do would be for MGMT to tap into what we all know they do extremely well—endlessly catchy anthems that poke fun at the seriousness of life with a bit of compound obscenity and hooky euphoria that straddles the line between satire and nostalgia. However, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser never defined success in terms of virality, and it shows in Loss of life—an album that isn't as bleak as it sounds, but maintains the kind of sobriety and contemplative nature that befits a band already five albums (and nearly two decades) into their career. Loss of life is MGMT's most cinematic record to date, allowing the duo to confront mortality through meaningful introspection that reveals that, at the end of all things, there is always love.

The fact of mortality prompts reflection on those things that matter most in life, those relationships that really matter to us, as MGMT explores alongside Christine and the Queens with 'Dancing in Babylon' – a romantic ballad truly of epic proportions that would make Jim Steinman blush and Brandon Flowers jealous. In “People in the Streets,” VanWyngarden looks out at a world full of social unrest and “things you can't see” and despairs at the paralyzing fear that prevents us from effecting real change. Likewise, on “Nothing Changes,” VanWyngarden despairs at the static nature of things with a small smile that reminds us that MGMT's badassery isn't entirely lacking in their maturity. Despite the certainty of loss, the album's final track returns to the theme of love, juxtaposing a soulful ice cream truck melody with a dark, somber motif reminiscent of a requiem mass. Here, in this unforgettable blend of innocence and experience, MGMT reminds us that some of life's most painful aspects must be accepted, yet we push against it anyway with childlike wonder and beauty and the renewing power of love that opens up to everyone. (www.whoismgmt.com)

Author Rating: 8.5/10