climbing to new lows (mgmt)
Good listen. This is their debut record, from a few years back, and it feels like a debut record- it feels like it was made by very young musicians. It's like they're still halfway through the search for their distinct sound, still leaning on influences- that simple '80s synth sound, harkening to Nintendo or, now and then, Depeche Mode.
Some of the tracks are a little too cutesy or too emo for my tastes (e.g. the frustrating case of "Grutu," a spectacular beat undercut by whiny, annoying vocals). However, some of the more mellow tracks are really perfect. "We Don't Care" makes for a smooth, synthetic closer, in parallel to the early, emotive track "We Care" (by the way, is the album supposed to be thematic? It didn't seem to be). My overall favorite song was "Hot Love Drama," a low, sexy groove of a song. "Honey Bunny" is a little obnoxious, lyrically, but the beat is really pleasant. "Money to Burn" has got a similar lowness and sexiness as "Hot Love Drama;" it's a good one but not quite as perfect- that alluring tickle of the synthesizer is missing.
I like them best when they're cool, collected and seductive. I think they drop a lot of the cutesiness and the emo flourishes in their second album, I'm looking forward to hearing it again.
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