While widely known for breakthrough pop songs off their first album, MGMT’s most recent output continues to shun mainstream pop in favor of the experimental style they pursued on “Congratulations,” but “MGMT” meanders when it needs to focus. The album opens strongly with rewarding songs like “Alien Days” and a cover of Faine Jade’s “Introspection,” but it loses focus and any semblance of progression with formless songs on the latter half of the album. MGMT shows that they still have the potential to construct solid psych–pop songs, but their third album does not do enough to prove that they are actually capable of it. MGMT’s self–titled album is their third with Columbia Records and their strangest yet.
Grade: C+ Download: “Introspection” Sounds Best when: You can’t decide what to major in and you want some confused company
