Kids, They Always Come Back and They're Always Doing Something Different

If you've ever heard of MGMT, then you most likely know the song "Kids." What you probably don't know is that there is more than one version of the song; in fact, there is a version of "Kids" on each of the bands four releases. However the only difference in the versions on Oracular Spectacular and the We (don't) Care EP is production quality.

The four versions are (I'll refer to them as 1, 2, 3, and 4):
1. Kids (Oracular Spectacular)
2. Kids (We (don't) Care EP)
3. Kids (Time to Pretend EP)
4. Kids (Afterschool Dance Megamix) (Climbing to new Lows)

There are many interesting points we can bring up about this song. The first is the title: "Kids." I find this song to be a lot like kids actually. You never really know what kids are gonna do next, but they're always popping up in different ways. Not to imply that the songs are nearly spastic as children tend to be at times, but the four versions certainly do make an interesting set. Versions one and two are almost exactly the same aside from the production. Version three is also quite similar to the first two, save one section of the song, and version four is almost completely different. The first two would be like the kids wearing very similar outfits, the third would be the kid wearing something close, but the logo on the shirt is quite noticeably different. The fourth would be the one that decided to dress up as a fire-fighter for no reason.

All-in-all each version of this song has something different to offer, but why three different versions? Can we expect to see "Kids" on the next release? I can't really answer those questions with a concrete answer. However I can say that a track record of four out of four would lead me to think it's certainly possible. As far as why, there could be a multitude of reasons. Maybe they just like the song. Who knows.

So what do think? Let us know what you think of these different versions and if you think there'll be more to come.

Out of Print: MGMT (The Management) - "Climbing to New Lows" and "We (Don't) Care EP"

When people first hear of up-and-coming psychedelic rock band MGMT and decide to go buy an album by them, most of them go out to the store and pick up a copy of Oracular Spectacular, the band's "debut" album. While this album is the band's first major release and first release on Columbia records, their current label, it is not the band's first album and is far from their first release.

MGMT has actually been around for a few years now and Oracular Spectacular is their fourth release. The band's name comes from their old name The Management, under which they released their first EP and album in 2004 and 2005. Their discography also includes the Time To Pretend EP which was their first release as MGMT.

MGMT has come on to the scene and made a strong entrance with a psychedelic style that has an interesting take on the combination of electronic sounds, and the sounds of traditional instruments. Overall, their style is fairly innovative and not one that is normally heard on the mainstream level, which they are quickly breaking into. This is all fine and dandy, but what about their old material? Can we expect the same echoic and psychedelic sounds that we hear on Oracular Spectacular from the old stuff?

Put simply the answer is no.

When I first heard MGMT at this year's Bonnaroo I immediately went bought bought Oracular Spectacular and looked them up online. My search led me to some information that I think is crucial to understanding the transition from the old sound the their current one. MGMT did extensive touring with Of Montreal in support of the Time To Pretend EP. Based on their current sound this kind of makes sense, but when you consider their old sound it's like a hand fitting in a glove.

MGMT's original material under The Management sounds a lot like new Of Montreal actually. If you want a more concrete description, strip off all the live instrument's and a lot of the vocal harmonies. What you're left with is a lot of keyboard samples and some odd lyrics that create some incredible songs. The material I'm referring to can be found on the band's first release: the We (don't) Care EP and the band's first album: Climbing To New Lows.

While I have implied that the MGMT's current material is a drastic departure from their earlier stuff, this is not uniformly true. A precious few of the songs off of their old releases such as "We Care," "Love Always Remains," and even the version of "Kids" that is found on the We (don't) Care EP sound like they could be on Oracular Spectacular, in fact this version ok "Kids" is on Oracular Spectacular. Most of the songs are either drastically different, like "We Don't Care" and "Everything's Happenin' So Fast," or are transitional between the old and new styles, like "The Kids Quartet." Hints of this older sound can be heard on the Time To Pretend EP in songs like "Destrokk."

This older material is a window into the evolution of this increasingly popular band. A complete review of the their catalog really gives you a feel of where this new sound came from and how it began.

Take a listen and see what you think:
Climbing To New Lows
We (don't) Care EP