Congratulations

Three years after their 2007 debut, MGMT subtly reinvent themselves. Congratulations still bursts with colour, but the antic edges have been sanded down—well, save for the garage-rock freak-out of “Brian Eno”, a hyperactive tribute to the ambient icon. “It’s Working” crisply revamps Phil Spector’s wall of sound; “Song for Dan Treacy” plays nimble cat-and-mouse with ‘60s organ and falsetto vocals. “Congratulations” wraps up with a wry take on the perils of stardom—the spiritual flip side to their debut’s fanciful “Time to Pretend”.