"It's just like striking matches" is one of my favourite moments on this album, which, incidentally, is one of my favourite moments in music of all time.
When I first heard Congratulation I didn't really understand, I didn't really like it. Then after listening to it more and more I understood how good it was. It's a very good album, it has it's own style and the songs are all so refreshing.
As an old dude that grew up in the 70s and 80s, I still love a lot of 21st cent. bands. MGMT is one I have liked for years. Just here to say this should not shock the young millennials, this song and many of their song have a retro-sound. This is very 60s psychedelic pop. When I hear songs like this, I can't help but think of early Pink Floyd (60s Syd Barrett days).
Syd was simply part of the exposure of One Vibrational Consciousness. I guess I'm c.20yrs older than you (Pulling Rank, SIR ;). I spent my 'Youuuff' @ the Roundhouse and saw Syd, and shared a ciggie outside, many times with him, (& my mate, Pete Shotten's little brother, Dave, played tambourine on Hey Jude at Abbey Road). I unplugged many years ago... I am Syd. You are Syd. You are John L., I am John L.. We are ALL "One Vibrational Consciousness". You are MGMT. What's the Big deal. A child under 5yrs "dies" every 3 seconds of preventable poverty somewhere on what we/you call Planet Earth. Wake up... It's all a charade!! You are One Consciousness, formed at the moment of Creation (Scientific...not supernatural!). Enjoy the ride of momentary, depleting, bliss!! Grasp this and, like Neo in The Matrix, you can FLY!! You can... Don't be bound! unplug from MSM and "TV". Reality is you! Trust me. (n.b. My internet gets deleted 2x a week by UK Gov... Simply for exposing the charade (as above) ) Enjoy.... my limb. Enjoy. Truly let go and enjoy the eternal bliss of perpetual death, (& strive for good grammar).
For those who keep saying they are on drugs or they're not on drugs blah blah blah. You should actually check out their interviews from that era. One man who interviewed them had to this to say. "Perhaps predictably for a psych track, 'It's Working' is also about drugs. What's more curious, however, is that it's not about LSD. It's about all the ecstasy the boys regret gobbling up in the early throes of their success." Listen to the lyrics as well. "How will I know if it's working right?" As someone who has been in their shoes with ecstasy abuse this is very fitting. The visuals at the end also help this case with the fact that the machine swallows Andrew and Ben whole which is a pretty simple metaphor for addiction.
It SOUNDS like coming up on MDMA, the lyrics too, "it's working in your blood" "to the light, it's just like striking matches". I don't think the end of the video is about addiction but rather just come down.
such an underrated album... one of my all time favs. So many different styles of melodies and hooks mixed together. MGMT were like lets put out an album that is just fun, crazy and upbeat to listen to! with all sorts of different semi poppy melodies and strange eclectic lyrics that will drive our weird fanbase nuts ... You either LOVE or hate this album there is no grey area
This song's about how people say drugs free your mind and open you up to new things, but as you continue taking them, you become isolated from society and essentially put in a box
Here, you focus So I can see your faces The eyes are wrong How will I know if it's working right? Light confuses The tiny isles of bruises The mangled lines I see the signs of aging But if I try to feel at all I am deceived My mind's affected It's empty now As I lay down I feel alright My heart is racing Turn the noise on I'd like to feed my poison Assembly lines Carry a velvet warning To the yard It's just like striking matches The polish lies But it's working in your blood Which you know is not the same as love Love is only in your mind And not your heart No, it's working It's working in your blood Which you know is not the same as love Love is only in your mind and not your heart
Andrew has stated various times that this song is about over indulging in ecstasy or MDMA, which is crazy because when this album came out I was in the same confusing situation with the drug as depicted in the video.
Just now rediscovering Congratulations. Forgot how fantastic this album is. Such melodic psychedelic pop. This is some sweet Strawberry Alarm Clock sounds.
MGMT's music always brings me to tears and feeling so stripped away down to my core soul it's overwhelming asf. Fackkkk can't explain this feeling / experience
So weird but I think they're great, love their sound even though each song is different, I'm a huge sucker for cinematography & visuals with anything plus I like something I can dance to. The fact that the main guy is really cute is just a bonus.
..This song and { Isolation by The Impures ) are some of the only things getting me through the beginning of 2022. Times may be tough but everything going to be okay in the end. I hope everyone is doing well.
I think I get it- Andrew and Ben built this world of fame and music. It had girls and ice cream and everything they wanted. It was beautiful. But then it got to be too much, and it started closing in on them. They got trapped, and taken by people they didn't even know. Great song, and great album!!
Those of you talking shit about MGMT need to stop. If you don't like the videos, why watch? They are a great band that puts soul into their music and that's something that very few people do.
This, Of Moons Birds and Monsters, Apocalypse Dreams by Tame Impala, Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock - is there a name for songs like this with the psychedelic hippie/60's tambourine beat, and/or can anyone name any other songs like that?
There was a time when I was like nine and I just decided I didn't like rap and pop so I listened to country and rock because my dad plays it all the time. So I came across Jimmy Eat The World, Counting Crows, Nirvana and The White Stripes. And eventually these legends. I gotta go thank my old man for that.
I thought this band had died. I started listening to them back when Oracular Spectacular was around and fresh, loved Congratulations, and today I found out they released a new album in 2013. Time to rediscover them and bring back all those memories. Like Weezer said "they make me want to go back there".
@@quintonpillar I don't seem to remember The Beach Boys music being that psychedelic, unless you reffer to their later albums from the 70's which are somewhat psychedelic
This song is a roller coaster when your on acid. Gives me an odd feeling of comfort though? I never know if this band is being serious or fucking with me though. Not sure how to explain that lol
