REVIEW: MGMT - LOSS OF LIFE

4/5

Love and Loss.

It's no longer time to pretend. The fifth album from psychedelic synth pop act MGMT is here. And with a 'Loss Of Life', it's all change for the 'Oracular Spectacular' legend's first release since the smartphone checking live album '11.11.11' of 2022. For one, the French icon of Christine and the Queens appears on the delightful 'Dancing In Babylon', marking the first guest appearance featuring on an album from collaborators Andrew VanWyngarden and Benjamin Goldwasser. 'Congratulations', Chris. Their first album on the new Mom + Pop label is also their first studio one in six years since the 'Little Dark Age' of 2018 and what a return it is. Marked by the sweet singles (like the latest with the Queens), 'Mother Nature', 'Bubblegum Dog' and 'Nothing To Declare', across the airport in a music video starring YouTube inspiration Inga Petry. 

Rocking on the horse of a classic album cover, it's actually the 'Love and Loss' title-track(s) in both their parts (the second starting and setting everything off) that really hit home now the duo are back where they belong. Channelling indie rock and even Britpop in an Oasis of a Blur, MGMT still know how to push the envelope, even though, in this post Empire Of The Sun age, where they now seem like a throwback akin to The Strokes, they aren't dressing up like they're about to drop all sorts at Woodstock. The test pressing of this "elf of soils" with a Warhol like banana on top is art, just when you thought these two were going to split and part. "LOL", this anagram really does cook for the fans on Insta who know what we're talking about. The pair, proud of what they dub a, "relatively painless birth after a lengthy gestation period", are pregnant with pure sounds for an immaculate conception. 'People In The Streets' can see and hear the highlight that graffities lyrics like, "Life keeps on going/Showing you things that you can't unsee/In the sense of unknowing why/Anything happens to be/And just as the sun comes out again/Something is blocking the light/But it's alright/The inside's still glowing/Telling the heart what it wants to hear/But what if it's only lies/Twisted apart by fear?" What if indeed, in this perplexed day and age in need of the natural high, Goldwasser and VanWyngarden bring in the gold of their Eden.

Nothing to declare? Well, 'Nothing Changes' they say in words that may actually do that to you if you haven't experienced loss and life's wounds yet. "This is what the birds must have been squawking about/Right before the dream was ending/And maybe you'd have heard if you'd stopped f###### around/When it was time to stop pretending." We told 'The Youth', the time for pretending was over. Well kids, here you have it. It's been a long time since that Patrick Wimberly produced 'Electric Feel', but it's still in there somewhere, and he is too, manning the boards for that sonic studio sound. From 'Phradie's Song' to the title track classic closer that bookends this second-career breakthrough as successful as the 2022 comeback album from the similar sounding, same vein The Mars Volta. Attacking sounds in space and time, 'I Wish I Was Joking' when I said these lines will stay with you down your own one. But when you hear "Half of love is still love/You beg the dawn to ease you in/Pass the time a thousand ways/In the dump, you'll find love/Half the time, I feel sad/And any kind of love will do/But it’s a job, don't know if that's the dream/In a style that’s insincere" you may not look at life the same way again. As we treat love like a ghost that slow fades out like a track on your old CDs, and life like something to swipe past on to the next. But in the same track that references 'Disney On Ice' (who saw that coming?), they tell us, "Here's the thing about drugs/They'll sink your mind and steal your friends," this is the loss the partnership were referring to. The purple haze may have gone to a sombre black tone, but this album is seriously good. Just like life, if you treat it as such. In all its beauty and brutality. For at the end of this dark night, an electric day will rise again. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Dancing In Babylon (Feat. Christine and the Queens)', 'People In The Streets', 'Nothing Changes'.

REVIEW: USHER - COMING HOME

3.5/5

Homecoming King.

Usher is about to touchdown like Taylor in Tokyo for this weekend's Superbowl Halftime Show, with Travis watching. But first he had a bombshell to drop with NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, whose show is the new place to go if you want to quarterback some controversy. Diddy. Pharrell. Jay-Z. Usher was on the phone with this big-three like Miami, trying to Voltron form a supergroup for the ages. Now, how epic would have that been? Almost as epic as the Hail Mary he's going to throw this weekend with the likes of 'Boo' Alicia Keys, fellow former child-star turned superstar singer Justin Bieber and Lil Jon (YEAH!) amongst others set to perform with the rightful king of R&B ushering in the best collaboration since Bruno brought out the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Our money's also on Jungkook of BTS. His smash single 'Standing Next To You' is remixed for a beautiful bonus on Usher Raymond's new album 'Coming Home'. The perfect precursor to this weekend's festivities.

It's almost been a decade since the '8701' legend's, who can recreate 'My Way' like it was yesterday, last album was 'Hard II Love'. In that time we've met some seriously good singles, like 'Good Kisser' and 'Don't Waste My Time' that over time have sadly now met the cutting room floor. We're still waiting on more of his 'Confessions' too with super producer Jermaine Dupri for one seriously sought after sequel on the 20th anniversary of a diamond album that did a million and change in one week (that never happens now, unless you're Adele).. Although we did get the 'A' of a Zaytoven collabo album a few years back that snapped. Now for Atlanta, and something else as he eats, the Raymond that everybody loves is holding a peach behind his back to tease his new muscled up album. There are strong singles like the Summer Walker and 21 Savage assisted 'Good Good'. And the lyrical play on themes for the devoted 'Ruin', or the long goodbye with intermissions of the latest 'Kissing Strangers'. If that wasn't enough to whet your appetite, the "peace up, A-town down" singer also drops a crazy sample Nicki Minaj would be proud of in the 'Uptown Girl' riffing 'A-Town' girl with Latto. Genius loves interpolating company.

But super size me this. If you've ever wondered what Usher orders when he's shown his seat in McDonald's (they don't do that?), worry no more. As the Tom Hanks hero shouting out 'Big' answers all that with a play on words. Spoiler alert, it's not a small, and those sandwiches he's talking about might require a few more napkins when he's finished at the table. Tongue in cheek aside, Usher runs for yards on his new album that is about to set up a showstopper. His first album in eight years is his ninth wonder like the producer and his best since he played versus with himself...because face it, few others could go toe-to-toe. Ain't that right Trousersnake? Burna Boy features on the opening album title-track that sings, "Just put me on the right road/Make I run like Usain Bolt/Feel like I'm not even close, ooh,/I'm lost (Ooh-ooh)/Lost in the world (Ooh-ooh)/Like I been searchin', searchin' 'til the kingdom come (Ooh-ooh)". Whilst The-Dream makes a 'Cold Blooded' appearance like Pheelz ('Ruin)'. But standing next to 'Standing Next To You', 'Risk It All' from the soundtrack to 'The Color Purple' with star H.E.R. bolsters this project with even more to help it reign for the one-time prince of this ish. 

'I Am The Party', Usher declares, however when he goes at it alone with choice cuts like 'Luckiest Man' and the penultimate 'One Of Them Ones'. 'Margiela', 'Bop', 'Stone Kold Freak', there's enough new bangers to turn this halftime show into a full concert before Usher Raymond brings out his classics (and how they remind you), let alone the special guests. But on tracks like 'I Love U' ("Why you lookin' so surprised?/Girl, you know you got me/See it in my eyes/How could you doubt me?/It's only in your mind, it's more than a night thing/And you got me high/Catch me, I'm falling") and 'Please U' he knows how to bring the albums back in this Spotify streaming age that snaps quicker than a smartphone chat. Nothing is just 'On The Side' in this 'Room In A Room', like the legend and ATL icon like his symbol chain says as he 'Keep(s) On Dancin'', "I admit breaking up is easier than commitment/But I don't want that for us/Our love is strong enough to never have an ending." Dearly devoted, you ain't seen nothing yet. The party is only getting started. Just wait until the weekend. Here comes the boom of the A-town stomp. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Good Good (Feat. Summer Walker & 21 Savage)', 'A-Town Girl (Feat. Latto)', 'Big'.