boner4mgmt: part four, 2006-2008 + bonus.

Welcome back to BONER4MGMT. If you're just joining us, you can catch up by checking out the last three posts about 2003, 2004, and 2005. I decided to combine the following three years into one post for two simple reasons. First, between 2006 to 2008, I slowly watched the band MGMT grow into something I never expected when I first heard them five years ago as The Management. Between tracks from Oracular Spectacular, Immuzikation's mash-ups with Daft Punk & LCD Soundsystem, remixes by Justice & MMMathais & Leif & J-La & Tronik Youth & Jorge Elbrecht & Amplive, and their own remixes of The Black Kids & Chairlift, the band maintains a consistent presence in the upper ranks of Hype Machine's Most Blogged & Most Searched Artists. Which leads me to my second reason, being that I'd like to take a break from contributing to the over-saturation of MGMT on the interwebs. I'd like to focus on bands, musicians, and DJs who actually need some extra attention. Other blogs will give you your MGMT fix, and I'm pretty sure this post will be a substantial contribution to the world of your MGMT obsession...

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Various versions of "Kids" have been posted on other blogs, but I've realized that no one has ever included all versions in one post. This post is purely for educational purposes, because studying MGMT is probably more interesting than studying the metaphysics of objectivity. Probably.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Kids (YSI)]]
(original version, circa 2003)

As indicated in my first edition of BONER4MGMT, this was the first song I ever heard by The Management. Yes, back then they were The Management. This version is synthier, lazier, and dominated four years of my life. It's basically what you'd expect from two kids who started a band in their dorm room, only substantially more awesome. I still prefer this over any version. Well, actually I prefer this one...

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Kids (Afterschool Dance Megamix) (YSI)]]
(circa 2003)

Generally, I prefer songs that are shorter. But the extra minute of the "Afterschool Dance Megamix", mostly an instrumental break, provided a great point in the song to stop singing along and start moving deliciously before delicious movement was cool.

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[[dl: MGMT - Kids (YSI)]]
(Time To Pretend EP, 2005)

I remember a conversation I had with my friend Collin a little over a year and a half ago. We had a minor quarrel over which version of "Kids" was the best---the original or the version on the Time To Pretend EP. You can probably guess which side I was on, solely by looking above. Collin argued that the EP's version was superior because MGMT sounded "like they're going places." When he said this, I don't think he knew how prophetic his words would be. At the point of this conversation, I believe MGMT had just been signed to Columbia Records (after Steve Lillywhite and Three Six Mafia (!!??) flipped a shit upon hearing their demo). This version was released by Cantora Records in 2005, back when the only band they represented was MGMT.

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[[dl: MGMT - Kids (YSI)]]
(Oracular Spectacular, 2007)

The sounds on Oracular Spectacular are bigger than anything previously recorded by MGMT, which is to be expected from a major label debut, eh? This shit is drastic like when Tyra Banks decides to cut off all of some girl's hair on ANTM and that girl cries like a motherfucker, only with less crying.

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Also, compare both versions of "Time To Pretend":

[[dl: MGMT - Time To Pretend (YSI)]]
(Time To Pretend EP, 2005)

[[dl: MGMT - Time To Pretend (YSI)]]
(Oracular Spectacular, 2007)

This is the sound of a band that is going places, a band that is continuing to grow. Quite frankly, it makes me uncomfortable. I remember making a mix CD for a party with my friends back at home. I put on "Kids", hoping that they'd lap it up as much as anyone at Wesleyan, but instead their reaction was more along the lines of, "What the fuck is this?" Flash forward eight years, and MGMT are playing on the season finale of Gossip Girl. Blair Waldorf totally wouldn't even listen to The Management, though I bet she might listen to MGMT. But that's not my issue! I don't care if they "sold out". I don't care if they're "over-hyped". I don't care if they just "sound okay and look kute". It sounds childish, but I have difficulty sharing the band with the world. They were like my own little secret. Before, it was just typical to say that you liked MGMT if you went to Wesleyan University. Now, it's just generally typical to say you like MGMT. ::sigh::

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Obnoxious rants aside, many of you have requested more unreleased/rare songs from MGMT. Considering that I don't imagine dropping these songs onto the internet will necessarily harm the band, I don't feel unethical sharing them.

[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Love Always Remains (YSI)]]
(We (Don't) Care EP, circa 2003)

Other than "Kids", the only other song that survived from the era of The Management to the era of MGMT is "Love Always Remains". It appears on the Time To Pretend EP, but unlike "Kids" it did not make it onto Oracular Spectacular. The EP's version has a fuller sound than this one, so...um, buy the EP!

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Everything Is Happening So Fast (YSI)]]
(We (Don't) Care EP, circa 2003)

This song, along with the EP's two title tracks and "Just Becuz", was not fortunate enough to survive into the era of MGMT. It's admittedly not my favorite tune, but I do have a soft spot for that bouncy cartoonish feel.

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Honey Bunny (YSI)]]

(Bootlegs Muthafuckas, circa 2003)

I never got into "Honey Bunny", but after listening to it the past couple of days, I found myself tapping my foot and singing the lyrics in a public bathroom today..."Fucking weasel you've lost your touch, Skinny as hell but it's not enough, Life is a mineshaft of love, But don't dig too deep." I really hope no one heard me singing that.

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[[dl: THE MANAGEMENT (MGMT) - Portia Sloan (YSI)]]

(Bootlegs Muthafuckas, circa 2003)

I still don't get into this song, but I think it's a good indication of the weird thoughts that go through the minds of dear ol' Andrew and Ben. If four-winged dinosaurs are your thing, maybe you can get down to this?

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THE END, MUTHAFUCKAS.
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