MGMT: LateNightTales

Label: Night Time Stories

A gas. Some may ask what the purpose is of these strange LateNightTales compilations, since they are nothing more than mixtapes from high-profile bands and musicians, but when they are put together as seamlessly as this one, only a churl would complain. MGMT’s contribution to this esteemed series features a delightful mix of psych folk, avant rock and Brit-centric post-punk, beautifully strung together in 20 tracks totaling 80 minutes of great music. This is a great way for MGMT fans to discover the artists who influenced the band, from Suicide to Television Personalities to Mark Fry and the Chills. (Also: a new MGMT song.) Of course we also get the Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3, but some of those bands' lesser-known tracks (an outtake version of “Ocean” and “Lord Can You Hear Me?”). And the transition from Durutti Column to Charlie Feathers is perfection.