After the Mind

Whether or not you agree with a Jungian interpretation of the human psyche it can be an interesting lens through which to view the world. The idea of individuation permeates the modern American zeitgeist. There is a strong cultural emphasis placed on defining one's self from the inside out. In my opinion this has in part led to the current fascination with the libertarian ideal of self sufficiency that molds the at times extremist rhetoric of those on the right side of the political spectrum. The inevitable failure of many who practice and believe this paradigm has lead to a trivialization of the concept of metanoia. The concept of mid-life crises has been so engrained into our understanding of personal discovery and progression that it has become expected. The disconnect lies in the resolution of these cases of metanoia; it is not always something that can be accomplished alone. In a culture that places individuality above all other forms of identification, those who are unable to find themselves without help are seen as fundamentally flawed.

Personally, I despise this idea. What we consider to be a "modern human" is in fact genetically identical to the humans that practiced a tribal lifestyle for thousands (if not millions) of years. The idea that we should define ourselves solely from within ignores the basic human need to belong. We have a instinctual desire to group ourselves with those that have similar interests, come from similar backgrounds, and believe in similar ideas. The focus on individuality and individuation has led to a perversion of human nature; we are a tribal animal. We are not panthers, we are not snakes, we do not have the capacity to go it alone. We require the support of others and work best in groups.

Consequently, we ignore those in our society who struggle with metanoia. We feel them to be deserving of their plight. There is a term for this idea, something like the Deserving Victim. The poor are poor because they are lazy. The rape victim deserved it, look at the clothes they were wearing. Conversely, we see those who have accomplished a sense of individuation as superior. The rich are rich because they work hard etc. We seem somewhere along our path to have lost the essential sense of tribal community that has defined the human psyche since its original formation. We are, in essence, hairless tribal apes.

MGMT's opus titled "Metanoia" explores some of these concepts. Originally released as the B side to "Time to Pretend," it was reissued as a 10" vinyl in mid August, 2008 as a limited run of 1,050.

MGMT - Metanoia

http://www.discogs.com/MGMT-Metanoia/release/1432339

This 10" popped up on the distributors site at work one day so I threw one in the cart. At the time, MGMT was exploding into the mainstream. They were everywhere, TV commercials, movies, late night talk shows. Frankly, I was getting burned out. Electric Feel began to inspire a deep rage within me. When the 10" arrived, I was excited to hear something from them that was not widely available and had not been droned into the depths of my consciousness.



The front of the album jacket features a caricaturesque portrait of Carl Jung. He signals a time out with his hands and his wardrobe sets him up to be our mystic referee for the album. The styling is all black and white. It is an interesting analogue to the strictly defined nature of Jungian psychology.




The back of the jacket continues the stark, minimalist motif. It focuses on a ticket to the show with the words "HELP ME!" inked above. The artwork also displays nearly nude drawing of Wyngarden and Goldwasser, their genitals covered with money. Freud would likely have some phallic interpretation of this, however it is beyond my analytical skills at this time in the morning, give me a couple more cups of coffee and I'll make a stab at it.




The B side of the album is etched with a depiction of a referee's whistle. This continues the theme of metanoia, taking a time out to rebuild and rebirth one's pysche. I love etched artwork in vinyl and though this example is fairly simple it is cool as hell.




The interior of the jacket is awash in technocoloric spectrum of color. It suggest that all is not black and white within our minds. It is definitely my favorite part of the packaging on this album. As a whole, the presentation of this vinyl is superb. It fits the thematic elements of the album very well.

The sound quality of this album is excellent, I have zero complaints in that regard. Musically Metanoia flits back and forth between glistening pysch-pop and cacophonic punk. Bursting at the seams with phased synthesizer, it is a really good biopic of MGMT's musical sensibilities. In fact, Metanoia is my favorite recording offered by the group.

Though lyrically obtuse, one can glean a certain sense of Andrew and Ben's struggles with Metanoia. They seems to struggle with their new found fame and the lyrics reflect that struggle. They seek rebirth through the teachings of Satchidananda. They apologize to the referee Jung, and promise to return to his earthly interpretations after attaining enlightenment. The album concludes in a melancholy fashion. They are left alone, and we are left wondering if they have attained a sense of individuation.

I really enjoy this song. It encompasses the motivations and stylings of pre-Congratulations MGMT. I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of their musical preferences. However, the vinyl version is exceptionally difficult to locate. I have seen it valued anywhere between $30 and $60. That price point is a little high for just under fifteen minutes of music. So if you can find a copy of the song on another medium, go for it. The vinyl release came with a download card, so I'm sure there are some copies floating around out there. I would suggest hoisting your sails and pointing your sextant to the nearest bay of pirates, there is bound to be some booty drifting along the currents.