Alien Days, the latest album release by psychedelic rock band MGMT, is a brand new collaboration of electric sound waves. Created by lead band members Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, Alien Days goes beyond the normalities of 21st century music. They do a stellar job of mixing bizarre darkness with an unexplainable eccentricity. Incorporating style from their first three albums, and also brings about a new experience. When listening to songs such as “Cool Song No. 2” and “I Love You Too, Death,” one takes a dreamy ride to an alternate universe, filled with static and mystical creatures. Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser also express a lively energy with ballads including, “Your Life Is A Lie” and “Plenty Of Girls In The Sea.”

All these feelings were recently experienced by Cannon Falls students Josh Geiken, Molly Thomforde, Logan Olson, Carter Shades, and Hunter Blakeslee, who ventured to Minneapolis for MGMT’s live concert at First Ave. To us, the concert was mysterious and surreal, being only feet away from the stage. As Hunter descriptively put it, “I felt warm and in-tune with my inner being.” Along with hearing their debut album Alien Days, the students could also hear some of their magnificent oldies like “Of Moons, Birds, And Monster” and “Pieces Of What” from MGMT’s 2007 album, “Oracular Spectacular.”

MGMT has craftily created magical stories through their songs and lyrics, and continues to do so in their newest album. Music lovers should open their ears to a different sound, and explore Alien Days.