Siberian Breaks
Encyclopedia
"Siberian Breaks" is a song released by psychedelic rock
band MGMT
on their second studio album, Congratulations
. It is the longest track on the album and MGMT's second longest song to date, clocking in a minute and a half behind "Metanoia
." Andrew VanWyngarden
has said that Siberian Breaks is his favorite song on the album.
For Record Store Day
, the band released a limited-edition 12" blue marble vinyl single featuring the full 12-minute album version of "Siberian Breaks" on side A, with side B featuring a special etched design. There were 2000 copies pressed and it is said to be the "perfect companion piece to the album".
VanWyngarden says of the song, "It's kind of like eight different songs strung together into one, and the general theme is about surfing in the Arctic Circle by Russia."
Sonic Boom
commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "A Pop Surf Opera, after the storm, the loss of Ego. Brakers on the Beach. Hangin Ten with the Hodads. Distraction. The Sandy Smiles as the Sun Squints its way. A new day. Cleansed. Ready. Surf's Up! Piss or pass the Pot."
"It’s almost unfair to discuss Siberian Breaks in a track-by-track review because it feels like more than one track. In 12 minutes, it carries out the promises made by Flash Delirium
and changes shape constantly and without warning.
Andrew Vanwyngarden has said Siberian Breaks is about eight different songs strung together - and listening to it again, eight might be underestimating things.
The song begins in the same folkadelic territory as Song For Dan Treacy but steadfastly refuses to stay put. Over its full course, Siberian Breaks grows to accommodate distorting synthesizers, stadium-sized drums and a change of time signature.
It passes through a shimmering synthtopia to a powerful glam chorus (of sorts) and finally runs out of steam in an ambient delirium of bleeping synths.
The sections sometimes blend seamlessly together and sometimes jar uncomfortably but you have to admire the ambition of this rag-tag monolith."
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
on their second studio album, Congratulations
Congratulations (album)
The album received mostly positive reviews upon its release, and a 72/100 metascore at Metacritic, based upon 39 reviews. Pitchfork Media deemed the album "audacious, ambitious, and a little fried." NME got a first listen of the album and described it as a mix of "frenetic, brief psych nuggets......
. It is the longest track on the album and MGMT's second longest song to date, clocking in a minute and a half behind "Metanoia
Metanoia (song)
"Metanoia" is the special limited edition single release that was originally a b-side on MGMT's debut CD single "Time to Pretend". It was released August 18, 2008, available in 10" etched vinyl....
." Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew VanWyngarden is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that sounds as if it were filtered through a kaleidoscope"...
has said that Siberian Breaks is his favorite song on the album.
For Record Store Day
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...
, the band released a limited-edition 12" blue marble vinyl single featuring the full 12-minute album version of "Siberian Breaks" on side A, with side B featuring a special etched design. There were 2000 copies pressed and it is said to be the "perfect companion piece to the album".
VanWyngarden says of the song, "It's kind of like eight different songs strung together into one, and the general theme is about surfing in the Arctic Circle by Russia."
Sonic Boom
Peter Kember
Peter Kember is a British musician and producer, more usually known as Sonic Boom, and was a founding member of alternative rock band Spacemen 3....
commentary of the track, before the Congratulations sessions at the Blanker Unsinn Studio on 2010: "A Pop Surf Opera, after the storm, the loss of Ego. Brakers on the Beach. Hangin Ten with the Hodads. Distraction. The Sandy Smiles as the Sun Squints its way. A new day. Cleansed. Ready. Surf's Up! Piss or pass the Pot."
Reception
"...One of which is 'Siberian Breaks', MGMT's most ambitious undertaking yet. Just over 12 minutes long, 'Siberian Breaks' starts off in breezy MOR fashion, gentle harmonies giving it a 70s Todd Rundgren-vibe. Soon, though, they're ramping up the reverb, 'Siberian Breaks' taking its first left turn after 2 minutes, veering into a quietly seething stomp and then turning into a different song entirely 4 minutes in, resembling the Twin Peaks soundtrack if Jason Pierce got his valium-stained mitts on it. Next, airy, atmospheric keyboards lead it out of the hazy wilderness before the chorus (well, sort of) comes booming in at around 8 minutes. But hold on – we ain't finished yet, or rather 'Siberian Breaks' isn't – just when you think the whole thing is about to peter out 10 minutes in (IDIOT!), in comes bleeping, starry-eyed synths, twinkling like the intro to Radiohead's 'Let Down' and lending 'Siberian Breaks' a suitably cosmic finale. MGMT tried out a 14-minute song on 'Oracular…' b-side 'Metanoia'""It’s almost unfair to discuss Siberian Breaks in a track-by-track review because it feels like more than one track. In 12 minutes, it carries out the promises made by Flash Delirium
Flash Delirium
"Flash Delirium" is a song released by the American psychedelic rock band MGMT on their second album Congratulations. It was the first single to be released from the album and was originally referred to as a "taster" before the band abandoned their original plan to not release any singles from...
and changes shape constantly and without warning.
Andrew Vanwyngarden has said Siberian Breaks is about eight different songs strung together - and listening to it again, eight might be underestimating things.
The song begins in the same folkadelic territory as Song For Dan Treacy but steadfastly refuses to stay put. Over its full course, Siberian Breaks grows to accommodate distorting synthesizers, stadium-sized drums and a change of time signature.
It passes through a shimmering synthtopia to a powerful glam chorus (of sorts) and finally runs out of steam in an ambient delirium of bleeping synths.
The sections sometimes blend seamlessly together and sometimes jar uncomfortably but you have to admire the ambition of this rag-tag monolith."