 | LCD Soundsystem |
LCD Soundsystem (AKA James Murphy) released a couple of monster albums last decade that were practically idolized by both critics and fans alike, and he saw his popularity and awareness by the mainstream rocket up with the excellent Sound of Silver. This is Happening does not miss much of a beat from where SOS left off, continuing the trend of ultra catchy, beat-driven songs mixed with some goofier, but still excellent countershots. Perhaps the most self-aware, or perhaps just road weary album he has made, what you get is unmistakably LCD Soundsystem and undeniably excellent.
As with any album by a beloved artist, the first time you put the record on and begin listening to the first track, curiosity abounds. You wonder if this record can live up to the hype and come close to the previous efforts. This Is Happening begins with the slow beat of Dance Yrself Clean, which starts very unassumingly, but at the 3:07 mark, the song absolutely explodes and provides a good indication of the furiousness which pervades the remainder of the album.
I’ve always thought of LCD Soundsystem as a kind of….very awesome Talking Heads. Listen to One Touch, and I Can Change and it is readily apparent why. The retro drum machines with the synths evoke Talking Heads in a big way, but it really works. Murphy also has a tendency to have a couple of slightly goofily lyricized songs, and Drunk Girls and Pow Pow definitely fit that bill. Both are pretty good songs, but the lyrics have a very tounge in cheek quality and can be pretty outright funny at times (“We have a black president and you do not, so shut up.”) I think this would detract for the songs if the underlying music wasn’t simply so very strong.
I alluded to this earlier, but this album seems to be very self aware about Murphy’s fame and position in life that he has achieved. Drunk Girls, Somebody’s Calling Me and You Wanted a Hit seem to be more about what he observes and experiences from being a famous artist rather than the usual mopey lyrics about falling in love (or whatever other artists write about). It’s kind of akin to The Hold Steady’s last album, Stay Positive, in that it seems to be a commentary about his fame at times more than anything, and interspaced in these songs is a definite feeling that he has possibly seen a bit too much as a result of his LCD Soundsystem alter ego.
All in all this album grooves in a very cool way, just as you’d expect an LCD Soundsystem album to go. Even on the bizarrely sung Pow Pow, the underlying drums and bass will keep the kids moving over the entire 8:25 length. Sometimes the album slips into a more traditional song structure type, as in All I Want, goes into the disjointed yet groov-y extreme on Pow Pow, and can blend it both (Dance Yrself Clean, You Wanted a Hit). Make no mistake, this is an extremely catchy dance rock record, but doesn’t suffer from a lack of depth or creativity. I marvel, at times, about the layers of sound Murphy uses in many of these songs, and how he shifts the effects on the sound elements back and forth with total ease and mastery. Never a dull moment, this album is another standout LCD Soundsystem record.
LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean – From This Is Happening (CD, Vinyl, MP3, iTunes)
LCD Soundsystem – Home – From This Is Happening (CD, Vinyl, MP3, iTunes)
