LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
DFA/Capitol; 2007
Rating: 8.7
Here’s this – I’m a white guy & I can’t dance. Oh, one of the benefits of being a musician is that you have rhythm, but that doesn’t mean that I can move my body well and do so in time with the music in a way that’s pleasing to the eye (especially to the female eye). Nevertheless, whether it’s bouncing, shaking, shimmying, or just playing some invisible instrument in the air (it doesn’t matter which one, so take your pick), I do like music that makes me move. And this, in the end, means that I like danceable music, regardless of what style it might be, no matter that it might the infectious hooks of Justin Timberlake, the sonic superiority of Kraftwerk, the analog audio artistry of Joy Electric, or the sassy sounds of Lily Allen. So, while I might not be able to dance nowhere near as well as my friend/roommate/landlord who’s a DJ, I like coming across albums that make me wish I could tear up a dance floor.
So, when I first came across James Murphy’s inherent ability to create a ridiculously catchy beat without sinking to making a simple four-on-the-floor dance track, I was quite amazed at how LCD Soundsystem became so popular, so quickly. The eponymous 2005 release received rave reviews from the typically dance-phobic music community as the album and its lead single “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House†both received Grammys in 2005. It seemed that everyone had finally rid their systems of all of their hate for folks like Moby and realized that dance music still has musical value!
But where things took a turn for the surreal was when Nike commissioned Mr. Murphy to record a single-track album in 2005. Entitled 45:33, the album was designed to be downloaded from iTunes for people to play as they worked out. It’s not that dance music, with its driving, steady beats, isn’t an understandable choice for exercise routines, but more that it’s quite curious that Nike would choose such an aural auteur to create music for their consumer base. Granted, Nike could have been trying to carve out some space for itself in the normally lethargic, music-savvy, hipster demographic. But seriously now – do you usually equate high-quality dance pop with 90-minute lifting & jogging regimens at the local gym? I didn’t think so…
Nevertheless, the Nike weirdness aside, LCD Soundsystem returned triumphantly to the music scene with the release of Sound of Silver, an album overflowing with snarky, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, solid beats, and a penchant for making people want to shake their asses. What better reason is there for wanting to make intelligent dance music? Murphy takes some samples, a live drum kit (it’s vintage Gretsch!), a few synthesizers, a collection of well-crafted guitar licks, and the intense ability to make accessible songs that raises the musical acumen of the people listening and dancing. By rejecting the trappings and clichés of standard club fare, LCD Soundsystem has created floor-filling music that’s actually worth dancing to.
Thus, with tracks like the lead single “North American Scum†or tracks like “Watch the Tapes,†there are plenty of chances to sing along (making them great selections for clubs). However, it’s the middle third of Sound of Silver that is the true heart as “Someone Great,†“All My Friends,†& “Us V Them†all pulse with an electricity, energy, and vigorous authenticity that are rarely found in dance music. LCD Soundsystem has simply found and filled a niche that’s all their own – music that makes you want to move (and move a lot) without dumbing you down with tiring, annoying, repetitive beat-making. Sure, there are times when a pattern/sample runs a bit too long, but I’d rather listen to Murphy’s over-indulgence than turn on the radio and poison my ears with the latest track from some actress, heiress, or girl’s-pants-wearing whiny male. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go turn up my stereo and dance around my living room for awhile and, if you’re smart, you’ll join me. You can’t be any worse than I am…