LCD Soundsystem: The Best Album This Year So Far?

LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem
DFA
4 out of 5

Some music lovers have called James Murphy the coolest man on the planet. Props are deserved for any man who gave up a chance to write for “Seinfeld” in the early 90’s in order toil in indie rock obscurity with bands like Pony and Speedking. Flash to a decade later, Mr. Murphy has been the man heading the collaborative remix team/ uber-hip record label DFA along with cohort Tim Goldsworthy. Their magic has infused hits of some of indie rocks most popular rhythmic ensembles, most notably The Rapture, Junior Senior, and N.E.R.D. LCD Soundsystem can be considered their personal pet project.

The humorous “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” is an early favorite for the most infectious song of the year. Last year, that award went out a little too much from me. Nominees ranged from The Rapture’s “House of Jealous Lovers” to Franz Ferdinand’s “Tell Her Tonight,” to Modest Mouse's “Float On” to THe King of Convenience’s “I’d Rather Dance with You.”

“Daft Punk…” is a groovy cut that describes in first person the exuberance surrounding an upcoming concert and obligatory party. The song’s title is also its excellent hook to the track being complimented by Murphy’s continued insistence that “you’ve got to set them up Ooh Ooh yeaa.” The track is full of true joy for music that is not seen enough, even though hearing the song is probably better than actually having Daft Punk play at your house.

An outside chance of capturing the above-mentioned award goes to the kooky, funk fest that is “Disco Infiltrator.” With MC Murphy delivered lyrics and a perfectly timed sample of a shrieking crowd, a concoction of elements are employed to get the rump shaking and the mouth screaming along.

Even when they shift gears into more standard guitar sounding fare in tracks like “Tribulations” and the rockout of “Movement,” the momentum keeps on building. If there is any complaint about the album, it’s the weak closing track. “Great Release” allows the album to fade away in a bit of a lull. Put the album on repeat so you can go through the whole experience again.

Regardless of my propensity to truly despise dance-laden beats, resisting the charms of this work is impossible. The problem is usually the reliance over repetitive beats and ludicrous lyrics but LCD Soundsystem adds all the right elements to each track, and match the levels of excellence of recent efforts like like !!!’s Louder Than Bombs, and The Rapture’s
Echoes.

As a tasty, little treat, the album comes with a second disc of singles the band has released over the past year leading up to this release; a couple of interesting b-sides and remixes to make an all-encompassing anthology of the relatively recent evolution of LCD.

LCD Soundsystem is an amalgamation, grabbing influences from The Fall, Gang Of Four and other post-punk dance laden music. Murphy is witty with his words and has an uncanny ability to match his wit with complimentary beats making LCD Soundsystem an instantly contagious entity. Track for track, this debut LP matches the best dance-indie rock albums in recent memory.