This is Happening...

Here's a pair of reviews I did recently for an assignment. The aim was to try and review anything (an album, gig, film or whatever) in two different styles. I decided to review the new LCD Soundsystem album, "This Is Happening". I chose to do a more in-depth track-by-track review for my first piece, and for my second piece I took more of a "history of..." approach.

The shit thing about it was the small word count, but hey.

Here's the first:

New York-based musician/producer/DJ James Murphy’s project, LCD Soundsystem, deliver their third (and final?) LP entitled “This Is Happening”, and it’s safe to say that they will be remembered for years to come. The album opens with the amazing “Dance Yrself Clean”, which lures the listener into a false sense of security with its soft and mellow intro, before slapping them full-on in the face with an electro freak-out that lasts for another 6 minutes. Murphy’s vocals range from gentle croons to insane screams, resulting in a song that sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before.

After a slightly unconventional start, the album then twists and turns, evolving into a genre-defying collection of 5-9 minute long songs that could only be produced by self-confessed music geek James Murphy. The single of the album is undeniably “Drunk Girls”, a fast-paced glam-pop track that reminisces of early LCD recordings. The song is driven by a chant of “DRUNK GIRLS!” which is curiously similar to David Bowie’s “Boys Keep Swinging”, which says a lot about Murphy’s vast music taste.

“Drunk Girls” isn’t the only song on “This is Happening” that hints at the unique back catalogue of David Bowie, as the utterly beautiful “All I Want” proves. With its droning guitar melody and electronic drum beat, it screams “Heroes” so loudly that any music fan would be a fool to miss it. As a massive Bowie fan, I was understandably over the moon with the direction of the record.

Other highlights from “This is Happening” include: “You Wanted a Hit” (brutally honest lyrics and downbeat with a funky bass line), “Pow Pow” (unflinching disco-funk) and the album closer, “Home”.

For fans of LCD, this is album is nothing less than an absolute delight. I can honestly say that it is one of the best albums I have heard in my entire life. Initially, I had a fear that the album wouldn’t deliver, or fulfil my incredibly high expectations, mainly due to the quality of their award-winning 2^nd album “Sound of Silver”. However, my doubt was smashed to pieces when I listened to the album.

I urge you to buy this record – you’ll be so glad that you did.

And here's the second:

LCD Soundsystem first broke into the music scene in 2002 with the single “Losing My Edge”, which features singer/project mastermind James Murphy boasting about his eclectic interest in music over a filthy progressive electro beat

After garnering attention with their first release there came the debut eponymous album in 2005, which was received with high praise from the critics. An unusual blend of disco-punk and techno, the first LP was only a peek at what LCD was capable of in terms of breaking the boundaries in the music world. The joys of LCD continued in 2007 with the second full-length release, entitled “Sound of Silver”. This album brought LCD ever-so-slightly into the mainstream, even more so than when the massive single “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” came out.

British media (including this very newspaper) praised “Sound of Silver” and it was awarded “Album of the Year” by us, Uncut and Drowned in Sound. So, not bad for a band whose ringleader calls himself “a complete failure”.

Amongst playing DJ sets at trendy New York parties and producing albums for bands on his own record label (DFA Records), Murphy has been a busy bee with the latest release from LCD. Entitled “This Is Happening”, and apparently the last album that will be made by LCD, the record completely dwarfs anything else that has been produced in the year 2010.

Somehow, it manages to expand and improve on the already amazing two albums that have been previously put out by the band. Consisting of layer upon layer of intricate sounds, pushed along by simple and fluid bass lines, the collection of songs prove how much of an individual James Murphy is in the world of music (even though he claims to be unoriginal). If any comparison can be made, the most accurate would be to put Murphy next to the eccentric front man of experimental 80’s band the Talking Heads, David Byrne.

If “This is Happening” really is the last album that LCD will produce, it is a sad day for music. But instead of mourning the loss of a truly original group, join the rest of the fans and celebrate the end of an era by purchasing the latest album, which is released in the UK on Monday 17^th May. If the album doesn’t feed your hunger enough then buy yourself a ticket for the latest tour, which is currently covering the UK.