LCD Soundsystem

James Murphy might be the coolest person going in music today. His hipster credibility is untouchable. Aziz Ansari agrees, in fact he apparently tells his favorite story about James Murphy. When Murphy was twelve he heard a song by the Smiths, I think he said it was “This Charming Man” a couple weeks before it was released for the general public. However he thought it was by the Smith Brothers, so at 12 years old he goes into a record store to ask about it and the clerk makes fun of him for thinking it was by the Smith Brothers. When I was 12 my favorite band was The Offspring.

LCD Soundsystem sounds like space age, post punk disco. It does not fall into any normal category. I don’t think anyone has made two albums so radically different from each other but also from any other artist ever. The self titled debut is more focused as a funky electronic album with less lyrics and more grooves. It has a sense of humor about it, downplaying its actual importance. A song like “Losing My Edge” clearly pokes fun of what amounts to be his largest fan base. It’s a cool album that questions what it means to be cool and how quickly it can go away. Murphy is essentially “too old for this shit.” He doesn’t belong on the scene, the kids do. They should not be listening to him; they should listen to Daft Punk. As a result this album really seems to be self-actualized, clearly defining Murphy at that particular moment.

Sound of Silver is a pop album disguised in layers of other genres. “Someone Great” and “All My Friends” are some of the most heartfelt and genuine songs to come out this decade, besides the fact that they happen to rock as well. This album contains tighter songs that restrain themselves instead of being as sprawling as they are on the debut and 45:33. Murphy sings more on this album, to make it more like a pop album, a blend of Phoenix and Hot Chip. Sound of Silver is a melancholy album, but it remains accessible and in some senses contains a semblance of optimism.