LCD Soundsystem - s/t

LCD Soundsystem
s/t
DFA Records/EMI
Grade: B+

The buzz around LCD Soundsystem/James Murphy’s debut full-length over the past few months has been on the order of the Special Olympics – retarded (in a good way). Nearly ever PR email I got from people not associated with LCD/Murphy/DFA/… leading into SXSW had a nod to this record. While this double-disc release – one record of new material and one of past single – is as hot as the sun, it’s not as if the wheel was just reinvented. If you don’t know who Murphy is it is just that no one has told you the links that you actually already know. Murphy used to molest drums in the bands Pony and Speedking before turning towards the producing and recording end of the profession. Along the way Murphy worked studios across the NYC-area and formed DFA Records with Tim Goldsworthy – along with Jonathan Galkin. The label is noted for the Rapture’s Echoes as well as remixes of Le Tigre, Radio 4 and N.E.R.D. After a number of singles over the course of time, this, again, is LCD’s first proper full-length. Part of the previously mentioned dolled out love for LCD came from the first track on the new material record, “Daft Punk Is Playing In My House.” “Daft Punk” is precisely about its title and moves with direct purpose that you find on previous LCD singles. The thick bass line and drums along with Murphy’s vocals are perfectly situated. This is followed by the lazy, whispering vocal and drums of “Too Much Love” and the laptop distortion-style of “Tribulations.” “Movement” flows like art-blip-rap to rock blasts, while Murphy comes out of an opium den to provide the Beatles-dripping pop number “Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up” – seriously, there are the same progressions. The eight-minute “On Repeat” sounds exactly like that as it slowly builds drums. “Thrills” is a bit of filler, before the awesome number “Disco Infiltrator.” Again, we find Murphy playing the role of a white art-rapper – where with a cold – accompanying Nintendo blips and varying beats. The new material record ends on “The Great Release” that features a continuous beat with limited piano chords that builds into a glorious, uplifting movement before dropping off to nothingness.

Again, the second CD consists of the singles that LCD has released over the past few bits. The record includes six tracks including one song “Yeah” with two versions and is highlighted by the excellent “Losing My Edge.” “Losing My Edge” is like perfect well-tempered post-art school schbaz where Murphy references being at every hip electronic/beat music moments over the past few decades – against the backdrop of getting swallowed by newer fair. I like the section about people having collections of the music that are impossible to have: “I hear that you have a compilation of every good song ever done by everybody.” “Beat Connection” follows suit, while you get smacked by the punk “Give It Up.” Spastic psychedelic guitars greet you on “Tired” as Murphy goes off on an acid trip of squealing moments. The two versions of “Yeah” – the “Crass Version” and the “Pretentious Version” – combine for twenty minutes of gloriousness, though the “Crass Version” is preferred as Murphy comes off like a Duke fan in the other. If you have ever had a notion of LCD Soundsystem, now is your chance to own everything.