LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver
When James Murphy decided to fly solo in 2005 releasing LCD Soundsystem spanning two discs, it was all too easy to constantly press the skip button. Long dance remixes fused with indie created some of the biggest floor fillers of the year, yet looking back on the debut album it is always the one song, ‘Daft Punk is Playing in My House’ which rings a chord.
Fortunately Mr Murphy has taken his strengths and used them to the highest ability with ‘Sound of Silver’. Beginning with ‘Get Innocuous!’ The album doesn’t quite start with the pounding beats expected, as Murphy’s words are drowned in hard backing vocals with dark underlying rhythms. However this is a small break compared to the following ‘Time to Get Away’ which shows a return to percussion driven tracks. As a cowbell takes centre stage the quick guitars along with single ‘North American Scum’ is an instant hit. Murphy, knowing his vocal abilities narrates the tracks over complicated back rhythms almost with a twinge of sarcasm during ‘North American Scum’, whereas in ‘Sound of Silver’ his voice is stern and commanding. ‘All My Friends’ begins with a minimalistic Phillip Glass piano melody morphing into a drum beat fusing with this with full synthesizers to create one of the more laid back tracks.
Then with ‘Watch the Tapes’ and ‘Us Vs Them’ the songs take a cheerleading chant with the repetitive vocals of “us and them, over and over again” before Murphy cues “Bells”. While ‘Watch the Tapes’ has a chorus designed for alcohol fuelled dance floors.
Strangely enough the album doesn’t end on a fusion of break beats and percussion fantasies but instead finishes on the only ballad of the album, ‘New York I Love You’. A rough attempt at a true vocal track it’s the odd moment on an album of indie disco fun, making you wonder why it was put there in the first place.
As a complete record there are few places wear Murphy falters, making Sound of Silver a huge progress from its debut. The whole album sounds similar to another track you just can’t place and Murphy’s influences are obvious, yet he uses this is create the best in his own music. Through from ‘Someone Great’ to ‘Us Vs Them’ Sound of Silver is full of instant hits, making ‘Daft Punk is Playing in My House’ sound like a minute discovery in comparison.
LCD Soundsystem- Time to Get Away. mp3
LCD Soundsystem- Us Vs Them. mp3
LCD Soundsystem- Watch the Tapes. mp3
God Bless The Music Press 