Sound of Silver - Dark Publications

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•	LCD Soundsystem

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Two years after LCD Soundsystem's eponymous full-length debut sent indie scenesters rushing to the dancefloor, the outfit headed by dance-rock producer James Murphy serves up another stiff cocktail of punk, dance, and funk with Sound of Silver. Analog synths, chugging basslines, chunky guitars, and Murphy's wild falsetto excursions are once again the foundation to which is added the new and strange, such as the heavily chorused voices that suggest backward-masking in the opener "Get Innocuous" and the captivating harmonics keyboardist Nancy Whang bounces off of Murphy's vocals on "Someone Great." If this album has its own version of "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House," it has to be "North American Scum," an infectious stormer that breezily dismisses Europe as a place where "the buildings are old and you might have lots of mimes." Such lines are good evidence that LCD's music would rather ridicule itself than fall into the kind of pretense and nostalgia it constantly lampoons. The album's title track reflects that hankering after one's teenage years is often interrupted when "you remember the feelings of a real live emotional teenager--then you think again," while the power ballad "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" wearily serenades the Big Apple as "still the one pool where I'd happily drown." True, LCD's music is not for everyone, which may have something to do with why their fans love them as they do. If you fall into the latter category, however, Silver is gold. --Brent Kallmer

Customer Reviews: Read 48 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys and the BRIT Awards... March 20, 2007
40 out of 44 found this review helpful

James Murphy has like, totally, outdone his debut with this fantabulous soundclash between the Talking Heads, Scissor Sisters, Trail Of The Dead, Flaming Lips and just about every decent British electronic band who plugged in an analogue synth in the Eighties.

This is a rock record, made with technology as ancient and relevant as old Les Paul guitars and valve amplifiers, which also happens to be great to dance or drive to, and is possibly even more conducive to just sitting down and listening. Accompanied by furious head nodding, obviously.

'North American Scum' is a shockingly perceptive song, and a timely reminder that the US does not have an exclusively Midwestern mentality.

The title track pulses with social satire while lampooning the basso profundo pretensions of the Human League and Heaven 17, but it is all sweetness and light next to the damning tribute to the Big Apple that closes the record. "Like a rat in a cage pulling minimum wage," croons Murphy on 'New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down', before a surprise second ending, sounding like a Glitter Band encore. And there aren't many of those these days.

4 out of 5 stars

ELECTRONICA WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR March 20, 2007
38 out of 59 found this review helpful

Honestly I don't generally like this genre of music unless I'm liquored up and soaked with sweat in a body car wash on a dancefloor in the early morning hours with my mind on pause and my butt in overdrive. Through my headphones or my ear pods the sound and fury generally is so minimized that I tend to get bored by the sameness and repetition of the beats and the mindlessness of the lyrics.

Somehow with this new release LCD Soundsystem manages to sidestep most of the potholes that can cause this genre to rattle like a cheap car with worn out shock absorbers. From the rousing "Get Innocuous!" (which is anything but) to "Time To Get Away" which sounds like David Byrne and Giorgio Moroder having sex under a disco ball, "Watch The Tapes" with it's social commentary ("read all the pamphlets and watch the tapes,") the wry, anti-nostalgia of the title tune "Sound Of Silver" and the downtempo closer "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" which is a great cooldown after dancing all night, either at a club or between the sheets.

And yet for reasons I'm not sure I can fairly express it is "Someone Great" that transcends the best of the genre into "Something Great." Listen out loud and I think you'll understand.

LCD Soundsystem - maybe the initials should stand for Laughing, Clappinng & Dancing. Crank it up.

5 out of 5 stars

Rrhythmic and throbbing. April 3, 2007
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Don't talk to James Murphy about maturity. The purveyor of the first cowbell revival of the 21st century has seen it all before. Here, Mr. DFA builds on the success of debut smash `LCD Soundsystem' and relative acclaim of Nike-sponsored jog soundtrack '45:33' to bring in something equal in warm calculation as it is to dance-friendly smiles on your face.

Opener "Get Innocuous" is reminiscent of Casio-chop debut single "Losing My Edge", with tasty space and Telex-induced bassline to boot.
Tour Anthem 2007 duties go to "North American Scum", an affair effectively indebted as much to the glam of Sweet as it is to the post-disco tendencies of 1980s New York City.

Murphy is happy to point out that he might be showing his age.
Although endlessly rhythmic and throbbing, middle-order batter "All My Friends" signals a shift on "Sound Of Silver" from frantic to wistful, (""wouldn't trade one stupid decision/For another five years of life") .
On his deathbed he isn't, but Murphy knows he can't keep miles ahead of the pack forever. Let's hope he never becomes a sweating, faceless member of the chasing dance pelaton.

5 out of 5 stars

assimilate and conquer April 4, 2007
11 out of 14 found this review helpful

Much has been made about the growth of James Murphy, the warmth and wit of his composition and performance. What I hear are the strong influences of some of the best and brightest bubbling up through his production. Early on there are multi-tracked choruses that sound every bit like early Eno, followed by Jack White growl and power chords, a little Tom Tom Club sweetness, and a song to NY, NY that could easily be mistaken for the awkward sensitivity of Sparklehorse. This is all to the good. Music grows when styles are effectively alloyed. And Mr. Murphy has done a great job of it.

The universal acclaim for this CD is well deserved. This is not necessarily what you want on your stereo to keep folks dancing at some carefully choreographed clambake, but it is definitely what you want to be hearing when you're driving home at 2 am from said soiree.

3 out of 5 stars

??? April 3, 2007
7 out of 12 found this review helpful

Okay, I can maybe see the yuppie, artsy, weirdo people who're different just to be different get into this, but otherwise I just don't see the big deal about this album. It's okay, but nothin' to praise or get awards over. All this is, is a gateway album for people that don't normally listen to electronic music to do so. That's all fine & dandy, but don't give away any awards over it. The music is okay, the lyrics...well for the most part are okay, but the guy's voice makes you wanna go start punching people, kinda like when someone's running their finger nails down a chalkboard. For the most part, this is just really mediocre stuff. I just don't see what the big deal is. If you wanna praise an electronic album, there are far more far superior albums that deserve your attention & praise.

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