LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
Sound of Silver
DFA
· Bowie for dummies.
The other night while a friend was over, LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver was playing on the stereo. She turned to me during the opener "Get Innocuous" and proclaimed, "Man, David Bowie is absolutely amazing. Which record is this?"
"Well, it's new," I replied. "But it's not actually Bowie." While the Bowie comparison doesn't fit all the way through, "Innocuous" does act as a perfect framework from which to view the rest of Sound of Silver. Whereas their debut, LCD Soundsystem (and even more so the group's earlier singles, compiled as an accompanying disc with that album), sounded like no one else, Sound of Silver not only sounds like everyone who's been ripping off James Murphy and DFA the past two years, but at times like a pale imitation of itself.
"North American Scum" is a fun bit of Brooklyn trash, while "Time to Get Away" sees Murphy taking on the occasional falsetto flourish and nearly pulling it off. "All My Friends" is brilliant – driven by hammered piano and swelling energy. "New York I Love You" is a great send-off to the city in which LCD Soundsystem lead the scene.
Still, Murphy could pull much of Sound of Silver out of a hat. "Us vs. Them" brings out the cowbell for yet another round (might as well just give it a solo, man). The worst, however, is the mid-album electro ballad of sorts, "Someone Great." It’s blown to bits by Murphy's inane lyrics on the death of a friend. Stick to telling us how many cool records you own, James, and at least take comfort in knowing you've made a far better second LP than your old proteges The Rapture.
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