Here come the warm jets of more great music, accompanied by my befuddlement:
LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening
Being a great band is one thing, but I’m trying to figure out why LCD Soundsystem is more significant than that. It might be the wisdom and perspective, two things you don’t get out of most danceable acts, or out of most younger bands. At 40, James Murphy’s been around long enough to see how things go in the world, learn to effectively express himself, and know that sometimes the thing to do is just shake your ass like there’s no tomorrow.
He also has a commitment to performance and effort that you rarely get these days (read this interview for all the stuff and more, vol. 1).
I’m not going to try to sum up the music other than to say that LCD’s done it again, and maybe This Is Happening isn’t as fresh as LCD Soundsystem or as flawless as Sound of Silver, but it’s another wonderful effort from folks who know and care.
This Is Happening comes out May 15, and is currently streaming at http://www.lcdsoundsystem.com/thisishappening/.
Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles
My befuddlement in this case is wondering why I’ve been giving Crystal Castles short shrift in my mind. I liked their last album for the most part and put “Untrust Us” on my year-end mix. I saw them live, and was incredibly impressed by their set — short, loud, and lit only by a slow strobe, so Alice Glass seemed to be teleporting across the stage. Still, I guess I can’t be faulted for not having great expectations for a followup.
So, there’s me being wrong. Their new album, Crystal Castles (self-titled just like their first album, which is simultaneously annoying and awesome), is ambitious and excellent. Loud-distorted-screamy, singy-dancey, and loads of that late-70s/early-80s cold-wave synth stuff that I just can’t get enough of these days. There’s nothing new under the sun, but the interpretations are top-notch.
Maybe I wasn’t giving them enough of a chance because they don’t seem like they’d be nice to have over for dinner.
Crystal Castles: “Year Of Silence”
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