Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Disc 1:
Disc 2:
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
So much has been said about disco-punk's King Midas, New York musician/ producer James Murphy, that's its kind of hard to believe that we've had to wait until 2005 for the debut album from his dancefloor project, LCD Soundsystem. LCD's classic triumvirate of early singles – "Losing My Edge", "Give It Up", and "Yeah"--joined the dots between punk-rock, disco, and funk in a way that hadn't been seen since the New York downtown scene of the early '80s, but these are bravely relegated to a bonus disc in favour of a suite of new material that rework the band's influences in new, often explicit ways: take "Movement", for instance – a homage to The Fall that finds Murphy barking "It's a fat guy/ In a T-shirt/Doing all the singing!" over punchy analogue synths, or the quietly majestic "Great Release", a doff of the cap to Brian Eno circa Taking Tiger Mountain. For all his encyclopaedic musical knowledge, however, it's one of Murphy's strengths that he seldom seems uptight about the practise of music-making: it's how he can get away with penning a gonzo disco-punk number and naming it something as fantastically flippant as "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"--and more importantly, it's why LCD Soundsystem succeeds as a splendid dance record as well as a smart intellectual exercise. --Louis Pattison
Review
James Murphy, the man who is LCD, has earned himself a tidy reputation in recent years. As one half of production duo DFA he's produced some of the more trendy bands to come out of New York. The Rapture and Radio 4have both felt the benefit of his disco punk sensibility.
He's probably best known over here for 2002's "Losing My Edge", in which an ageing hipster (Murphy, obviously) rants about his cool muso credentials over an addictive and perversely simple bass line. It couldn't help but make you smile.
And what we have here is 2 CDs of James' own stuff and yes, let's get a little excited over it. He's a generous chap as the second CD sports the Soundsystem's singles so far, including "Losing My Edge", "Yeah" and "Give It Up";top tunes for fine art students to do hoovering to.
This leaves the first CD to live and breathe as an album proper. It's the length of an old vinyl record (45 mins), with 9 tracks on it. There's even a slow track at the end, the VERY Eno-like "Great Release".
And yes, the hip references are all there. Can, The Gang of Four, Prince, The Fall, PiL etc., the cool stuff from the NME hall of fame! Murphy is witty and funny and knows what's good about the music he likes. He doesn't sound cynical, just knowing and aware - and he definitely knows how to play the cow bell.
His lyrics are often more spoken than sung, but his voice has an engaging weediness - sort of nerdy and aggressive at the same time. You can't really sing lines like 'Daft Punk is playing at my house' anyway, though there is a pleasant lyricism to the druggy melancholy (in a late-period Beatles style) of "Never As Tired As When I Wake Up". At one point I even found myself looking for the lyric sheet, but that might be taking things a little too seriously.
So, all in all a toe-tappingly good album and much more engaging than the music he's produced for other people. Pop may have eaten itself, but its s**t can still smell mighty good. --Matt Harvey
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By J. Peevman
Format:Audio CD
A few of these reviews have been attacking this cd for being boring and repetitive, and yes, in all honesty i can see where they're coming from... but if you like music that's not frightened to stick with a cool beat for a few minutes longer than most pop songs - then you'll love this.
Basically - what you hear is what you get. It's like a daft punk album - after you've heard one or two tracks you know pretty much what to expect. The first lcd song i heard was 'losing my edge', which i thought was completely amazing and led me to buy the album, which completely met all expectations.
So this album might well not be your thing... but the only advice i can give in that respect, is that you make sure to listen to at least one or two of the tracks before you buy it, so that you won't then have to complain in reviews about what a waste of money it was...
Basically - what you hear is what you get. It's like a daft punk album - after you've heard one or two tracks you know pretty much what to expect. The first lcd song i heard was 'losing my edge', which i thought was completely amazing and led me to buy the album, which completely met all expectations.
So this album might well not be your thing... but the only advice i can give in that respect, is that you make sure to listen to at least one or two of the tracks before you buy it, so that you won't then have to complain in reviews about what a waste of money it was...
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By S. Taylor
Format:Audio CD
I dance to this record. I dance so hard i get headaches and those little flickering stars areound the edge of my vision. I don't dance. Ever. And this album makes me want to... NME in their own smug way praise this all the time... And for once, they're right about someone other than Bloc Party... James Murphy is a god. It's true to say if you like anything for Foo Fighters to Daft Punk and back again, there will be something for you on this album. From the cd1 opener 'Daft Punk is playing at my house' you know you've found something special... And then you get to 'Give It Up', my personal favourite on the album... In terms of dance music, I haven't been this excited since On The Ropes by Mint Royale was released... And Give it Up is now my weapon of choice even over the mighty 'Shake Me' (one of the best dance tracks of our generation). The only reason this won't sell is because people today are shallow minded. One side like 'alt.'. One side likes 'crunk 'n'... whatever it is this week'. This merges them, throws it out a window into a vat or toxic waste, soaks thoughroughly, spin drys and then jumps in the mud...
'There's every kid for miles at my house, my house'... With the cd in you'll possesion, they'll have good reason to be there!
'There's every kid for miles at my house, my house'... With the cd in you'll possesion, they'll have good reason to be there!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Graham B
Format:Audio CD
I have come to the conclusion that James Murphy is God!!
Its as simple as that.Without doubt he is a musical genius.
Apart from the fact that this double CD has got to be the bargain of the century at just under £5.00,the musical content is breathtaking.You could say that James Murphy is the avante garde of new wave dance music but the sound is also anachronistic and reminds one of the blooming of the dance craze following the demise of the punk era.That is partly its appeal in that it takes you back to that vital new period and surrounds you with a warm glow as you listen to it.
Every track of both CD's has got musical merit.Each is lovingly constructed often exploding into a storming finale that defies belief.Just listen to track yeah (crass version)on the second CD to see what I mean.
This is music to glory in and I defy you not to want to dance when you hear it.There are comparisons to be made no doubt and one of the first that struck me was Nine inch nails(Trent Reznor).To be honest though on second thoughts its a poor comparison because although there are similarities in the style of music and vocal delivery it is vastly inferia in its viscoral attack and intelligence.
Apart from everything else I have mentioned this album is wonderfully produced.If you have a half decent Hi Fi system it will sound amazing.
If you have a very decent Hi Fi it will blow your socks off and anybody who is demonstrating Hi Fi equipment for a living should have this CD at the top of their pile because it will show off the sonic ability of a system to perfection...or the shortfalls come to that!!
Finally can I just mention LCD's new album the sound of silver.It is every bit as good as this but perhaps a slightly more commercial sound without the dark corners and crevasses of this work of genius.But hey it has the same ability to make you want to drag yourself off of your hard worked sofa like no music I have ever known.Buy the two albums together.For just over £10 or the price of two packets of fags you will be in aural heaven!!
Its as simple as that.Without doubt he is a musical genius.
Apart from the fact that this double CD has got to be the bargain of the century at just under £5.00,the musical content is breathtaking.You could say that James Murphy is the avante garde of new wave dance music but the sound is also anachronistic and reminds one of the blooming of the dance craze following the demise of the punk era.That is partly its appeal in that it takes you back to that vital new period and surrounds you with a warm glow as you listen to it.
Every track of both CD's has got musical merit.Each is lovingly constructed often exploding into a storming finale that defies belief.Just listen to track yeah (crass version)on the second CD to see what I mean.
This is music to glory in and I defy you not to want to dance when you hear it.There are comparisons to be made no doubt and one of the first that struck me was Nine inch nails(Trent Reznor).To be honest though on second thoughts its a poor comparison because although there are similarities in the style of music and vocal delivery it is vastly inferia in its viscoral attack and intelligence.
Apart from everything else I have mentioned this album is wonderfully produced.If you have a half decent Hi Fi system it will sound amazing.
If you have a very decent Hi Fi it will blow your socks off and anybody who is demonstrating Hi Fi equipment for a living should have this CD at the top of their pile because it will show off the sonic ability of a system to perfection...or the shortfalls come to that!!
Finally can I just mention LCD's new album the sound of silver.It is every bit as good as this but perhaps a slightly more commercial sound without the dark corners and crevasses of this work of genius.But hey it has the same ability to make you want to drag yourself off of your hard worked sofa like no music I have ever known.Buy the two albums together.For just over £10 or the price of two packets of fags you will be in aural heaven!!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 59 reviews
3.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fine
This was a good download and there was no problems at all. I would recommend this to someone who is just looking for some basic dance music
Published 3 months ago by Ray
5.0 out of 5 stars
everything as planned
The Cd arrived when they said it would. very good, like it said. So, i am very satisfied with the service
Published 5 months ago by Manel
4.0 out of 5 stars
better version elsewhere
great cd but you can get a much better 2 cd version with the brilliant 'losing my edge'. I bought this version by mistake
Published 9 months ago by minty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
the first album by LCD Soundsystem. The bonus CD is a must, because track as Yeah could make your day.
Published on 30 May 2010 by Madeale
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding proper debut for LCD
A friend of mine suggested I bought this and I've been thanking her ever since.
It's a fantastic clash between a whole host of influences that delivers a fantastic party... Read more
It's a fantastic clash between a whole host of influences that delivers a fantastic party... Read more
Published on 18 Dec 2009 by Mr. M. L. Hawes
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic party album
The proof of an album like this is whether everybody at a party can get into it, regardless of their musical upbringing. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2008 by Phil Betjeman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dance music's future?
Dance music is in a bad state in the 21st Century. Aside from a handful of visionary groups remaining like Faithless or the Chemical Brothers, even the 90s champions are either... Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2007 by dynamitekid156
1.0 out of 5 stars
mindnumbing
Absolutely dreadful.If juvenile warbling with no emotion or intelligence were classified as an artform this would be a masterpiece. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2006
5.0 out of 5 stars
Like eating Space Dust whilst Tracey Emin sucks you off
This album is unreal - why - because it is simply the best fusion of dance, rock n roll, electro, beat poetry and drug induced riot you will ever hear. Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2005 by Antonio Kowalski
4.0 out of 5 stars
a nice surprise
Didn't know anything about lcd. Album came in the post. Amidst all the Brits giving us their shameless Cure/ Gang of Four/ Talking Heads/The Vapours impressions ('Tonight Matthew... Read more
Published on 13 April 2005
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
